TAPPS Championships Recap: Boys 400m

Bridger Welch of Fredericksburg Heritage capped off his TAPPS career by defending his state title in the 1A Boys 400m with a strong finish, winning in 52.86 seconds. Though slightly off his 2023 mark of 52.31, Welch controlled the race from the gun and never relinquished his lead, showing poise and power over the final 100 meters. His back-to-back titles confirm his status as one of the classification's most reliable quarter-milers in recent years.

Aric Musterman of Conroe Lifestyle Christian repeated as a podium finisher, claiming second in 53.73, nearly identical to his 2023 time of 53.69. Musterman was one of the busiest athletes of the meet, also placing third in the 200m (23.37) and sixth in the 100m (11.73). His triple-sprint workload showed off his range and endurance, and his ability to maintain top-three finishes in multiple events made him one of the top overall performers in the division.

Sophomore Jake Hancock of Regents Academy took the bronze in 55.10, marking a breakthrough performance as he held off a talented group of underclassmen. Behind him, a pair of freshmen-Sir Parker Micheaux of Texoma Christian (56.67) and Jaxon Green of Living Rock Academy (57.19)-showed the future is bright for TAPPS 1A. Both displayed strong closing speed and will be contenders to watch in 2025.

Rounding out the field were Andrew Davis of San Marcos Hill Country (57.43) and Brice Hooker of Wichita Falls Christ Academy (58.49), both of whom improved on their previous state finishes. Davis also placed fifth in 2023, and Hooker moved up one spot from sixth last year, demonstrating steady year-over-year progress.

While Welch and Musterman head off to the next level, the emergence of younger talent ensures the event remains competitive.

Owen Chow of Amarillo Ascension Academy emerged as the class of the field in the 2025 TAPPS 2A Boys 400m Championship, winning the title with an impressive time of 50.28. After finishing seventh in last year's final with a 52.73, the junior returned stronger and sharper, executing a commanding race from the start. His mark was nearly a full second faster than last year's winning time and stamped him as one of TAPPS 2A's premier quarter-milers heading into his senior season.

Micah Foster of Universal City First Baptist Academy claimed the silver medal in 52.75, holding off a late charge from Sonne Galvan of Lubbock All Saints Episcopal, who placed third in 52.79. Foster's finish helped round out a strong day for the First Baptist program, which also saw teammates Kaleb Mitchell and Lincoln Schleif place second and fourth, respectively, in the 200m final-demonstrating impressive depth across the sprint events.

Kane Knighton of Brazosport Christian secured fourth place in 53.20, just ahead of Nolan Schilling of Muenster Sacred Heart (53.98). Ninth-grader Ody Orsinger of Austin Waldorf impressed in his state debut with a sixth-place finish (54.63), showing promising potential for future years. Brazosport Christian's Eric Pigott and Oliver Martin of Cedar Park Summit rounded out the field in seventh and eighth, respectively.

Compared to the 2024 edition of the event, this year's final featured only one returning finalist-Chow-who took full advantage of the open field to climb to the top of the podium. With several underclassmen and juniors in the mix, including Galvan and Orsinger, the 400m should remain highly competitive as these athletes return for another shot in 2026.

Andrew Wright of Lutheran High School of San Antonio delivered a sensational performance in the 2025 TAPPS 3A Boys 400m championship, blazing to victory in a meet-winning time of 47.60-a massive improvement from his title-winning 49.03 last year and a time that ranks among the best in TAPPS history. Wright's dominant performance capped a historic sprint triple crown, as he also captured the 100m title in 10.64 and the 200m title in 21.11, completing a clean sweep of the short sprints in emphatic fashion.

Lutheran San Antonio didn't just rely on Wright. His teammate Aiden Martinez , also a junior, completed a 1-2 sweep for the school in the 400m, clocking 50.57 for silver. Martinez had an exceptional meet of his own, placing second in the 100m (11.04) and third in the 200m (22.32) behind only Wright and Conroe Covenant's Joshua DeRamus. Together, Wright and Martinez were the clear sprint force of the 3A division.

McKinney Cornerstone Christian Academy showed consistency and depth with Alex Villarreal and Jordan Lee finishing third (51.68) and fourth (51.76) in the 400m. Both athletes doubled back from strong efforts in the 200m, where Villarreal ran 23.16 and Lee 23.89, placing sixth and seventh respectively. Their efforts helped secure valuable team points and displayed promising progression from Villarreal, who was fourth in last year's state meet at 52.03.

Elijah Zuniga of Providence Classical (52.34) and Coleman Penney of Kennedale Fellowship Academy (52.81) rounded out the sub-53-second finishers, with Fernando Manriquez (El Paso Lydia Patterson) and Andrew Byrd (Conroe Covenant) completing the field.

