Track season has reached the home stretch for the Aubrey Chaparrals and Lady Chaparrals, with both teams competing at the UIL 4A Region II Track Meet at East Texas A&M on May 1 and 2.
The Lady Chaparrals finished tied for 13th out of 30 teams, with a team total of 16 points and one Lady Chap, senior Abby Turner, qualifying for the State meet.
“This was the first time we’ve had all three relays there in a long time, and we had representation in three field events as well, so it was a big deal for us to have that many kids qualify,” said Kristin Giddens, Aubrey head girls track coach. “… We had a couple of seniors and a junior, but for the most part we took a young group, so I could not be more excited for the future.”
Turner was the top performer for the Lady Chaps, winning silver in the 3200-meter run with an Aubrey ISD record-breaking time of 11.35.32 and earning a spot at the State meet in Austin.
Turner missed qualifying for State in the 1600-meter run by 2.3 seconds but returned to the winners’ podium with a bronze medal finish with a time of 5:18.92.
“It’s been a rewarding process because I’ve been putting in all this effort, not just this season, but the past four or five years, and it’s been really rewarding to see it’s actually paying off,” Turner said.
She added how much she’s looking forward to making her first appearance at the State meet.
“I’m excited to compete with those girls; they’re the best in the state,” she said. “It’ll be fun to see how much I can challenge myself by racing against top [competition].”
Giddens shared her appreciation for what Turner has accomplished this season.
“I call this Abby’s comeback year, because last year was so brutal,” Giddens said. “She battled injury. She battled illness. … She didn’t finish a race until our district meet last year, so it all makes this season that much sweeter. She’s not only finished every race, but she’s been winning.”
In the field events, Abby Lynch-Buxton finished fifth with a best of 113-feet-4inches.
Sa’Miyah Sims finished 15th in the long jump with a distance of 14-feet-9 1/2 -inches.
Aniyah Davis placed 13th in the triple jump with a distance of 32-feet-5 1/4-inches.
Turner will compete again at the UIL 4A State Track Meet at 9 a.m. Thursday hosted at Mike A. Myers Track & Soccer Stadium in Austin.
The Chaparrals finished 17th out of 37 teams, with a team total of 12 points.
“I was super proud of our guys’ effort,” said Lance Low, Aubrey head boys track coach. “… We pretty much had all of our kids make the finals, which is all you can ask for, that opportunity, but we had some untimely injuries, and we didn’t perform quite as well in the finals as we hoped.”
Luke Warren led the Chaps in the field events, placing sixth in the shot put with a throw of 47-feet-1/2inch.
Brayden Wood finished seventh in the shot put with a throw of 46-feet-8 1/2-inches.
Stephan Coffman placed 14th in the shot put with a throw of 42-feet-4 1/2-inches.
Warren also placed ninth in the discus with a distance of 138-feet-4-inches.
Riley Lemons finished 10th in the high jump with a height of 6-feet-2-inches.
Kaden Plaugher represented the Chaps in the longdistance running events, finishing seventh in the 3200-meter run with a time of 10:01 and 14th in the 1600-meter run with a time of 5:03.1.
In the hurdle events, William Storey placed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.28 seconds.
Cade Duncan placed eighth in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 40.55 seconds.
Ethan McMeen also qualified for the 300-meter hurdles final but was unable to compete because of injury sustained in the preliminary round.
In the relay events, the Chaps finished fourth in the 4x400-meter relay with a season best time of 3:17.76.
With the Chaps earning their fifth district and area championship in a row in his first season at the helm, Low spoke highly of the program’s growth potential.
“The good thing is that we’re very, very young,” he said. “We’re graduating one senior, and we have a team with a lot of sophomores as well that ran for us this year, so we’re super excited for the future, and hopefully this will light a fire and be used as fuel for getting ready for next year.”
Low thanked Keith Ivy, Aubrey athletic director and head football coach, and the Aubrey ISD parents for their help and support this season.
