Senior Adam Averett was wondering if he’d competed in the 300-meter hurdles for the last time as an Aledo Bearcat. He finished third in the event at the Class 5A Region I Meet at Texas Tech University on April 18-19 in Lubbock.
However, he learned on Monday, April 21, that he will indeed be in Austin on Friday, May 2, competing in the event at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas, along with four other Bearcats and a pair of Ladycats. His time of 37.87 seconds was the fastest of all third-place finishers across four regions, qualifying him as a wild card.
In addition, Averett will return to state in the 4x400 relay, on which he also ran in 2023. He ran the anchor leg this time, joining seniors Trey Warner and Jace Lay, along with junior Lincoln Tubbs in finishing second at regionals with a time of 3:17.09.
“I thought we ran great at the regional meet,” Bearcats coach Andrew Clark said. “State is an awesome experience, and anything can happen. We have to keep getting faster between now and then, and see how it all plays out.”
Junior Molly Garrison led Ladycat qualifiers, advancing in both the 1600 (5:05.19) and 3200 (11:08.52). This will be her first trip to state in track, though she has competed at state cross country three years, finishing sixth this past season.
“Everyone competed really well. Very proud of all the girls,” Ladycats coach Mike Pinkerton said.
A pair of pole vaulters round out the Aledo contingent competing in Austin. Braylon Brown looks to improve from his bronze medal performance in 2024 as he makes his state encore, and Emma Ralph will join him. Brown cleared 15-6 to take second, while Ralph was also runner-up with a 12-0 vault.
“I’m super excited for both of them. Different ends of the spectrum,” Aledo pole vault coach John Rhodes said. “Braylon, a senior who got third at state last year and Emma, a freshman whose goal for the year was to make varsity and get a letter jacket.”
“Braylon is really coming around at the right time. He had a lull in middle of season after a week-long mission trip to India took more toll than he realized. He is starting to get reps on bigger poles and I expect him to jump great at state.”
“Our area meet for girls was the toughest in the state with six girls over 11-6, and Emma getting second there really prepared her for regionals. Top four at regionals were from our area.”
“Emma will have a shot at a medal, and I won’t be a bit surprised if she gets on after watching the way she competed the last two weekends.”
“They are both great kids who are very coachable and fun to be around.”
Narrowly missing state in two events was sophomore Micah Neal of the Ladycats. She was third in both the 1600 and 3200. Meanwhile, junior Sofia Brandenburg, who had qualified for state the previous two years (along with three state cross country qualifications) placed third in the 800.
In the team standings, both the Bearcats and Ladycats finished third. The boys scored 36 points, trailing only Mansfield Timberwith with 74 and Denton Ryan with 48. The girls scored 57, behind Amarillo’s 66 and Ryan’s 57.
Class 5A Region I Meet
April 18-19 at Texas Tech University, Lubbock
Top two in each event automatically qualify for state
Running events in meters, field events in feet
Aledo results
Girls
Team score: 57 points, third place (Amarillo 66, Denton Ryan 59)
Individual results
100: 7. Addison Smith, 12.15.
200: 5. Smith, 24.74.
800: 3. Sofia Branndenburg, 2:16.51; 7. Mykel Murry, 2:21.24.
1600: 2. Molly Garrison, 5:05.19; 3. Micah Neal, 5:07.67.
3200: 2. Garrison, 11:08.52; 3. Neal, 11:14.17.
100 Hurdles: 8. Savannah Thompson, 16.35.
300 Hurdles: 6. Victoria Crews, 47.77.
4x400 Relay: 4. Murry, Mayden Mitchell, Brandenburg, Smith, 3:58.38.
High Jump: 9. Sawyer Voight, 5-0.
Pole Vault: 2. Emma Ralph, 12-0; 4. Maggie Kilburn, 11-6.
Boys
Team score: 36 points, third place (Mansfield Timber view 74, Denton Ryan 48).
200: 7. Adrian Fuller, 22.21.
400: 6. Trey Warnner, 49.11.
1600: 6. Tyler Connelly, 4:29.39.
3200: 6. Connelly, 9:51.80.
110 Hurdles: 12. (prelims) Adam Averett, 15.08.
300 Hurdles: 3. Averett, 37.87 (qualified as a wild card).
4x100 Relay: 11. (prelims) Fuller, Kai Taylor, Alex Patton, Lincoln Tubbs, 42.27.
4x200 Relay: 13. (prelims) Fuller, Taylor, Patton, Gavin Richardson, 1:30.93.
4x400 Relay: 2. Warner, Jace Lay, Tubbs, Averett, 3:17.09.
High Jump: 13. Caden Cunningham, 5-10.
Pole Vault: 2. Braylon Brown, 15-6; 6. Kantyn Kasich, 13-6.
Discus: 7. Christian Sandoval, 148-0; 8. Averett, 147-2.
Shot Put: 5. Carson Dempsey, 50-4.
Weatherford vaulter narrowly misses state
Brigham Harmer of the Kangaroos placed fourth at the Class 6A Region I Meet in Arlington on April 18-19. He cleared a height of 14-6.
Also from Weatherford, for the Lady Roos, Braelee Gilbert threw the discus 125 feet to eighth and Cory Pantoja ran a time of 10.92 seconds to place 14th in the preliminaries of the 100 dash.
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