Track and Field to compete in regionals
After succeeding in area, athletes take aim at qualifying for state
These athletes placed first in area and have advanced to regionals in Track and Field.
Thirteen track and field athletes, including five alternates, advance to the 6A Region 1 championship meet at the University of Texas at Arlington today and tomorrow.
Among those qualifiers were the boys and girls 4×200 relay teams who finished first at the area meet on April 21 at Ron Poe Stadium in McKinney. The girls team, made up of Ryan “Paislie” Allen, Bre’Anna Harlin, Sydnee Wilson, Te’Anna Harlin (Alternates Jaz’Lyn Mims, Keelayna McClendon) ran a 1:39:13. The boys team, made up of Xavier Lewis, Leon Williams, Caden Jenkins, Cameren Jenkins (Alternates Jordan Johnson, Elijah Walker, Zach Waller) ran a 1:46:25.
“The times they’re running and the performances that they are doing are phenomenal right now,” said Heather Moss, track and cross country coach. “So they are seeing that growth and development and all that work pay off. Just the fact that we are in the position where we are in the top three to advance in everything from area is really special.”
The top two finishers in each event at regionals will advance to the state meet at the University of Texas at Austin May 13 and 14. Athletes like junior Xavier Lewis, who placed second at area in the 100 meters (10:28 for personal record) and is ranked second in the region, have confidence in their abilities to make it to the end.
“It feels good,” Lewis said. “I feel like I always had the potential to do this, I’ve been waiting for it. I had the mindset that I can get [to regionals], and I’m here. Looking to win state.”
After an unexpected season-ending shutdown following the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, Harlin sisters Te’Anna, who placed second in area in the 100, and Bre’Anna, who placed third in area in the 200, hope for the best this time around.
“I like to stay positive, even when something does go bad I always think it could be worse,” Bre’Anna said. “Keep it in your head that anything can happen, so just work with what you’re going through right now and push past it.”
The track and field team spends hours training together though the season. Despite their differing ages and personalities, they continue to grow together as a team.
“With most of my teammates, I feel like we’re very close, we understand each other, but we can also push each other,” Te’Anna said. “It’s like a big family.”