This year's 400m final showed the continued rise of Lutheran San Antonio as a sprint powerhouse, with Andrew Wright elevating himself to elite status in Texas private school track. His triple-gold performance, combined with Martinez's breakout year, sets up the school as an overwhelming favorite in sprints heading into 2026.

Graham Freeman of Tomball Rosehill Christian delivered a commanding performance in the 2025 TAPPS 4A Boys 400 Meter Championship, claiming the state title with an impressive time of 49.45. The junior standout established a strong pace early and never relinquished control, improving on his third-place finish from the previous year and positioning himself as a top contender heading into his senior season. Freeman also competed in the 200m but had a tough race there, finishing eighth, making his 400m victory even more of a highlight.

Behind him, Julian Salas of San Antonio Holy Cross posted a solid 49.96 to secure the silver medal. Salas' performance anchored a strong showing by Holy Cross, who also placed fifth in the event with Aiden Olivarez (51.78). Rounding out the top three in the 400m was Brian Neel of Waco Vanguard, who clocked 50.70 and later placed sixth in the 200m with a time of 22.79, showing his range across the sprint events.

Sophomore Toryus Brantley of St. Francis Episcopal (51.66) and Zach Lowe of Carrollton Prince of Peace (52.42) rounded out the top half of the 400m final, while Andrew Metrailer of Dallas Shelton closed out the field in 52.85. 

This year's 4A sprint finals demonstrated the depth of talent across the classification, with underclassmen like Brantley, Neal, Oliverez, Metrailer, and Salas emerging as threats and returning stars like Freeman continuing their ascent. With nearly the entire 400m podium eligible to return in 2026, next year's race already promises to be another fast and competitive showdown.

Jaylen Thomas of Fort Worth Southwest Christian delivered a championship performance to remember in the 2025 TAPPS 5A Boys 400m final, clocking a commanding 48.26 to win the gold medal. The senior's time was just a tenth of a second off Tristan Smalls' winning mark from 2024 (48.16), signaling that Southwest Christian continues to produce elite quarter-milers. With a 47.33 season best from the TAPPS District 5A-1, a crisp acceleration on the backstretch and a composed final 100 meters, Thomas separated himself from the field and closed out his high school career in dominant fashion.

Behind him, Caden Dixon of Spring Frassati Catholic made a name for himself as one of the top juniors in the state, taking silver in 49.88. Dixon showed smooth form and grit over the final stretch to edge out a competitive group for the runner-up spot. Peyton Jones of Houston Second Baptist earned the bronze in 50.11, barely holding off Colten Alexander of Midland Christian, who finished fourth in 50.34. For Alexander, it was a return to the final after placing second in 2024, and though he narrowly missed the podium this time, his consistency over two seasons remains notable.

Rounding out the tightly packed field were Roberto Calimani of The Woodlands Christian (50.97), Case Noack of Houston Lutheran South (51.85), Chase Hinrichsen of Fort Worth Christian (51.87), and Peyton Kelly of Tyler Grace Community (51.93). Kelly, who placed fifth in 2024, once again qualified for the state final, proving his reliability in big races, even if the top spots eluded him this year.

The depth of the 2025 field reflected the growing strength of TAPPS 5A quarter-milers. With underclassmen like Dixon and Jones returning next year, and Thomas passing the baton after an outstanding senior campaign, the 400m promises to remain one of the classification's marquee events.

Kagan Hill of TMI Episcopal delivered a breakout performance at the 2025 TAPPS 6A Boys 400m Championship, capturing the title with a commanding time of 48.48. A junior, Hill surged ahead of the field in the backstretch and never looked back, pulling away in the final meters to notch his first state championship in the quarter-mile. His performance firmly establishes him as a contender to watch entering his senior season.

Defending champion Ryan Elms of Addison Trinity Christian gave a strong effort to retain his crown but settled for silver in 49.53, slightly off his 2024 winning time of 48.83. Elms, a seasoned senior, leaves behind a legacy as one of the most consistent long sprinters in TAPPS 6A over the past two years. Right behind him, sophomore Jacob Jordan of Frisco Legacy Christian made his mark with a 50.01 finish, placing third and serving notice that a new generation of contenders is rising.

Rounding out the top five were seniors Preston Jones of San Antonio Antonian (50.81) and Quinn Murphy of Liberty Christian (51.09), both of whom ran solid races in a deep and competitive field. Ryan Bordas of Houston St. Thomas (51.88) and Dresden Ward of Liberty Christian (52.44) completed the final, both giving their schools key points at the championship meet.

Compared to the 2024 edition, where four athletes ran under 50 seconds and Elms narrowly edged out the field, this year's race had a similar high-performance standard at the top, with Hill improving upon the previous year's winning mark. As Hill returns for his senior year in 2026, he'll be the clear favorite, and likely chasing a sub-48 barrier to add to his already stellar résumé.