This is the second year that I have chosen a season-ending all-San Antonio boys track team. There were no local team State champions this year but Holy Cross finished second in the TAPPS 4A meet. It ended up being another great year with many new stars bursting onto the scene.
With that being said, I wanted to put together an All-San Antonio team with a few rules to follow. The first rule is that athletes can only be chosen for one individual event and one relay. The second rule is that selections will be based upon best results, consistency, and performance in the post season. The final rule is that an athlete must either compete in the actual relay or in the individual event during the season. For each event I will list my choice along with a little information and others that were considered.
100m - Tate Taylor, So., Harlan
Last year, it was difficult to choose the top 100m sprinter but that is not the case this year and Tate Taylor could be the choice for the next few years. He had a phenomemal post season after a strong regular season. He took gold at the District 29-6A, Area 29-30 6A and Region IV-6A meets. He ran 10.34 at the Area meet, 10.29 and 10.37 at the Regional meet and then posted a season best of 10.28 into a -1.5 wind en route to finishing second at the 6A State meet.
Others: Nick Ross (Warren), Nikolas Henry (Seguin), Alijah Cason (UC First Baptist Academy), Andrew Wright (Lutheran), Dorian Aranda (Dilley)
200m - Nick Ross, Sr., Warren
Nick Ross and Tate Taylor were the two best sprinters all season long and since Ross took home the Regional title in the 200m I am going to put him here. He was one of only three local runners to break 21 seconds. He was very consistent throughout the season running under 21.50 on seven occasions. He was also an outstanding anchor leg in both the 4x100m and 4x200m.
Others: Jaeden Servantez (Sam Houston), Tate Taylor (Harlan), Carter Hewitt (Medina Valley), Dorian Aranda (Dilley)
400m - Elijah Hernandez, Sr. Sotomayor
Elijah Hernandez entered the season as the top 400m runner and he never slipped up. He never lost a race until the State meet and in addition he ran the anchor leg on one of the top 4x400m teams in the area. He was at his best at the Regional meet where he ran 47.45 in the prelims and 47.09 in the finals. He ran a quality time of 47.30 at the State meet in a loaded field.
Others: Andrew Wright (Lutheran), Christopher Harris (Cornerstone), Kevon Carter (Wagner), Jakob Gilbreth (New Braunfels), Jacob Swierc (Falls City)
110mH - Malik White, Sr., Taft
Last year, there were four locals who broke 14 seconds, but this year it was only Malik White. He was in the midst of an amazing season when injury struck in the Regional finals and he came up less than .01 from advancing to the State meet. Regardless, he had a season best of 13.66 in the Regional prelims and never ran slower than 14.46 all season long. At the TTFCA Meet of Champions he won the race in a time of 13.60.
Others: Camden Derricoatte (Stockdale), Aiden Martinez (Great Hearts Monte Vista), Darian Abbott (DDS), Jake Grullon (O'Connor)
300mH - Aiden Martinez, Jr., Great Hearts Monte Vista
The 300mH was one of the toughest events to pick this year. Ja'Dan Keiler of Taft had the fastest individual time, but the choice is Aiden Martinez since he swept through the championship season and then took home runner-up honors at the State meet where he ran his fastest time of the season, 37.69.
Others: Ja'Dan Keiler (Taft), Malik White (Taft), Max Bacon (Alamo Heights), Darian Abbott (DDS)
800m - Alejandro Rosales, Sr., Churchill
Last year, I chose Antonian's Todd Worth for this event and he did nothing wrong during the season and even won the TAPPS 6A State title again, but Alejandro Rosales showed out at the Regional and State meets against top competition. He ran 1:51.41 at the Regional meet and then came back and ran 1:52.13 at the State meet to grab the silver medal in UIL 6A.
Others: Anthony Zapata (Southwest Legacy), Gavin Chapa (Reagan), Todd Worth (Antonian), Jack Collins (Uvalde)
1600m - Gavin Chapa, Jr., Reagan
The 1600m was loaded this year with multiple State champions and last year's event winner, Hayden Scott of Brandeis. However, Chapa was outstanding throughout the season running under 4:20 at eight different meets. He ran 4:14.14 at the Texas Relays where he finished in fourth place but saved his best for last. At the State finals, he ran a big personal best of 4:09.64, the fastest time in the city this year, and grabbed the silver medal.
Others: Todd Worth (Antonian), Hayden Scott (Brandeis), Anthony Zapata (Southwest Legacy), Taylor Warrick (Stockdale), Marcelo Parra (TMI), David Salas (Cornerstone)
3200m - Marcelo Parra, Sr., TMI
Marcelo Parra was the event winner last year but this year he did not run as much as in 2023. He even finished second to his brother at the TAPPS 5A Regional, but he came through at the State meet. He ran a time of 9:09.28 which won him the title and was only behind Gavin Chapa's 9:08.40 at the UIL 6A meet.
