6A Hurdler Ballard Wins 2 Regional Titles

Mayde Creek hurdler Simone Ballard won both the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdle races at the Region III-6A track meet in Humble on Saturday. Here she pulls away from her competition in the final hurdles of her final race of the day. (Photo by Terry Carter/UDPhotos)

By Terry Carter

At the Region III 5A and 6A track meets this week, Seven Lakes, Mayde Creek, Tompkins and Katy led the way locally with the Lady Spartans capturing the girls’ regional crown while individual standouts earned the spotlight in their own way.

Mayde Creek hurdler Simone Ballard won double gold on Saturday in the 100-meter hurdles (13.62), which was a very close race, and in the 300-meter hurdles (40.98) where the senior Lady Ram ran off another nationally-ranked time. The Texas state high school and UIL state meet record is 40.81, set in 2015.

Ballard will lead a group of elite Katy ISD athletes to the state track meet who are likely to medal and could challenge for the top of the podium in Austin.

Haley Tate electrified the Region III audience by running the second-fastest 400 meters in the nation this season when the senior clocked a 53.15 to earn a gold medal by more than .61 over the second-place finisher. The UIL Texas State Meet Record sits at 52.40.

“It was a good race today, and the wind was a factor,” Haley said after the race. “(That run) motivates me to keep pushing because I want that No. 1.”

Seven Lakes runners Alyssa and Haley Tate combined for a first, third and fourth-place finishes to push the Lady Spartans to the team title after a good start in the 6A field events.

Haley also finished in a dead heat with Stratford’s Sarah Akpan. Both finished in 23.98, and she was awarded fourth place, which is the last qualifying spot for the UIL 6A State Track and Field Meet on May 14 at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the University of Texas at Austin campus. Haley advanced to state in two events, and she will likely be the top see in the 400 meters.

Alyssa took third in the 100 meters (11.62), just .06 behind the winner and two spots ahead of Lady Spartan teammate Brooke Jackson (11.73).

Other Seven Lakes highlights included:

  • Gold medal shot put champion Janey Campbell (42-5), which won by 1.5 inches. Lady Spartan Stephanie Williams (39-3.75) earned sixth place.
  • Campbell also scored a silver medal in the discus (135-09)
  • In the girls’ high jump, Jenna Sanders (5-07) earned a spot at state by placing fourth, and Summer Halphen (5-04) finished sixth
  • Avery Catchings took third in the 800 meters (2:17.02)
  • Ruben Rojas captured gold in the 1,600 meters (4:13.74) by just .06 in a 3-man battle against Stratford and Strake Jesuit
  • Rojas also placed third in the boys’ 3,200 meters (9:13.65) in very competitive race

Mayde Creek highlights included:

  • Tay’Shawn Wilson earned third place in the 100 meters (10.56). Ram Eric Nelson (10.80) finished fifth in the same race.
  • Tay’Shawn Wilson also placed fourth in the 200 meters (21.40)
  • The Rams’ 4×100-meter boys’ relay took third in 40.93 to earn a spot in Austin.
  • Jayla Wilson took fifth in the 100-meter hurdles (14.55)

Tompkins highlights included:

  • Falcon standout pole vaulter Matthew Kumar cleared 16-04.75 to dominate the Region III boys’ pole vaulting. He won by by more than 22 inches.
  • In the boys’ long jump, Jayden Keys (25-01.5) on his final jump to claim gold for the Falcons.
  • In the girls’ triple jump, Tolu Odetola placed third with a 38-6.75 jump.
  • In the boys’ discus, Matthew Rueff (168-04) finished fourth to earn a state spot, as well as a Taylor silver medalist

Taylor highlights included:

  • Ian Flynt placed second in the 6A boys’ discus with a 173-11 effort. He finished six inches away from first place.

Katy highlights included:

  • Freshman Sarah Pantophlet earning silver (2:16.68) in the 800 meters. Lady Tiger Paige Bay (2:21.40) placed fifth
  • Kaycee McCoy placed third in the 100-meter hurdles (13.69)

Cinco Ranch highlights included:

  • Alison Mueller earned fourth place in the 1,600 meter (5:19.58)
  • in the 3,200 meters, Mueller took home a silver award (11:18.30)
  • Jackson Kimble took fourth in the boys’ 400 meters (48.39)

Morton Ranch highlights included:

  • The boys’ 4×200-meter relay — four juniors — took third place (1:28.00) to earn a spot in Austin. The Mavericks celebrated in style after seeing their time realized they are bound for the state meet at UT-Austin.