The motto this time of year in track and field is survive and advance. Keep the season going by qualifying for the next week, with Austin and state meet the ultimate destination.
Still, moving on with a handful of gold always is a welcome bonus.
Shoemaker’s Isaiah Butler-Tanner and the Grey Wolves’ 4x200 and 4x400 relay foursomes took trips to the top of the podium, while Killeen’s Antwoine Warren grabbed gold for each pocket and his Roos teammate Timothy Boatner breezed to victory in the 110-meter hurdles Thursday during the District 11/12-6A area meet at Waco Midway’s Panther Stadium against athletes from Duncanville, DeSoto, Mesquite, Mesquite Horn, Cedar Hill, Waxahachie, Dallas Skyline, Lancaster, Temple, Copperas Cove, Bryan and Midway.
About 30 minutes south at Lake Belton High School, Ellison’s Ethan Carranza, and the boys 4x200 relay plus Chaparral’s Amone Tolliver earned top prizes at the District 15/16-5A area meet while competing against Midlothian, Midlothian Heritage, Corsicana, Crandall, Terrell, Red Oak, Kaufman, Crandall, Belton, Lake Belton, Waco and Waco University.
All of that loot –– plus the Shoemaker boys claiming the area team championship in thrilling fashion –– highlighted strong outings full of school records and personal bests that netted 42 regional qualifications for Killeen ISD’s athletes.
More 6A photos here.
More 5A photos here.
The top four in each event advanced to the regional round. The 6A Region II (HHHS, KHS, SHS) meet is scheduled for April 18-19 back at Panther Stadium. The 5A Region II meet (CHS, EHS) is the same weekend at UT Arlington’s Maverick Stadium. Only the top two, and a possible wild card, clinch state berths.
The state meet at the University of Texas’ Mike A. Myers Stadium is May 1-3.
Shoemaker’s relays continued their trend of consistently quick performances, placing second in the 4x100 in a season-best 40.67 before rolling to the victory in the 4x200 (1:24.86) and in the 4x400 (3:14.16), in which the Grey Wolves ran 7 seconds faster than their seed time to set a school record.
Shoemaker trailed Waxahachie by nine points entering the night’s final event –– the 4x400. After the final event, the Grey Wolves had a nine-point cushion and the area-title trophy in hand.
“The best way to explain it as a head coach, it was another big step for the program. To have this success at this type of meet against some of the best in the state and the nation made for a very fun day,” Shoemaker boys track and field head coach Eule Ford said, noting his excitement to see athletes advance in the triple jump and high jump as well.
“Program-wise it was a great day to showcase the city of Killeen and Shoemaker with everyone there watching Waxahachie, Duncanville, DeSoto and all those teams,” Ford added. “Our goals our higher, of course. We want to go to state. We have a plan and we are putting it together.”
Butler-Tanner, a UTSA football commit, claimed the area title in discus with a personal best and school record 176 feet, 5 inches. He also was third in shot put.
“I’m really just taking it meet by meet. I came here today only worried about what was going on here at the area meet and nothing else,” Butler-Tanner said.
“My coach (Cion Hicks) and I have been working on the little things to improve. It definitely means something to win (discus). I came here as the fifth seed. There were four people who had a further mark than me. So, it feels good.”
The Roos’ Warren, a 5A regional champ and state qualifier in the high jump last season, launched himself into the long jump mix earlier this year and appears to be clicking (flying) on all cylinders. On Thursday, the senior recorded a long jump leap of 23-7¾ to secure first.
He followed that up with a win in the high jump with a clearance of 6 feet, 6 inches.
“This is a great accomplishment, but I’m really trying to get to state,” he said.
A common sentiment for the dozens representing KISD.
“I feel blessed. It’s a gift,” said Chaparral’s Moses Woods, who advanced in three events. “It’s a good day and something to look back on and improve on and not get too high on.”
Boatner clipped .40 seconds off of his district-winning seed time and clocked a 14.24 for gold, to which he later added bronze in the 300 hurdles.
Harker Heights produced a pair of runners-up with Arshawn Spann placing second in the triple jump (45-7¾ ) and Caliyah Coleman taking second in the pole vault (8-6)
Carranza backed up district wins last week in the 3,200-meter run, 1,600 and 800 with a two-for-three showing Thursday in the distance events –– sandwiching wins in the 3,200 and 1,600 around a silver in the 800.
The two-time cross country state qualifier is looking for his first trip to the top track meet.
