SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - The preview on
the 300-meter hurdles is the fifth in the series of preview articles for the
San Antonio Metro area. The top 300 hurdles in the area are generally among the
top high hurdlers in the area. I have always thought the hurdle events relied
on coaching more than many other events due to its technical nature and that
the same schools will continually churn out top level athletes in the event
because of strong coaching.
6A Boys
There is no clear-cut favorite for the top 300 hurdler in the area this year. Clark's Jaydan Douglas broke 39 seconds and has the fastest returning time but he did not even compete at his district meet. The next trio of runners; Kyree Wilson (Brennan), William Davis (Steele) and Derek Davisson (Reagan) all advanced to the Regional meet but did not qualify for finals.
After the top four, there five more hurdlers who broke 41 seconds last year. Paul Mencke of Clemens is the most intriguing of that group since he will only be a junior this year. Further down the list is Harlan's TJ Butler who is second on the 110-meter hurdle list and has the speed to lower his 300 time.
6A Girls
The top two 6A girls 300 hurdlers are two of the best track athletes in the area, Reagan's Isabella Dagrosa and Harlan's Iyanna Webb. Dagrosa is the top ranked returner in both hurdle events and is also one of the best long jumpers. Webb, a junior, is the top returning long and triple jumper in the area and has a legitimate chance to make it to the State meet in three individual events.
Johnson's Kamryn Simpson does not have the low times like Dagrosa and Webb but took fourth in the Region last year and beat Webb in the finals. After Simpson, only three other returners have broken 48 seconds, including her teammate Michaela Mitchell who just missed qualifying for the Regional meet. There are a lot of 48 and 49-second hurdlers in the area and the one who I have my eye on is another Johnson girl, Ciandra Carrico, who has a faster 100-hurdle time than Mitchell.
5A Boys
Boerne Champion's Brock Lewis will end up having a lot of words written about him in these preview articles because he is such a strong track and field athlete. He ran a 38.96 last year and should be one of the favorites to make it to the State meet. He was the Regional champion two years ago but did not compete at last year's meet.
After Lewis, the competition in the area is tight with six runners posting times between 41.49 and 41.86. Canyon's Deuce Adams joins Lewis as the only two 5A boys to rank as a top five returner in both hurdle events. It would be a fairly big surprise if anyone in the area challenges Lewis.
5A Girls
Boerne Champion's Addison Hankins enters the season as the top 300 hurdler in the area after posting a time of 45.94. Kerrville Tivy's Millie Howerton has the exact same time as Hankins but only ran the event once last year so we will see if it becomes a focus for her this year.
Most of the top hurdlers in the area hail from District 26-5A which will make it a difficult district to get out of this year. Twelve of the top 13 girls are from the district with only Medina Valley's Tristan Moreno cracking that group. Smithson Valley has four girls in the top eight including Zada Zimmerman, the top 100-hurdler. SV's Sophie Goodwin is an interesting athlete who is among the best in the area in the 300-hurdles, 800 meters and triple jump.
4A Boys
The 4A boys 300-meter hurdles should be wide open this year with no dominant returners. Boerne's Bruce McCoy barely missed making the Regional meet last year with his time of 42.41. Wimberley's Presley Schumpelt and Sergio Sonora of Carrizo Springs also broke 43 seconds last year. If the three names seem familiar it is because all three are also among the top four 110-meter hurdles in the area.
Following the top trio, there are two others who have clipped 44 seconds, Reid Robison (Davenport) and Carter Williams (Canyon Lake). There is a solid group of hurdlers in the 44-second range and then there is the wild-card, Gary Seidenberger of Fredericksburg. He only ran the 300's once last year, but he was a State finalist in the 110-hurdles.
4A Girls
While the 4A boys are not that strong in the 300 hurdles, the girls are very strong. Claire Schroeder (Canyon Lake) and Cameran Whiting (Fredericksburg) return as the top two hurdlers in the entire Region and Wimberley's Baylee Gold slots in at fourth. Schroeder has the fastest time, 46.68, but it was Whiting who was third at the Regional meet last year. Gold might be the top 4A girls athlete in the area as she ranks in the top five in four different events.
After the top three girls, the quality does not diminish much. Uvalde's Kasidy Hernandez clocked a 48.52 and finished sixth at the Regional meet. Three other hurdlers have broken 50 seconds; Jazlyn Dickerson (Bandera), Brilee Eaton (Canyon Lake) and Briseis January (La Vernia). Dickerson and Eaton are both sophomores and could be in line for big improvements this year.
3A Boys
Randolph's Parker Cabra and Chris Cannedy enter the season as the top two 3A boys 300 hurdlers. Cabra holds the edge thanks to his time of 41.71, but Cannedy is not far behind at 42.29 and is the only other area runner under 43 seconds. The top five 300 hurdlers are almost an exact duplicate of the 110 hurdles with only Poth's Colin Ramzinski being different. Aiden Martinez (Great Hearts Monte Vista) and Zylan Keicer (Marion) round out the top five.
Ramzinski and Martinez are only sophomores and could really push for the top spot in the area this year. The best of the rest includes two more Randolph hurdlers and two from Marion.
3A Girls
The top five 3A girls 300 hurdlers are head and shoulders above the rest of the area's top returners. Maddison Kitson of Cole is the best of the bunch and has a chance to challenge for the second State qualifier spot in the Region. She has run a full two seconds faster than anyone else in the area. She is also one of the top long and triple jumpers around.
Despite having times quite a bit slower than Kitson's, Cecilia Korzekwa of Poth and Cheyenne Gramlick of Randolph are the next two girls in the Regional rankings behind Kitson. After those two, only Abby Levings (Cole) and McKinley West (Jourdanton) have run faster than 56 seconds with each having run in the low 53-second range.
Other Boys
I am combining the private schools, smaller public schools and home school athletes into one group. Central Catholic's Gary Mejia was the State silver medalist in the 300 hurdles last year and clocked a 39.42. However, Mejia is only second on the list of top returners. Homeschool athlete Darian Abbott has a time of 39.14 next to his name from the TAAF State Championships this past summer. The only other hurdler who is in the same class as Mejia and Abbott is Xavier Garza of Holy Cross who has run a 40.03.
Layton Hermann (D'Hanis) and William Casias (Antonian Prep) have each run in the 42.7's for the 300 hurdles and Josiah Wentcrek of the Christian School of Castle Hills is right behind them.
Other Girls
San Antonio Christian's Lexi Winship is the best 300-meter hurdler among small public schools, private schools and home school students. She finished fifth in the State last year and has a top time of 46.32. The rest of the top five returners fully encompasses the different classifications in the "Other Girls" group.
Chloe Ogden (TMI) and Sujeili Mermella (Antonian) are each private school athletes while Madelyn Sekula attends Falls City High School and Presleigh Adam competes for FEAST. Ogden has a top time of 50.50 while the other three are all around 52 seconds.
* Please note that all times are taken from the MileSplit website. There is always a possibility that someone I mentioned no longer competes for the school they did last year or that they are even competing in track and field anymore. These articles are just a very early preview of the upcoming season.