Others: Gavin Chapa (Reagan), Zachary Miller (Brennan), Charlie Houck (Boerne Champion), Taylor Warrick (Stockdale), Andrew Rivas (Central Catholic)
Discus - Michael Estrada, Sr., San Antonio Patriots
The discus was tightly contested all year long and the top four were all within four feet of each other in terms of season best throws. Michael Estrada stands out because he took on all comer's all season long going to public school and private school meets. The only time he did not win came at the Texas Relays. He threw a season best of 173-5 and was over 160-feet on nine occasions. He was the Texas Homeschool State Champion in both the shot put and discus.
Others: Waylon McKenzie (O'Connor), Jaxson Maynard (Smithson Valley), Reggie Johnson (Blanco), Josue Lerma (Holy Cross), Cannen Kyle (New Braunfels Christian)
Shot Put - Cannen Kyle, Sr., New Braunfels Christian Academy
The final choice in the shot put came down to three throwers, but it was Cannen Kyle who stood out in the end. He was a TAPPS 3A State champion in both the shot put and discus. His best performance in the shot put was a toss of 58-8.
Others: Michael Estrada (SA Patriots), Aiden Reed (Poth), Reggie Johnson (Blanco)
High Jump - Zaire Cunningham, Sr., Steele
Zaire Cunningham was a true out-of-nowhere story this year. This was his first year competing in track and field and he had only jumped 6-2 heading into the championship season. However, he won a district title by clearing 6-4 and then he went 6-7 at the Area meet. He won the Regionals with another solid height of 6-5 and then capped off his amazing season by winning the UIL 6A title with a clearance of 6-8.
Others: Joshua Cornelius (Great Hearts Northern Oaks), Anthony Romero-Kibler (Alamo Heights), Josiah Wentrcek (Castle Hills)
Long Jump - Joshua Jackson, Jr., Clemens
(please note that originally Alijah Cason was in this spot due to an error on my part)
Joshua Jackson burst onto the scene when he jumped 24-1.5 at the Northeast Invitational after never going past 22-feet previously. He followed that up by jumping past 22-feet at the District, Area and Regional meets. He won the Area meet with a leap of 22-11.5 and finished fourth at the Regional meet with a mark of 23-1.25.
Others: Austin Young (Randolph), Ty Hawkins (Johnson), Joe Galloway (San
Antonio Christian)
Triple Jump - Dorian Aranda, Sr., Dilley
Dorian Aranda was one of the top track athletes in the San Antonio area this year. He scored in four individual events at the UIL 3A State meet and won the State title in the triple jump with a leap of 46-9.75. He showed off great speed with a runner-up performance in the 200m with a time of 21.67. Overall, it was a strong year for triple jumpers and Aranda's performance at the State meet set him apart from the rest.
Others: Ty Hawkins (Johnson), Deanthony Anderson (East Central), Javyn Dolton (Grennan), Hayden Brace (Boerne Champion)
Pole Vault - Samuel Abati, Sr., Reagan
This was one of the easiest decisions to make. Samuel Abati had a year to remember from start to finish. He started the season by clearing 17-1 at the NEISD 8 meet on February 1 and he went over 17-feet at seven meets throughout the season including a top mark of 17-6 at the Katy ISD Bubba Fife Relays. He clinched a UIL 6A State title with a clearance of 16-6.
Others: Thomas Bucks (Johnson), Brooks Jones (Boerne Champion), Jace Bennett (Utopia)
The relay legs are not just based on top times, but also on what I have seen individual athletes do in their relays throughout the year.
4x100m Relay - Clifton McBride (Brennan), Nikolas Henry (Seguin), Charlie Stahl (Boerne), Tate Taylor (Harlan)
McBride ran the lead leg for a strong Brennan team and will start off this relay. Henry generally ran the second leg for a Seguin team that ran a best of 40.64 on the season. Stahl and Taylor are both anchor legs, but I think they will figure out it. Stahl led the Boerne squad to a fourth-place finish in 4A while Taylor was a revelation at the State meet and anchored Harlan to a San Antonio City record time of 40.09.
4x200m Relay - Ocean Moreno (Seguin), Damien Robinson (Clemens), Jaeden Servantes (Sam Houston), Nick Ross (Warren)
This is a mix and match of open 200m runners and strong relay legs. Moreno was the best 200m man for Seguin will provide a strong opening leg. Robinson ran anchor for a Clemens team that ran 1:26.50 this year, second in the area to Seguin. For the final two legs, it is Servantes and Ross who are both sub-21 second 200m runners.
4x400m Relay - Jakob Gilbreth (New Braunfels), Kevon Carter (Wagner), Andrew Wright (Lutheran School), Elijah Hernandez (Sotomayor)
Gilbreth can always be counted on to take a race out hard and Carter was a consistent 48-second runner this past year. Wright is the one runner that many people have probably not seen run. He has competed at a lower level, but I think he would be ready to a great time if he were up against top competition. Hernandez is the choice as the anchor leg for the second year in a row.