{The More Things Change...}

For two days in Waco, the weather stayed clear and the action on the track and the field were everything worthy of State Championship expectations.

While several athletes repeated their state championship gold-medal performances from last season (and even the 2021 season), one athlete, in particular, stands out: Plano John Paul II's Samantha Ennin. The sophomore sensation became the first girl in TAPPS State T&F Championship history to soar over 20' in the long jump (20-01.00) and over 40' in the triple jump (40-10.75), and she accomplished this feat about an hour apart. 

The top three point scorers among the boys are: Rosehill Christian's Anthony Wilder, who racked up 37 points with 2 golds, 2 silvers, and 1 4th-place finish. Esteban De Leon (Ovilla Christian) and Edward Bocock (Houston St. Thomas) each scored 36 points

On the flipside, an injury to Rosehill Christian's Mercy Freeman on her first triple jump kept her out of competition. Last year, Freeman won five gold medals, and this year, she aimed to repeat that effort. 

1A Boys

Elijah Buris' 35 points paced Brazosport Christian to the team title, 58 points ahead of their second-place competition. Buris won three golds (long jump, triple jump, 4x100), 1 silver (4x200) and 1 bronze (100.) Hayden Turner (Texoma Christian; 32 points) and Bridger Welch (Fredericksburg Heritage; 28.5 points) also had outstanding weekends. 

1A Girls

Fredericksburg Heritage's back-to-back team titles come courtesy of 73 points from Elaina Craven (41) and Ellie Shipman (32.) Craven entered the 2023 campaign with 5 golds, 2 silvers and 2 bronzes already to her credit; she adds 3 more golds and 2 more silvers. Shipman, who also owned 5 golds prior to this past weekend, added 4 more and 1 silver in the pole vault.

The Salas Streak continues. 

Lesli Salas and younger brother David Salas have now collected 13 individual gold medals between them. Lesli has swept the 800, 1600 and 3200 for three consecutive seasons, and David has swept the 1600 and 3200 for two straight seasons. Lesli also set two Class A records: 5:10.41 1600 and 11:13.41 in the 3200.

Lesli Salas

David Salas

Notables

• Caleb Drake - Prestonwood Christian Prosper - 21 points - gold 800 and 4x200 and bronze 200.

• Marcela Lozano - Radford School - 20 points - gold 200 and 400.

• Noah Fletcher - Waxahachie Prep - 20 points - gold shot put and discus

• Elizabeth Fritzler - Hill Country San Marcos - 20 points - gold shot put and discus

• Kado Jackson - Trinity School Longview - 25 points with 4 medals

2A Boys

Lee Taylor's anchor to win at the photo finish

2A Girls

Leading the Saint Joseph Catholic-Bryan squad to the team title is the 2A high-point scorer Clare Najvar, 39 points with 3 golds, 1 silver and 1 bronze. Brooke Cerny of Shiner St. Paul, and Amelia Anderson of Allen Academy scored 34 and 30.5 points respectively.

Notables

• Sophia Grinstead - Bracken Christian - gold shot put and discus

3A Boys

The top three boys in 3A each won 5 medals, led by Anthony Wilder's (Rosehill Christian) two golds, two silvers, and 1 fourth place - 37 points. Blake Schroeder of Covenant Classical-Fort Worth scored 32.5 points with two golds and three bronzes. Josiah Wentrcek of Christian School at Castle Hills earned two silvers, one bronze and two fourth-place finishes for 28 points. 

3A Girls

Faith Murphy

Notables

• Aaron Smith of Bishop Gorman and Luke Teson of Coram Deo-Plano each earned 21 points. 

• Kaleigh Frazier - Rosehill Christian - 25 points and swept both hurdles for second-consecutive season. 

4A Boys

4A Girls

Neriah Williams of Pantego Christian won five golds on her way to a 31-point weekend. Caley Fitzgerald of Brook Hill School scored 25 points while Sophia Swanton of team champion Houston Cypress Christian and Madeline Seebeck of John Paul II-Schertz each scored 22 points.

