The search for gold continues in Kingsville, Friday and Saturday, April 25-26, for the Llano track team. The step-up in competition means racing for the wire against squads from districts 25-32.
It’s the Region IV meet, that difficult rung on the ladder that decides who will advance to the state championships.
“We’re peaking at a good time,” head coach Dan Hughes said. “We’re running well, and we're ready.”
No one is running any better than senior Cole Hoffman. He will defend his 3,200-meter title in the regionals, and right now he's about a half minute faster than the next best contestant. Spotting Cole Hoffman 30 seconds would be like giving Tiger Woods three strokes a side. His personal record is nine minutes, 44 seconds, and he ran that at state in 2007, finishing an excellent fourth.
Hoffman galloped to his own best-ever time in the 1,600 at Fredericksburg, April 18: four minutes, 26 seconds. He was second at regionals in this metric mile a year ago, and, again, fourth in Class 3A at state.
Erik Forrister, the heir apparent to Cole's dominance in Llano, was silver medalist in the 3200 at district, so he’ll get a chance at region.
“Shelbi King has a good shot to make it to Mike Myers Stadium next month,” Hughes advises. The freshman recorded her best time in the 1600 at Fredericksburg, an impressive 5-35. She has also posted 12-09 in the 3200. Alycia Fowler, who, like Hoffman, was fourth in state in ‘07 in the middle distance races, was third at district in both events and she’ll also run at region.
“Lauren Parker will have to stay closer to the leaders if she’s to do well in the 400-meter and 800-meter races,” Hughes observes. “We’re working on that, and she always has a good kick.”
Parker, a junior, captured those two contests at the meet in Bandera, March 29, and repeated the double at district, April 7. All four times she’d trail the leader with half-a-lap or quarter lap to go and then turn it on.
“I just have to shadow the front runner and know when to begin the kick,” Parker explains. Not much trouble so far, but she’ll face wicked speed in Kingsville.
“Caitlin Coffey has a good shot at winning the high jump,” Hughes declares. “Her best leap is five feet, four inches, and she’ll need that to win.” Coffey will also represent the Jackets in the hurdles.
Olivia Hutto, who fashioned a superb flight to claim the 25-3A crown in the 100-meter dash, is a sophomore who made it to Kingsville as a freshman. Senior Austin Freeman will run the 200 meters while Geoffrey Sanders also says goodbye to the home of the King Ranch in the 400 and 800.
“Andrew Ratliff needs to stay in the ring, that is to say, no scratches, and he’ll have a chance in the shot put,” the coach points out. Ratliff, a big lad, tends to leave the ring when he throws because of his size, but all he left behind at district were his competitors. Hughes believes he can throw the shot 53 or 54 feet.
Josh Gammill will also be in this event at the regionals while the talented Sam Whitaker should do well in the discus. His best launch is 160 feet. Ratliff was second in the discus at district.
On the girls side, Amber Wisdom was 25-3A gold medalist in the shot and discus. Kallie Johanson was second in the discus, but she won that event in the regional qualifiers meet in Fredericksburg. Kallie will also throw the shot at Kingsville.
Others who have hopes at region include Brady Vestal in the high jump, Jeffrey McLerran in the pole vault, and Lenzy Lewis will be the Lady Jacket who will face that tough challenge.
Three boys' relay teams from Llano will pass the baton in the regionals while a pair of girls’ teams will try their hand--and feet.
The top two finishers in each event make it to state, which takes place on the University of Texas campus, May 9 and May 10.
Track and Field: you can imagine young men and women running and jumping and throwing sticks and stones thousands of years ago; it not only preceded cell phones, it came before football and badminton, and ping pong and rugby.
It is a pure form of sport; the athletes have indeed gotten stronger and faster, but so little has changed as man not only vs. man and woman not only vs. woman, on the toughest stage, but they challenge themselves, their bodies and minds, to perform at a remarkable level of endurance and achievement.