Girls Recap
Everyone knew it would be tough to top sprint favorite Rachel Nelson (Fort Worth Country Day) and it was. Nelson has been nearly unbeatable in the SPC capturing back-to-back 100m and 200m titles in 2021 and 2022. She made it three titles in both events this weekend going 11.80 and 24.46.
Helen Olszewski (Casady School) came down from Oklahoma to give Nelson her toughest challenge in the 200m; Olszewski finished second in 24.49, just .03 behind Nelson. It was the 400m where the sophomore won her first of what could be many to come SPC Championships.
In the distance events, it was a Courtney McCracken (Trinity Valley) vs. Margaret Thompson (Hockaday) battle. In the 800m, McCracken got the edge (2:128. 71 - 2:19.33), but Thompson would avenge the loss over McCracken in the 1600m (5:10.81 - 5:11.73). In the 3200m, Thompson would win again win 11:13.48 to McCraken's 11:17.56. Madison Morgan (Houston Episcopal) who was third in the 1600m (5:12.61) would slip in between the two in the 3200m for second place (11:15.92).
In a hurdle battle between sophomores, Jaycee Ingram grabbed wins in both events (15.19 and 45.90) over (The John Cooper School) second year hurdler Sienna Williams (15.43 and 46.36) for two runner-up finishes.
In the high jump, freshman Mary Taylor Houston (Episcopal) grabbed the win with less misses with a 5-2 clearance. Leah Smith (Greenhill) and Liesl Sercu (Houston Awty) also cleared 5-2 for second and third, respectively. Taylor also won the triple jump in 37-9.
Another freshman winner was Hockaday's Sena Ter Asom in the long jump. She went 17-9.50 to out jump Leah Smith (Greenhill) who was runner up in the high jump as well.
In the pole vault, Milla Signorelli (The John Cooper School) added a win for the family when she cleared 10-6, Jackie Chapman (Houston St. Johns) won the discus with a toss of 131-6, and Sutton Howard (Fort Worth Country Day)won the shot put with a throw ow 39-8.
Relays
4x100 - 1. Casady (49.79), 2. Houston Christian (49.98), 3. Fort Worth Country Day (50.04)
4x400 - 1. Houston Christian (4:05.33), Kinkaid School (4:0-8.26), 3. Hockaday (4:09.18)
4x800 - 1 St. Andrews Episcopal (9:41.01), 2. Houston Episcopal (9:43.58), 3. Hockaday (9:52.91)
Boys Recap
Houston Kinkaid senior Micah Bell might be one of the top football players in the country, but throughout his track and field career, he has frequently shown his talent. The University of Notre Dame signee capped things off with wins in the 100m (10.51), in the 200m (21.61), and the long jump (22-9). His graduation will allow possibly three new SPC champions to take over next year.
Evan Ringwald from Houston Episcopal captured the 800m and 1600m SPC titles by less than a half a second each when he ran 1:54.73 and 4:29.48. The junior just missed out on the distance trifecta with a runner-up finish to Oklahoma's Casady School senior Larry Mathis. Mathis edged Ringwald 9:34.53 to 9:34.63. Houston St. John's senior William Thames finished runner-up in both the 800m and 1600m events.
In the hurdle events, Houston Episcopal training partners and teammates William Citizen and DeVonte Taylor took turns grabbing SPC titles. Citizen took the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 14.40 ahead of Taylor's 14.66. They would swap positions as Taylor took the 300 meter hurdle win 38.97 to Citizen's 39.92 finish. Together, they were the only sub 15.0 second finishers in the 110s and only two sub 40.0 finisher in the 300s.
Taylor continued with a busy weekend as he finished runner-up in the long jump and triple jump. He went 22-2.5 behind Bell in the long jump and he went 44-6.5 in the triple jump.
Episcopal was impressive in the relays throughout the weekend. They started the weekend off on Friday with a 8:00.61 for second in the 4x800 relay behind Houston Christian and their superb 7:54.35. On Saturday, they improved their standings with wins in the 4x100 (42.42) and in the 4x400 (3:25.28).
In the field events, The John Cooper School junior Gus Feinberg won the high jump with a 6-2 clearance, Karson Gordon (Houston Episcopal) earned a much anticipated win in the triple jump (48-9.5), Nico Signorelli (The John Cooper School) won the pole vault (15-5), Mason Howes (Houston Kinkaid) threw 157-01 in the discus, and Correion Thomas (The Oakridge School) threw 51-4.5 in the shot put.
Jordan Elie-Stuart (Houston Christian) won the 400m in 49.50)
Relays
4x100 - Houston Episcopal (42.42), 2. The Oakridge School (43.19), 3. Greenhill (43.79
4x400 - Houston Episcopal (3:25.28,) 2. Austin St. Stephens (3:26.73), 3. Houston Christian (3:27.15)
4x800 - Houston Christian (7:54.35), 2. Houston Episcopal (8:00.61), 3, St. Andrews Episcopal (8:02.42)
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