Notables

• Caroline Bonnecaze - Bay Area Christian - 20 points - 3 silvers 

• Zach Guerra - Colleyville Covenant Christian - 22.5 points 

• Adler Smith - Houston Cypress Christian - 21 points 

• Xavier Garza - Holy Cross-San Antonio - 21 points 

• Harper Counts - Brentwood Christian - 20 points - 1st 1600 and 3200

5A Boys

Tristan Smalls of Fort Worth Southwest Christian (23 points), Marcelo Parra of TMI The Episcopal School of Texas (21 points) and Quinton Brown of Argyle Liberty Christian (21 points) lead a talented group of 5A boys, while JaHazniah Griffin of St. Michaels Catholic swept both throws (154-11 / 53-08.00)

5A Girls

Bayleigh Minor (Fort Bend Christian Academy) and Aliyah Johnson (Fort Worth Southwest Christian) scored 41 and 40 points respectively, Bayleigh with 4 golds and 3 class records and Aliyah with 2 golds and 3 silvers. Fort Bend Christian Academy doesn't win the team title without the contributions of Brooke Coleman's 20 points - 4 medals. Addie Applebaum of San Antonio Christian won the 1600 and 3200. 

Notables

• Hudson Powell - Regents School of Austin - 2 silvers

• Halle Gunter - Midland Christian - 14 points 

6A Boys

Propelling San Antonio Central Catholic to its second-consecutive state title is Gerardo Mejia (30 points - 4 medals, including three golds) and Nathan Morales (23 points.) Leading all 6A boys in points and medals is Houston St. Thomas' Edward Bocock: 36 points and 5 medals - 2 golds, 1 silver, 1 bronze, and 1 fourth-place finish. 

6A Girls

Notables

• Todd Worth - Antonian College Prep - 22.5 points, including two golds in the 800 and 1600.

• Trenton Wheeler - Prestonwood Christian-Plano, Ryan Forsan - Parish Episcopal - and Isai Prezas of San Antonio Central Catholic - each with 19 points.

• Indigo Sims - Parish Episcopal - 19 points

• Kaitlyn Elackatt - Houston St. Agnes - 19 points

RECORDS

1. Bayleigh Minor - Fort Bend Christian Academy - 55.14 Girl's 400

2. Marcus Gaitan - Lutheran South - 1:55.05 Boy's 800

3. Todd Worth - Antonian College Prep - 1:54.39 Boy's 800

4. Faith Murphy - Faith Academy Marble Falls - 2:15.45 Girl's 800

5. David Salas - San Angelo Cornerstone Christian - 4:26.57 1600

6. Lesli Salas - San Angelo Cornerstone Christian - 5:10.41 1600

7. Lesli Salas - San Angelo Cornerstone Christian - 11:13.41 1600

8. Ovilla Christian Boy's 4x100 - Parker Navarro, Tucker Navarro, Noah Fitch, Esteban De Leon

9. Fort Bend Christian Academy Girl's 4x100 - Daniella Herrera, Brooke Coleman, Gabrielle Washington, Bayleigh Minor 

10. Ovilla Christian Boy's 4x200 - Parker Navarro, Tucker Navarro, Noah Fitch, Esteban De Leon

11. Matthew Boughton - Colleyville Covenant Christian - 6-08.00 high jump

12. Jesse Imemba - The Village-Houston - 6-08.00 high jump

13. Devin Miller - Dallas Bishop Lynch - 6-08.00 high jump

14. Jesse Fuller - Tomball Concordia Lutheran - 6-06.00 high jump

15. Gerardo Mejia - San Antonio Central Catholic - 6-06.00 high jump

16. David Madison - Plano Prestonwood Christian - 6-06.00 high jump

17. Anthony Wilder - Rosehill Christian - 23-08.50 long jump

18. Tiras McNeal - Lutheran North - 23-07.75 long jump

19. Bryan Domino - Fort Bend Christian Academy - 23-03.25 long jump

20. Samantha Ennis - Plano John Paul II - 20-01.00 long jump

21. Alese Banks - Dallas Bishop Lynch - 19-00.25 long jump

22. Gianna Hilliard - San Antonio Incarnate Word - 18-03.75 long jump

23. Bayleigh Minor - Fort Bend Christian Academy - 38-03.00 triple jump

24. Samantha Ennis - Plano John Paul II - 40-10.75 triple jump

25. Emma Loschen - Plano Prestonwood Christian - 38-06.25 triple jump 

**Bayleigh Minor: 2 individual and 1 relay record

**Lesli Sales: 2 individual records

TEAM WINNERS