Wellman-Union hosted the 1A District 5 Girls Track & Field District Championship meet this past Tuesday, resulting in several notable performances by the Whitharral Lady Panthers and Anton Lady Dawgs, which powered top two team finishes for both high school programs.
The Lady Panthers scored 166 total points to secure the District Championship, and the Lady Dawgs scored 111 total points to finish as the District Runners-Up. In the 100-meter dash, Kalyn Bates (Whitharral) placed first with a time of 13.15, Rylee Tubbs (Anton) placed second with a time of 13.90, Ashtyn Potter (Whitharral) placed third with a time of 14.27, Miliana Castillo (Anton) placed fourth with a time of 14.50 and Paige Smith (Whitharral) placed sixth with a time of 14.60.
In the 200-meter dash, Valeria Frias (Whitharral) placed first with a time of 29.49; Alisiah Alafa (Anton) placed second with a time of 30.79 and Aerieana Rodriguez (Whitharral) placed third with a time of 31.02.
In the 400-meter dash, Emberly Prowell (Whitharral) placed third with a time of 1:11.81 and Ally Ramirez (Anton) placed fifth with a time of 1:17.93.
In the 800-meter run, Emma Gonzales (Whitharral) placed second with a time of 3:02.02; Natalia Marin (Whitharral) placed fifth with a time of 3:13.54 and Brooklyn Nickelson (Whitharral) placed sixth with a time of 3:17.75.
Also, Gonzales placed third in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 7:07.77, and Nickelson placed second in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 15:17.60.
In the 100-meter hurdles, Alyssa Mancias (Anton) placed first with a time of 19.14 and Mylie Carlock (Anton) placed fourth with a time of 22.53.
They would also both place in the 300-meter hurdles as Mancias placed first with a time of 56.07 and Carlock placed fourth with a time of 1:02.96, followed by Nickelson in fifth place with a time of 1:05.66.
In the 4x100-meter relay, the Lady Panthers relay of Neal, Prowell, Potter and Bates placed first with a time of 53.88. The Lady Dawgs relay of Mancias, Castillo, Alafa and Rylee Tubbs placed second with a time of 56.00.
In the 4x200-meter relay, the Lady Panthers relay of Neal, Frias, Smith and Bates placed first with a time of 1:55.71. The Lady Dawgs relay of Alafa, Castillo, Uriyah Salsman and Tubbs placed second with a time of 2:04.23.
In the 4x400-meter relay, the Lady Panthers relay of Neal, Frias, Smith and Prow- ell placed first with a time of 4:48.63.
In the long jump, Mancias placed first with a jump of 13’-10”, Smith placed second with a jump of 13’-6 ¼” and Neal placed third with a jump of 13’-4”.
In the shot put, Rodriguez placed fourth with a throw of 22’-8”, and she also placed fifth in the discus with a throw of 62’-7”.
In the triple jump, Prowell placed second with a jump of 30”-0 ¾”, Neal placed fourth with a jump of 29’-7 ¾” and Castillo placed sixth with a jump of 28’-4 3/4”.
In the high jump, Alafa placed first with a jump of 4' and Aaliyah Sanchez placed second with a jump of 3’10”, and in the pole vault, Carlock placed second with a vault of 6’.
Following the conclusion of the meet, both the Lady Panthers and Lady Dawgs head coaches reflected on their teams’ performances.
“The Lady Panthers have improved vastly throughout their season, and times/ measurements set last year,” Lady Panthers Head Track & Field Coach Payton Shipley said. “Led by one senior and a slew of underclassmen, this team has their standards set on lofty goals down the road, ready to grab opportunity when it presents itself. All three relays will contend for regional spots, with plenty of high-level talent in running and field events alike.”
“The girls competed well. I’m super proud of our kids,” Anton Head Track & Field Coach Tami Wilson said. “They are involved in so many spring events (ag, tennis, golf, track, FCCLA) but they never backed down to a challenge.”
Both teams will return to action on April 16 for the Area Meet at Dawson High School.