The high school track season has concluded, and it is time to hand out some awards. This is my fourth year putting together the team and there are a couple of rules. The first rule is that athletes can only be chosen for one individual event. The second rule is that selections will be based upon best results, consistency, and performance in the post season.
100m - Rylee Higginbotham, Jr., St. John Paul II
The 100m choice this year did not solidify until late in the season. Rylee Higginbotham separated herself thanks to her performance at the TAPPS 4A State meet where she won both the 100m and 200m titles. Prior to April 10, she had never broken 12s in the 100m, but after accomplishing the feat at the New Braunfels Christian Academy Invitational she did the same thing at her District and Regional meets before running an 11.79 at the State meet. Similarly, in the 200m she was faster than 24.70 for all three championship season meets including a 24.47 at the State meet.
Others: Lauren Dobbins (Steele), Alzara Mysliwiec (Alamo Heights), Faith Ponds (Brandeis), Juliana Syroney (Boerne Champion)
200m - Imani Spencer, So., Randolph
Imani Spencer was one of the key cogs in the Randolph machine that captured a fifth straight State title. She was the anchor leg on their winning 4x200m relay team and she followed that by capping off a perfect season in the 200m with a State title in a personal record time of 23.98. Spencer ran her final race of the season in the 4x400m and helped the team to a bronze medal finish that secured the team title.
Others: Duprasia Beets (Jay), Jenesis Cordero (Judson), Rylee Higginbotham (John Paul II), Leila Smith-Harris (Brandeis), Juliana Syroney (Boerne Champion)
400m - Skye Thompson, Fr., Randolph
It was a tough decision, but when Skye Thompson took home the gold medal at the State meet to help Randolph win another title it separated her from the pack. She never lost a 400m race all season long but was not the favorite at the State meet. However, she took the title in 56.86 while also running on their winning 4x200m relay team and third place 4x400m relay team. In addition, she added a fourth medal at the State meet with a third place performance in the triple jump.
Others: Duprasia Beets (Jay), Milesia Casas (Bandera), Emerson Cochran (Navarro), Jenesis Cordero (Judson), Jayla Flemons (TMI)
800m - Presley Merkens, Fr., Boerne
Presley Merkens is the second freshman on the All-San Antonio team this year. Early in the season it seemed like her fortunes might lie in the 400m where she was a Regional finalist, but she kept getting faster and faster in the 800m as the season progressed. At the Regional meet she went out fast and dared someone to catch and then ran a similar race at the State meet where she finished as the Runner-Up in 2:11.99.
Others: Milesia Casas (Bandera), D'Vani Hernandez (San Antonio Christian), Lilly Koenig (Smithson Valley), Savanah Moya (New Braunfels), Daniela Shelfo (TMI)
1600m - Savanah Moya, Jr., New Braunfels
Savanah Moya wins this honor despite only winning one 1600m race all season long. A talented runner in the 800m, 1600m and 3200m, she had the unfortunate luck of having the State champion in the 1600m and 3200m and the State runner-up in the 800m in her same District. Regardless, Moya still shined throughout the season finishing third at the Texas A&M Bluebonnet Invitational before qualifying for State in the 800m and 1600m where she finished fourth in both events. She ran a season best time of 4:55.71 at the State meet.
Others: Kailyn Brunson (Brennan), Mia Kellogg (Churchill), Lilly Koenig (Smithson Valley), Kallie Van Prooyen (Churchill)
3200m - Lilly Koenig, Sr., Smithson Valley
Lilly Koenig is our first back-to-back winner of an event. She capped a perfect season in the 1600m and 3200m by taking the State title in both events. She used a strong final push in each victory. She won the 3200m in 10:28.31 and the 1600m in 4:53.62. She was also a State qualifier in the 800m but chose to not run the event in order to focus on the other two.
Others: Lilia Flo (Navarro), Corina Joyce (Wimberley), Mia Kellogg (Churchill), Kallie Van Prooyen (Churchill)
110mh - Shyla Boydstun, So., Pieper
From the beginning of the season until the end, Shyla Boydstun was one of the top hurdlers in the entire State. She finished fifth at the Texas Relays with a time of 14.47 and then she breezed all the way through to the State finals thanks to her blistering starts. The race followed the same form at the State meet and she ran a wind-aided 13.63 to capture her first State title. She added a bronze medal in the 300mh later on in the meet.
