Between the opening field event Wednesday and the 4x400-meter relay that closed out two days of competition Thursday night, the Shoemaker and Ellison boys track and field squads used speed, strength and precision to chart paths toward district team championships.
And those stirring successes only scratched the surface when it came to Killeen ISD’s contingent.
Over the course the action-packed 48 hours in Copperas Cove (District 12-6A) and Belton (District 16-5A), athletes put a season’s worth of training to the test with the ultimate goal of survive and advance at the top of the priority list.
Shiny medals –– and plenty of them –– were perks along the way.
On Day 1, KISD qualified 36 athletes for next week’s area meets. Nine of those advanced in two events and six were district champs. The stockpile grew on Day 2 when a combined 62 athletes and relays booked their slots for an extended season. Thirteen individuals moved on in multiple events, and there were 20 golds.
More photos can be viewed on KISD Communications' Flickr page by clicking the links.
The District 11/12-6A area meet, which will feature Shoemaker, Harker Heights and Killeen qualifiers, is scheduled for Thursday, April 10, at Waco Midway’s Panther Stadium.
The District 15/16-5A area meet, which will include Chaparral and Ellison, is slated for Thursday, April 10, at Lake Belton High School.
The top four finishers at those earn a regional berth –– the next step toward state.
The Grey Wolves’ district team title was their third straight and fifth in the last six years. They secured their latest trophy at Bulldawg Stadium by racking up 182 points that were padded with discus and shot put gold gathered by Isaiah Butler-Tanner, Joel Prattis’ high jump victory, a relay sweep, and wins in the 100-meter dash (Jamal Polite) and 200 dash (Michael Bickham).
Harker Heights was second in the boys 12-6A standings with 130 points and Killeen, which got double gold from Timothy Boatner in the 110 and 300 hurdles, and a first-place showing from Antwoine Warren in the long jump, was fifth with 52 points.
Powered by Jennifer Lozano’s first-place finishes Thursday in the 800 and 1,600, the Killeen Lady Roos placed third in the girls 12-6A standings with 94 points. Temple won a third consecutive title with 206 points and Midway was second (100).
Harker Heights’ Caliyah Coleman was the district champion in pole vault.
Coincidentally, the Eagles earned their team crown by also stacking 182 points at Belton High’s Tiger Field.
Ellison’s total was helped along by a trio of distance runners in Ethan Carranza, Andy Harper and Michael Rodriguez, who placed first, second and fourth, respectively, in the 3,200, 1,600 and 800.
Those points were supplemented by Travaris Turner-Smith’s 100 dash win, and victories in the 4x200 and 4x400 relays.
Andre Mitchell enjoyed winning the 100 hurdles so much he went out and took the 300 as well for two trips to the top of the podium for the Chaparral Bobcats, who tied for third.
Other golds for the Bobcats were supplied by Amone Tolliver in the triple jump and the 4x100 relay team.
The Lady Bobcats and Lady Eagles will send a slew to area and finished third and fourth in the team standings.
Ellison’s Lakia Hatch placed first in the 100 and 300 hurdles, and Chaparral’s winning 4x200 relay team highlighted those efforts.
A full list of all KISD area qualifiers is below as are links to complete varsity/JV results. The Shoemaker and Ellison boys teams posted team championships.
District 12-6A Meet Results
April 2-3
Copperas Cove High School
Top four qualify for 11/12-6A Area Meet
Boys
3,200: 3. Cody Zimmerman, Harker Heights, 10:05.08; 4. Blake Zimmerman, Harker Heights, 10:20.92
Discus: 1. Isaiah Butler-Tanner, Shoemaker, 169-4; 2. Kai O’Neal, Harker Heights, 140-11; 4. Jonah Tauiliili, Killeen, 130-2
High jump: 1. Joel Prattis, Shoemaker, 6-4; 2. Antwoine Warren, Killeen, 6-4; 4. Luke Hale, Killeen, 6-2
Long jump: 1. Antwoine Warren, Killeen, 22-1½; 3. Tyler Armstrong, Shoemaker, 20-6; 4. Joel Prattis, Shoemaker, 20-5½
Triple jump: 2. Arshawn Spann, Harker Heights, 44-7½; 4. Tyler Armstrong, Shoemaker, 42-11
Shot put: 1. Isaiah Butler-Tanner, Shoemaker, 50-4; 2. Elijah Johnson, Harker Heights, 46-6
4x100 relay: 1. Shoemaker, 41.30; 2. Harker Heights, 41.97
