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The championship rounds is the beginning of the push to the state meet. It's also the beginning of the end to some.
Unfortunately, we saw a little bit of both last week. In this article, we'll highlight just a few of the many things that happened to take note of from the last two weeks in the UIL.
We start off with two huge unfortunate situations that will impact both of the next two qualifying rounds and the state meet.
The rest of the notes will also affect the next rounds and possibly the state meet, but were a little more positive situations.
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- Katy Tompkins Did Not Advance in 4x100 Relay
The Katy Tompkins 4x100 relay did not make it out of district in the 4x100 relay prelims. Why is this significant? It is because Tompkins has the fastest 4x100 relay time in Region 3-6A. They have been to the UIL 6A state meet several times in the last four years.
This doesn't just affect the 4x100 relay at the area and regional meets, but it could also have implications on the UIL 6A state team championship. Tompkins was able to qualify the 4x200 and 4x400 relays, which could be state qualifiers. Three relays scoring points is conducive to making the podium. Add that with several individual point scoring opportunities and this was an unfortunate situation for the Falcons.
- Isabel Conde De Frankenberg Doesn't Qualify In The 800m/1600m
By now, much of the state already knows that Isabel Conde De Frankenberg only ran in the 3200m at the district finishing in second place. That placement does qualify her for the area championships, but a DNS in the 800m and 1600m mans the fastest girl in the state could be missing the state meet altogether.
Why is this significant? Well, Frankenberg was runner-up in the 800m in last year's UIL 5A 800m and is the TX No. 4 all-time runner in the event at 2:05.61. This year, she ran 2:06.46 at the New Balance Nationals Indoor to finish runner-up at the national championship meet.
With an indoor 4:50.12 in the mile at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, the 1600m at the state meet was going to be highly anticipated race. Most importantly, Frankenberg is the fastest Texas girl ever in the 1600m/mile. She holds the Texas state record 4:36.93 (cov. 1 mile) from last year.
Being the 2022 UIL 5A state meet 1600m and 3200m champion means there will be a new champion for 2023.
- Lauren Lewis Runs 52.19 Moves Upto TX No. 3 A-T
Prosper senior Lauren Lewis was No. 5 on the Texas all-time list now just 0.23 off the state record by Fort Bend Marshall's Brandi Cross 51.96 back in 2006.
She is the reigning defending UIL 6A state champion and going. back-to-back is a serious possibility for the University of Texas signee.
- Flower Mound sets up UIL 6A team title defense
Flower Mound broke the mold last year with the way they won the UIL 6A team title. They're back to continue their streak. We already know this is a streaky bunch based on their three consecutive cross country team titles.
Last week, they qualified three girls to area in the 800m (Samantha Humphries 2:12, Nicole Humphries 2:12, and Abbey Coberly -2:14) 1600m (Samantha 4:55, Nicole 4:55, Alexandra Fox 4:58), and 3200m (Samantha 10:12, Nicole 10:13, Alexandra 10:34). Last year, Flower Mound went 1, 2, 3 in the 1600m and the 3200m. The Humphries and Fox replicated that feat at the cross country state meet and they look to try it again in May.
They've got a lot of help advancint onto the are meet. They have two girls in the 100 meter hurdles and two in the 300 meter hurdles, two high jumpers including state champ Riley Ward, a pole vaulter, a discus thrower, and two-time state champ Abigail Counts in each adaptive events (SP, 100m, 400m), and two girls in the 100m.
Dyson Wicker Continues His Progressively Improvement
Dyson Wicker (Rockwall Heath) - Wicker has been on fire vaulting outside with improvements at every meet. Impressively, he went 15-0 at a cold Allen Eagle Relays to begin the season and kept improving meet by meet. He jumped a 16-2.75 at Texas Relays for an outdoor PR and then surpassed that at the UIL 6A District 10 Championships with a 16-4.75 clearance.
- Boys District 28-6A 800m Fast Four Qualifiers
The UIL district 28-6A championship had all four boys qualifiers run 1:55 to qualify for the area championships.That means we'll get to see another fantastic race.
Only 0.51 separated the first three runners and the fourth was close in 1:55.91. Reagan has a shot of getting all three of their top half milers onto the regional round as they finished second, third, and fourth. Brandeis senior Ethan Malesich won the district race in 1:54.49 and will look to also advance.
6A BOYS 800 METER RUN FINALS PLACE ATHLETE TEAM RESULT WIND H# 1 Malesich Ethan 12 Northside Brandeis 1:54.49 1 2 Kanalu Wong 12 San Antonio Reagan 1:54.96 1 3 Gavin Chapa 10 San Antonio Reagan 1:55.02 1 4 Rafa Hakim Montemayor 12 San Antonio Reagan 1:55.91 1
Alexander Chukwukelu Dropping Hurdle Gems All-Conditions
Alexander Chukwukelu (North Forney) Chukwukelu continues to crush things in the second half of the UIL season. He went sub 13.16 (w) in the prelims and then 13.32 wind legal in the 110 meter hurdles at the Texas Relays. Now, he went 12.98 (NWI) to win the UIL 6A District 10 Championships. He also added a 21.87 200m PR.
He'll eventually get to race again with an anemometer that'll show his true mastery of the hurdles, but until then, keep watching his fascinating running.
- Jaquaize Pettaway continues to dominate the 200m
Houston Langham Creek senior Jaquaize Pettaway is on borrowed time when it comes to track and field. The University of Oklahoma football signee will soon be in Norman, but he will try to win a state title before then.
Pettaway ran another sub 21 second 200m this season with is 20.96 run at the UIL District 16-6A Championships. Also ran 10.64 for the district win in the 100m. He'll have a TX No. 1 vs No. 2 showdown with Jelani Watkins at the area meet.
David Wilson III Is Coming Up Big
David Wilson III (Hurst Bell) - Last year, Wilson went off in the championship season by throwing in the 60s for the first time at district and then ending with a 62 and third place at state. He threw in the 60s for the first time at Jesuit-Sheaner with a 64-11.75, a 65-1.75 PR at district, and then a 63-9.75 at the area meet. We are already expecting the match up with him and Michael Pinones, but until then keep a watch on Wilson's regional throws.
David Hicks Jr. Throws Over 200 feet
David Hicks Jr. - The 5 star football player has been proving how athletic he is with his exploits this track and field season. The Texas A&M signee threw a 202-2 bomb in the discus to win the UIL District 19-6A Varsity Meet.