“It feels awesome. I went into this day just knowing that I had to push because there was going to be some tough races. Especially the 800 and the mile I knew were going to be dog fights. I had a little doubt going into the mile, but I had to tell myself, ‘You’ve got this, you’re a senior, just trust in your ability,’” Carranza said.
The Eagles, who won the district team championship last week and placed second Thursday behind Midlothian, got a winning time of 1:26.26 in the 4x200 relay for their other gold.
Chaparral will have regional representatives in 13 events between the boys and girls teams, including triple jump area champ Amone Tolliver (45-6½).
“I’ve prepared to do this,” said the Bobcats’ Andre Mitchell, who qualified for regionals in three events (110, 300 hurdles, and 4x400 relay). “It feels good, but I know I can improve. I’m very happy. I made my family and coaches proud, and I did it for God.”
Full results can be found by clicking the links below.
District 11/12-6A: https://milesplit.live/meets/668392/events
District 15/16-5A: https://milesplit.live/meets/675886
KISD Communications' Todd Martin contributed
Class 6A Region II qualifiers
Harker Heights
Girl pole vault: Caliyah Coleman, second, 8-6
Boys triple jump: Arshawn Spann, second, 45-7¾
Boys 3,200: Cody Zimmerman, fourth, 10:04.23
Boys 400: Aiden Moses, fourth, 49.14
Killeen
Boys long jump: Antwoine Warren, first, 23-7¾
Boys high jump: Antwoine Warren, first, 6-6
Boys 110 hurdles: Timothy Boatner, first, 14.24
Boys 300 hurdles, Timothy Boatner, third, 38.92
Shoemaker
Boys discus: Isaiah Butler-Tanner, first, 176-5
Boys 4x200 relay: Maurice Starr, Brandon E. Brown, Michael Bickham, Jamal Polite, first, 1:24.86
Boys 4x400 relay: Luis Lopez, Michael Bickham, Tavon Burrell, Lamont Reed, first, 3:14.16
Boys 4x100 relay: Maurice Starr, Lamont Reed, Brandon E. Brown, Malachi Jerome, second, 40.67
Boys 200: Brandon E. Brown, second, 21.67
Boys 200: Maurice Starr, third, 21.71
Boys shot put: Isaiah Butler-Tanner, third, 49-10¾
Boys high jump: Joel Prattis, fourth, 6-2
Boys long jump: Tyler Armstrong, fourth, 43-6½
Boys 800: Tavon Burrell, fourth, 1:59.72
Boys 100: Jamal Polite, fourth, 10.90
Class 5A Region II qualifiers
Chaparral
Boys triple jump: Amone Tolliver, first, 45-6½
Boys 300 hurdles: Andre Mitchell, second, 39.00
Boys 4x400 relay: Andre Mitchell, Beniah Horn, Carlos Robinson, Moses Woods, third, 3:19.69
Boys 110 hurdles: Andre Mitchell, third, 14.95
Boys long jump: Beniah Horn, fourth, 20-11¼
Boys discus: Torrie Henry, fourth, 149-8
Boys 4x100 relay: Kaden Herrera, Davian Arthur, Moses Woods, Kevin Autman, fourth, 41.43
Boys 400: Moses Woods, fourth, 49.28
Boys pole vault: Miguel Soto, fourth, 12-6
Girls long jump: Jynasis Hasty, third, 17-11¼; Jaimyra Harden, fourth, 17-6
Girls 4x200 relay: Jynasis Hasty, Jaimyra Harden, Aniya Coleman, Laila Erwin, third, 1:40.72
Girls 200: Taniya Burke, fourth, 25.58
Girls high jump: Jaimyra Harden, fourth, 5-0
Ellison
Boys 3,200: Ethan Carranza, first, 9:45.79
Boys 1,600: Ethan Carranza, first, 4:26.75; Andy Harper, fourth, 4:37.31
Boys 4x200 relay: Travaris Turner-Smith, Tyler Reed, Keandre Sayles, Myles Holland, first, 1:26.26
Boys 800: Ethan Carranza, second, 1:58.00
Boys 4x400 relay: Deqwane Mathews, Isaiah Holloway, Myles Holland, Travaris Turner-Smith, second, 3:19.29
Boys 100: Travaris Turner-Smith, third, 10.86
Boys long jump: Daryl Cannie Jr., third, 21-3
Girls 100 hurdles: Lakia Hatch, second, 15.14
Girls 3,200: D’Angeleigh Dombkowski, fourth, 12:06.23
