PHOTO CREDIT: STONE BONE
FOUR UNDERCLASSMEN TURN HEADS AT AREA CHAMPS
Kannon King (6-6 HJ), Barrett Allen (156-0 DT), Jade Martin (146-5 DT), and Amariah Molden (55.97 400m) highlight a strong week.
The UIL area meets and regional qualifying rounds produced a handful of standout performances from the state's youngest competitors. King and Allen headlined the boys side with personal bests in the jumps and throws, while Martin and Molden each posted marks that put them among the top sophomores in the country and state, respectively.
BOYS
King cleared 6-6 to win the UIL 3A Area 01 & 02 meet on Apr. 20, establishing a new PR that ties him for the top slot in Texas among freshmen and slots him 70th in the state across all grades. The mark is a significant leap from his season opener, 5-10 at the UIL 3A District 01 meet, and further above his 2025 outdoor best of 5-6, set at the Amarillo Relays Meet of Champions as an eighth grader. Most notably, King sits second in the country among freshmen this outdoor season.
Allen threw 156-0 to win the UIL 1A Area 17 & 18 meet on Apr. 20, a PR and a dramatic leap from where he started the season. He opened things up throwing 111-2 at the Seymour HS Panther Pride Relays on Mar. 26, then won his district with 127-2 on Apr. 7, before adding nearly 29 feet at his area meet. Among Texas sophomores, Allen ranks 17th. Across all grades in the state, he sits 149th. His 2025 outdoor best was 104-8 at the UIL 1A Area 17 & 18 meet and there is still more throwing to come this year.
GIRLS
Martin threw 146-5 at the West Texas A&M Regional Qualifiers on Apr. 24 to set a PR and improve her ranking to 15th in Texas across all grades in the girls discus. Among Texas sophomores, she's ranked 1st. Martin's throw was an exclamation point near the conclusion of a season of steady progress: she opened with 117-3 at the Max Goldsmith Mustang Relays on Feb. 20, won the Don Black Invitational with 137-4 on Feb. 27, won the San Angelo ISD Relays at 129-7, then placed first at the Lubbock Invitational Track Meet with 135-11 before finishing third at UIL 5A District 3 (131-6) and UIL 5A Area 03 & 04 (130-8). Her 2025 outdoor best was 114-2.
Molden ran 55.97 to win the Huffman Regional Qualifiers Meet on Apr. 24, a PR that ranks her 52nd in Texas across all grades and 8th among Texas sophomores in the 400m. The time represents a sharp drop from her 59.66 season opener at the Kingwood Park Senior Day Relays on Mar. 13. Molden's 2025 outdoor season hinted at her ability to compete at this level - she ran 57.34 at New Balance Nationals Outdoor in June and clocked 57.20 at the Track Houston Championship Meet. Her 400m progress this spring has also come alongside hurdles work; she holds a 15.33 PR in the 100 hurdles and a 42.63 PR in the 300 hurdles.
PHOTO CREDIT: STONE BONE
FOUR UNDERCLASSMEN TURN HEADS AT AREA CHAMPS
Kannon King (6-6 HJ), Barrett Allen (156-0 DT), Jade Martin (146-5 DT), and Amariah Molden (55.97 400m) highlight a strong week.
The UIL area meets and regional qualifying rounds produced a handful of standout performances from the state's youngest competitors. King and Allen headlined the boys side with personal bests in the jumps and throws, while Martin and Molden each posted marks that put them among the top sophomores in the country and state, respectively.
BOYS
King cleared 6-6 to win the UIL 3A Area 01 & 02 meet on Apr. 20, establishing a new PR that ties him for the top slot in Texas among freshmen and slots him 70th in the state across all grades. The mark is a significant leap from his season opener, 5-10 at the UIL 3A District 01 meet, and further above his 2025 outdoor best of 5-6, set at the Amarillo Relays Meet of Champions as an eighth grader. Most notably, King sits second in the country among freshmen this outdoor season.
