The Aubrey Chaparrals’ and Lady Chaparrals’ run to State continued, with both teams recording Top 5 finishes at the 2026 UIL 4AArea 09 & 10 Track Meet in Celina on April 16.
The Chaparrals took first overall out of 11 teams, with a team total of 136 points, earning their fifth area championship in as many years.
“I’m blessed to be able to coach a group of young men that are just phenomenal,” said Lance Low, Aubrey head boys track coach. “And it’s not just in their performance at the meets, but in how they train and approach each day. Coach [Don] Spaulding created something special, and thankfully our guys haven’t missed a beat. They’re continuing to find different ways to compete and win.”
The field events got the Chaps’ momentum rolling, with Brayden Wood, Luke Warren and Stephan Coffman finishing first, second and fourth in the shot put.
Wood won gold with a throw of 46-feet-11 1/4-inches, while Warren took silver with a throw of 45feet-11 1/2-inches and Coffman earned fourth with a throw of 43-feet-8-inches.
Warren also finished fourth in the discus with a throw of 116-feet-2-inches.
Riley Lemons placed fourth in the high jump with a height of 6-feet.
In the individual running events, Nathaniel Nkwodinma and Reid Smith were the Chaps’ top performers, with the duo finishing first and second in the 400-meter dash.
Nkwodinma won gold with 49.89 seconds, followed by Smith, who earned silver with 50.66 seconds.
Smith also finished fourth in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:05.84.
Marquez Lucas secured silver in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.74 seconds, while Jaxsen Bowlin earned the bronze medal with a time of 21.58 seconds.
William Storey and Ethan McMeen took silver and bronze in the 110-meter hurdles, with times of 14.73 and 15.14 seconds.
McMeen secured silver in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 38.24 seconds, followed by Cade Duncan, who finished fourth with a time of 40.65 seconds.
In the long-distance running events, Kaden Plaugher finished fourth in the 1600and 3200-meter runs, recording times of 4:57.63 and 10:51.82.
The Chaps relay teams won gold in the 4x100-meter relay with a time of 41.88 seconds and silver in the 4x400meter relay with a time of 3:20.40.
The Lady Chaps were fourth overall out of 10 teams, with a team total of 66 points.
Abby Lynch-Buxton was the top performer in the field events, winning the silver medal in the discus with a throw of 108-feet-11-inches.
Aniyah Davis won the bronze medal in the triple jump with a distance of 34-feet-7-inches.
Davis also placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.28 seconds.
Sa’Miyah Sims placed fifth in the long jump with a leap of 16-feet-11 1/4-inches.
In the long-distance running events, Abby Turner finished second in the 3200-meter run with a time of 12:26.89 and third in the 1600-meter run with a time of 5:52.34.
The Lady Chaps’ relay teams finished fourth in the 4x100-meter relay with a time of 49.74 seconds and third in the 4x200-meter relay with a time of 1:48.2.
The Lady Chaps’ 4x400 auto-qualified for regionals along with all of District 10’s 4x400 teams because there were no 4x400-meter relay teams from District 9.
“The girls all performed well and about as we expected knowing what kinds of times the other district was bringing in,” said Kristin Goodin, Aubrey head girls track coach. “Our district is so competitive that it prepares us well for area, and we are taking our time this week and just working on cleaning up some handoffs and trying to keep the girls focused and their legs healthy.”
The Top 4 finishers in each event will compete again at the UIL Region II4A Regional Track Meet on May 1 & 2 at East Texas A&M University in Commerce.