800: 2. Tavon Burrell, Shoemaker, 1:59.23
110 hurdles: 1. Timothy Boatner, Killeen 14.74; 2. Isaiah Burrell, Harker Heights, 15.40; 3. Jihad McCoy, Shoemaker, 15.92
100 dash: 1. Jamal Polite, Shoemaker, 11.14; 3. Brian Hood, Harker Heights, 11.21; 4. Ja’Khari Simpson, Harker Heights, 11.24
4x200 relay: 1. Shoemaker, 1:26.11; 2. Harker Heights, 1:27.88
400: 2. Lamont Reed, Shoemaker, 48.94; 3. Aiden Moses, Harker Heights, 49.56; 4. Luis Lopez, Shoemaker, 49.98
300 hurdles: 1. Timothy Boatner, Killeen, 39.40; 2. Isaiah Burrell, Harker Heights, 39.90; 3. Jihad McCoy, Shoemaker, 40.01; 4. James Evens, Shoemaker, 41.06
200 dash: 1. Michael Bickham, Shoemaker, 22.38; 2. Brandon E. Brown, Shoemaker, 22.58; 3. Maurice Starr, Shoemaker, 22.65; 4. Ja’Khari Simpson, Harker Heights, 22.74
1,600: 4. Cody Zimmerman, Harker Heights, 4:38.58
4x400 relay: 1. Shoemaker, 3:21.42; 2. Harker Heights, 3:23.17
Girls
Discus: 2. Jesselix AcevedoLebron, Harker Heights, 100-6; 3. Moli Etufe, Harker Heights, 99-1
High jump: 4. Sanu Falniko, Harker Heights, 5-2
Long jump: 4. Ariana Brooks, Killeen, 16-11
Pole vault: 1. Caliyah Coleman, Harker Heights, 8-6
Shot put: 4. Ryan Baldon, Harker Heights, 33-2½
Triple jump: 3. Ariana Brooks, Killeen, 36-2
4x100 relay: 2. Killeen, 48.23; 4. Harker Heights, 48.99
800: 1. Jennifer Lozano, Killeen; 3. Aniya Robinson, Shoemaker
100 dash: 4. J’Nay Duncan, Killeen, 12.78
4x200 relay: 3. Killeen, 1:42.82; 4. Shoemaker, 1:43.70
400: 2. Ariana Brooks, Killeen, 1:01.14; 3. Lamiyah Harps, Killeen, 1:01.14
300 hurdles: 3. Mia Griffin, Harker Heights, 47.77
200 dash: 4. Arinna Martin, Shoemaker, 25.88
1,600: 1. Jennifer Lozano, Killeen, 5:36.26
4x400 relay: 2. Harker Heights, 4:06.28; 3. Killeen, 4:06.43
District 16-5A Meet Results
April 2-3
Belton High School
Top four qualify for 15/16-5A Area Meet
Boys
3,200: 1. Ethan Carranza, Ellison, 9:56.33; 2. Andy Harper, Ellison, 10:14.44; 4. Michael Rodriguez, Ellison, 10:18.60
Discus: 2. Torrie Henry, Chaparral, 151-11
High jump: 4. Tyler Reed, Ellison, 5-8
Long jump: 2. Beniah Horn, Chaparral, 21-11; 4. Amone Tolliver, Chaparral, 21-7¼
Pole vault: 4. Juan Luebano, Chaparral, 12-0
Shot put: 2. Adrian Mitchell, Ellison, 45-0
Triple jump: 1. Amone Tolliver, Chaparral, 44-9; 2. Daryl Cannie Jr., Ellison, 43-1½; 4. Courtney Philips, Ellison, 42-5¼
4x100 relay: 1. Chaparral, 42.13
800: 1. Ethan Carranza, Ellison, 1:59.75; 2. Andy Harper, Ellison, 2:03.73; 4. Michael Rodriguez, Ellison, 2:06.25
110 hurdles: 1. Andre Mitchell, Chaparral, 14.49; 3. Keion Burks, Ellison, 15.14; 4. Quince Reese, Ellison, 15.49
100 dash: 1. Travaris Turner-Smith, Ellison, 10.66; 2. Davian Arthur, Chaparral, 10.75; 4. Ylizjah Richardson, Ellison, 10.93
4x200 relay: 1. Ellison, 1:28.20
400: 3. Moses Woods, Chaparral, 51.09; 4. Deqwane Mathews, Ellison, 51.84
300 hurdles: 1. Andre Mitchell, Chaparral, 40.19; 2. Keion Burks, Ellison, 40.78; 3. Quince Reese, 41.41
200 dash: 4. Myles Holland, Ellison, 22.29
1,600: 1. Ethan Carranza, Ellison, 4:33.18; 2. Andy Harper, Ellison, 4:44.18; 4. Michael Rodriguez, Ellison, 4:55.15
4x400 relay: 1. Ellison, 3:28.92; 2. Chaparral, 3:30.14
Girls
3,200: 2. D’Angeleigh Domkowski, Ellison, 12:06.78
Discus:2. 2. Aryasia Young, Ellison, 92-7; 4. Jewel Reese, Ellison, 83-7
High jump: 3. Jaimyra Harden, Chaparral, 5-0; 4. Joy Beaver, Chaparral, 4-10
Long jump: 2. Jynasis Hasty, Chaparral, 17-6¾; 3. Jaimyra Harden, Chaparral, 17-6
Pole vault: 4. Avery Wiltzius, Chaparral, 8-0
Shot put: 3. Jewel Reese, Ellison, 31-1¾; 4. Aryasia Young, Ellison, 29-4½
Triple jump: 4. Alexis Gratton, Chaparral, 34-2¼
4x100 relay: 2. Ellison, 48.94; 3. Chaparral, 49.06
800: 4. D’Angeleigh Dombkowski, Ellison, 2:28.63
100 hurdles: 1. Ellison, Lakia Hatch, 14.92
100 dash: 2. Aniya Coleman, Chaparral, 12.15; 4. Laila Erwin, Chaparral, 12.28
4x200 relay: 1. Chaparral, 1:42.61; 2. Ellison, 1:43.79
400: 4. Ariyanna Barlow, Chaparral, 1:01.56
300 hurdles: 1. Lakia Hatch, Ellison, 47.03
200 dash: 2. Taniya Burke, Chaparral, 25.22
1,600: 2. D’Angeleigh Dombkowski, Ellison, 5:30.75; 4. Fayija Smith, Chaparral, 5:56.54
4x400 relay: 3. Chaparral, 4:12.06
Varsity and JV full results:
16-5A: https://milesplit.live/meets/664941
12-6A: https://milesplit.live/meets/640084/events