Others: Kaliya Jones (Antonian), Alexa Mitchell (Harlan), Chloe Nellis (Incarnate Word), Trinity Onugha (Steele)
300mh - Aubrey Avey, Sr., Canyon Lake
Aubrey Avey is the second repeat winner of an event. She ran the fastest time in the area this year, 43.04, when she won the Davenport Wolves Relays. She also broke 44s at the Texas Relays and breezed through the qualifying rounds to make the State meet for a second straight year. She did not have her best race in Austin, but that should not dim the year and career that she had for the Hawks.
Others: Shyla Boydstun (Pieper), Klarrisa Frain (Cole), Chloe Nellis (Incarnate Word), Keira Reyna (Steele)
Shot Put - Cyani Ingram, Sr., Madison
Cyani Ingram was the dominant shot putter in the area this year winning every single meet she entered. She threw at least 41-0 in all but two events during the season and she took home a second straight Regional title. At the State meet, she threw 42-0 to finish in fifth place for a second straight season. Her best throw came early in the year at the Harlandale ISD meet with a mark of 43-5.5.
Others: Tyla Blackstock (Great Hearts Northern Oaks), Sharla Maples (Seguin Lifegate), Kiara Shaw (Harlan), Brady Stickler (Fredericksburg)
Discus - Ariel Bosmans, Sr., Holy Cross
Ariel Bosmans had a near perfect season in the discus. After finishing second in the season opener, she won every meet after that including the TAPPS 4A State title. Her best performance of the season came at the Regional meet where she threw 128-6. She was also a State qualifier in the shot put.
Others: Jera Salters (Johnson), Arrian Spratt (Marshall), Brady Stickler (Fredericksburg), Danieliz Villafane (Southwest)
High Jump - Sophia Martinez, Fr., Canyon
My pick for high jump was headed elsewhere, but when Sophia Martinez came through with a UIL 6A State title she more than earned the honor. Martinez did not win a single meet during the season finishing as the runner-up in her District, third in the Area and second in the Region with a personal best of 5-7. At the State meet, she earned a share of the State title by being perfect through every height.
Others: Peyton Keller (Stockdale), Sydney Primm (Brandeis), Sidney Ortiz (Poth), Aryiel Sherman (Reagan), Ellen Watson (Wimberley)
Long Jump - Kaidyn Holmes-Oliver, So., TMI
Kaidyn Holmes-Oliver came within an inch and a half on her final jump of winning the TAPPS 6A State title in the long jump. She cleared 18-1.25 and settled for the silver medal to finish off her outstanding season. She jumped over 18-feet in all but her season opening meet and finished fourth at the Texas Relays with a season best mark of 18-10.75. She also finished fourth in the State in the 100m.
Others: Arillia Brown (Medina Valley), Isabella Davis (La Vernia), Kaliya Jones (Antonian), Kaelony King (Sotomayor), Isabella Pettet (Boerne)
Triple Jump - Skylar Carter, Fr., Pieper
Skylar Carter was one of only two girls to jump over 40-0 feet in the triple jump in the area this year. She accomplished the feat three different times, all during the championship season. She won the District title with her single best jump of 40-9.75. She finished the year with a mark of 40-1 at the UIL 5A State meet and finished in fifth place.
Others: Alasia Crawford (Judson), Jaliyah Holland (Steele), Skye Thompson (Randolph), Rylie Wells (Devine)
Pole Vault - Sofia Mitschke, Jr., Smithson Valley
Sofia Mitschke was the top pole vaulter in the area all season long clearing at least 12-0 in all but one meet. She took the Texas Relays title with a clearance of 12-10.25 and then won the District with a personal best of 13-1 the following week. At the State meet, she missed once at her opening height of 11-6, but then was perfect at 12-0, 12-6, and 12-9 to win the title after finishing fourth last year.
Others: Paige Beeghley (New Braunfels), Nellie Mauritz-Barboza (San Marcos), Kaitlyn Rackley (Marion), Shobhana Spielmann (Reagan)The high school track season has concluded, and it is time to hand out some awards. This is my fourth year putting together the team and there are a couple of rules. The first rule is that athletes can only be chosen for one individual event. The second rule is that selections will be based upon best results, consistency, and performance in the post season.
100m - Rylee Higginbotham, Jr., St. John Paul II