UIL 4A Boys 800m
Victor Aviles exhibits exhilaration after winning the UIL 4A Boys 800m
Photo Credit: Shelton Jolivette/MileSplit TX
Chris Moreno (San Elizario) entered as the defending state champion from the 2022 race and had the best seed time 1:54.37 from the regional rounds
LaFeria's Julian Dominguez would take the lead coming off the curve and bring the group in through 36 and 41 second splits. At the 400m it was Alex Niemiec (Canyon) and Moreno leading the field at 56.60 halfway through.
With 1:25 on the clock through 600m, Victor Aviles (Burnet) would make a move to pull-up side-by-side with Moreno to then take the lead coming off the turn with 100m to go. Aviles would finish close the last lap in a negative split of 56.50 seconds for a 1:53.26 win to Moreno's 1:53.80 for second. Niemiec would get in for third in a 1:54.56 to get on the podium.
UIL 4A Boys 1600m
The picture of thoughts running through Hudson Bennett's mind after overcoming injuries to win the UIL 4A boys 1600m state title
Photo Credit: Shelton Jolivette/MileSplit TX
With last year's state champion out with injury, the race was open ... kind of.
The 2022 silver medalist Hudson Bennett (Burnet) got healthy right before the championship season began and he entered with the second best seed time of 4:23.65. Kenny Bibb (Anna), last year's seventh place finisher came in with the top seed of 4:22.73.
As I said, it was just about anyone's race as five boys entered within three seconds of one another, including Carlo Martinez (Gatesville) who won the 3200m earlier this morning.
La Feria senior Julian Dominguez lead through 200m and then Christian Pena (San Antonio Davenport) brought the group through 400m in 1:07.87 and 2:14.36. Connor Graves (Hudson) took the lead on the backstretch and came thourgh 1K at 2:47. Hitting the bell lap at 3:18.50, Graves and Bennett were 1 - 2 with Martinez and Ryan Fernandez (Canyon) pressing on the backstretch.
Bennett would show that he not only developed a base in coming back, but he still had some turnover when he took the lead and led coming off the turn. Martinez would give chase with a strong finish of his own, but Bennett took the win in 4:19.37, Martinez was second in 4:19.56, and Graves held off Fernandez for third.
