What do a pair of Shoemaker boys relay squads, two Chaparral Lady Bobcats relays and the Bobcats Kimoni Sherman and Miguel Soto have in common?
They have some packing to do because a trip to Austin is on the horizon.
In other words: they're going to state.
The Grey Wolves 4x200 foursome of Jamal Polite, Michael Bickham, Brandon Brown Jr., and Jayden Ford bolted to a time of 1 minute, 23.48 seconds Saturday during the Class 6A Region II track and field meet at Waco Midway’s Panther Stadium, securing not only the regional gold but also a return to the UIL State Championships.
Capping the night just south of Waco, Jihad McCoy, Tavon Burrell, Jasiah Long, and Ford edged Lancaster for the silver (3:14.48) and the automatic state-qualifying spot.
Farther north, Sherman booked his trip to the University of Texas’ Mike A. Myers Stadium with a silver medal performance (21.61 seconds) in the boys 200 dash at Class 5A Region II meet Saturday at UT-Arlington.
It was a little more tense for Soto and the Lady Bobcats relays.
Soto had to play the waiting game to find out if his clearance of 14 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault –– which earned him the regional bronze –– was enough to secure the lone wild-card berth that goes to the highest mark out of the third-place finishers from the four regional meets.
Turns out, Soto soared over that obstacle, too.
The Lady Bobcats foursome of Laila Erwin, Tyreona Lee, Aniya Coleman and Kaylani Bostic were left on the edge of their seats after Saturday’s regional finals races in which they finished third in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.
The learned Sunday afternoon that their 46.05 time in the 4x100 and 1:38.26 in the 4x200 were plenty fast enough to claim the wild card berths in both events.
The Chaparral athletes with represent Killeen ISD at the 5A state meet, which is scheduled for Friday, May 15, and Shoemaker will be in the 6A competition the following day.
Shoemaker’s 4x200 relay is the reigning state silver medalist, and they are rounding into form once again this postseason. Polite, Bickham, Brown and Ford were the District 12-6A champions and area champions before qualifying second into Saturday’s regional final, when they raced through the finish line to the top of the podium. Bickham and Brown were on the 2025 team.
Burrell will make his second straight state appearance on the 4x400. Last year’s team finished fourth in Austin. The 2026 edition, like the 4x200, is hitting its stride with district and area gold plus regional silver in hand as they now prepare to perform on the big stage.
Sherman’s trek to state included district and area titles before joining Soto as the first male athletes from Chaparral to advance through regionals. Soto and the 4x200 relay also were district and area champs, while the 4x100 was first in district and second in area.
In all, KISD had athletes in 30 events across the two regional meets, showing off the district’s deep talent pool.
Below are the other results.
Harker Heights
Boys
Shot put: Patrick Ramirez, third
1,600: Christian Meinors, fourth
Triple jump: Isaac Compoare, sixth
Discus: Patrick Ramirez, eighth
Triple jump: Arshawn Spann, 11th
4x200 relay: Ja’Khari Simpson, Justin Jones, James Gallman, Khamaree Ward, 14th
Triple jump: Braylon Culbreath, 15th
Girls
Shot put: Makaya Gaston, 14th
Discus: Makaya Gaston, 15th
Killeen
Boys
300 hurdles: Faraji Leonard, eighth
3,200: Emiliano Quintero, 16th
Girls
Triple jump: Ariana Brooks, 11th
800: Deja Brooks, 13th
Shoemaker
Boys
High jump: Samori Sanders, fourth
4x100 relay: Zeyvian Ringo, Michael Bickham, Brandon Brown, Jamal Polite, fifth
200: Brandon Brown, ninth
High jump: A’Zari Longmire-Knight, 11th
Girls
300 hurdles: Lamesha Jeter, qualified fifth into finals (third, 43.04)
Chaparral
Boys
4x100: Kaden Herrera, Davian Arthur, Kimoni Sherman, Moses Woods, qualified seventh for finals (sixth)
4x200: Kaden Herrera, Kimoni Sherman, Davian Arthur, Moses Woods, qualified seventh for finals (eighth)
High jump: Zhion Jones, 15th
Pole vault: Juan Luebano, 15th
High jump: Jeremiah Williams, 16th
Girls
100: Kayloni Bostic, fifth
100: Laila Erwin, sixth
Triple jump: Ka’Liyah Nance, seventh
Ellison
Boys
Shot put: Dorian Rhoten, fifth
3,200: Aiden Hill, eighth
800: Jaylen Henry, ninth
1,600: Andy Harper, 12th
800: Kobe Ellis, 12th
800: Isaiah Holloway, 13th
3,200: Andy Harper, 14th
Girls
4x200: Luciane Bermudez-Irizarry, Ja'Lya Swiney, Londyn Bell, Ayauna Harris, seventh
Full results
5A results: https://milesplit.live/meets/736854
6A results: https://milesplit.live/meets/736838