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Houston-area Track Stars Shine in Austin at annual Texas Relays; Mayde Creek's Ballard breaks meet record
HOUSTON – Texas Relays could be considered the official kickoff to the track & field season as from here it is just weeks from district, regional and just over a month from the UIL State Track & Field State Championships.
Athletes from public and private schools across Texas descend upon Mike A. Meyers Stadium in Austin for the annual Texas Relays, which took place this past weekend. Here are some of the top performers.
Simone Ballard, Mayde Creek
Ballard broke the internet this past weekend. The Mayde Creek senior ran the 300-meter hurdles and won the race with a time of 40.68. That mark is the fastest ever ran at Mike A. Meyers Stadium and in Texas Relays history. It is the top time in Texas now by nearly three seconds. The video of Ballard's record-setting run has been viewed more than 26,000 times on Twitter. Ballard also competed in the 100-meter hurdles (33”) and won the prelim and the finals. She ran a personal-best of 13.28 in the finals to win the race. This is a big start to her senior season. Ballard has won now five of the six 100-meter races she has entered this season. Her personal-best has gotten faster and faster, dropping from a 13.84 to now a 13.28. Ballard is committed to Baylor.
Your New State Record Holder in the 300mh with a time of 40.68. It is all in gods plan ! 🙏🏾🫶🏾 pic.twitter.com/mF306zIEVZ
— Simone Ballard (@simoneballard_) March 26, 2022
Emmanuel Sgouros, St. John’s
The St. John’s senior has had a massive year. It started in the fall at the SPC Championships winning the cross-country title with a time of 15:06.80. He went on to take 10th overall at the Eastbay Cross Country Championships as well. In the indoor season, he PRd at the New Balance Nationals Indoor in the 1500-meter run and took 22nd overall. Prior to Texas Relays, Sgouros, who is committed to Texas, took first at the Texas Distance Festival in the 3200-meter run. At Texas Relays, he took second in the 3200-meter run with yet another personal best of 9:02.05, running against public school racers.
Sarah Akpan, Stratford
Akpan finished second overall in the 100-meter dash in High School Division II. Akpan, who is signed to University of Virginia, ran a 11.44, which is a personal record and broke the Stratford school record.
Micah Bell, Kinkaid
Bell is the younger brother of national recruit Dillon Bell, who signed with the University of Georgia this past February. Micah is the next big Bell. At the Texas Relays he PR’d in the 100-meter dash in High School Division I with a time of 10.41, taking second place in the finals.
Emanuel Galdino, Stratford
The big year for the Iowa State-signee Emanuel Galdino continued this past weekend. Galdino clocked a time of 4:08.10 in the 1600-meter race, which is a new personal record for him. He took second place overall with that time. It is a new school record as well and he holds the No. 2 time in Texas and No. 5 time in the United States after that race.
Matthew Rueff, Seven Lakes - Rueff won the shot-put final with a throw of 19.07 meters (62-feet-6 3/4 inches). He then took fourth in the discus with a toss of 54.16 meter. He is signed with Auburn University.
Matthew Rueff wins Texas Relays today 62’ 6 3/4” Way to go Rueff! @SpartanTrack_XC @AuburnThrows pic.twitter.com/VHBHUHT9wu
— Seven Lakes XC/TF (@SpartanTrack_XC) March 26, 2022
Aaron Davis, Summer Creek - Davis launched himself 7.32 meters to win the long jump final.
Lauren Schmitt, Seven Lakes - Schmitt cleared 3.90 meters in the pole vault event for High School Section B.
Jade Johnson, Summer Creek - Johnson reached 12.89 meters on the triple jump, which is a personal record, to win the event.
Quinn Calhoun, Cypress Woods - Calhoun finished tied for fourth in the High School Section A pole vault event. She cleared 13-feet-7.25 inches, which is a personal ecord, broke the schools record and set a new Cy-Fair ISD record in the event.
At Texas Relays @QuinncalhounP PR’d, breaks the SCHOOL RECORD and sets a new CFISD RECORD with a vault of 13’ 7.25”! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🎊🎊🎊@CyWood_Boosters @CW_Athletics @CyWoods212 pic.twitter.com/nhZl4408J3
— Cy Woods Girls Track & Field (@cwhsgirlstrack) March 26, 2022
Relay Standouts
- Seven Lakes women took first in the 4x100-meter relay in High School Division II. They clocked a time of 45.78. It was a combo of Brooke Jackson, Alyssa Tate, Avary Catchings and Haley Tate. They won the prelims as well, beating out DeSoto. Then, they took gold in the 4x200-meter relay as well, beating out Shadow Creek and DeSoto with a time of 1:35.81.
- Kinkaid men in the 4x100-meter relay beat out Bellville for the High School Division I title with a time of 42.14. It was Dillon and Michah Bell, Cameron Henry and Tobe Nwabudike on the relay.
- Fort Bend Christian Academy women took first in the 4x200-meter relay with a time of 1:41.79, defeating Dallas Carter and Life Waxahachie for the title. In the relay it was Brooke Coleman, Angel Nwodu, Gabrielle Washington, and Bayleigh Minor. They also took 3rd in the 4x100-meter relay (48.04 - school record) and second in the 4x400-meter relay. Their prelim marks of 1:41.09 in the 4x200 and 3:53.40 in the 4x400 were also school records.
6 races in 2 days…NO PROBLEM for these girls + 3 NEW SCHOOL RECORDS at the Texas Relays.
1st place- 4x200 🥇 (1:41.09) prelims
2nd place- 4x400 🥈 (3:53.40) prelims
3rd place- 4x100 🥉 (48.04) @FBCAathletics @vypehouston @TTFCA @TXMileSplit @TXPSPodcast pic.twitter.com/yOKmIXpLrQ
— FBCA Track and Field (@FBTrackField) March 27, 2022
- Shadow Creek men took second in the 4x200-meter relay with a time of 1:24.68, finishing just behind Duncanville. The Sharks team was made up of Tyriq Brunn, Chase Roberts, Michael Strange and Isaac Henderson
- The defending Class 6A State Champions Summer Creek Bulldogs are back again. In the 4x400-meter relay, Summer Creek took first with a time of 3:09.92. It is a senior group of Malcolm Washington, Dylan Jacobs, Blake Gibson and Darius Rainey that ran the time to win.
VYPE unveils Private School Offensive Teams powered by Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
What a big year it was for Houston-area private school football as Second Baptist School reached the TAPPS DII state title game and Emery/Weiner won the TAPPS 6-Man title. Kinkaid won the Southwest Preparatory Conference 4A title and John Cooper School won their first ever SPC 3A championship.
Here are the All-VYPE Offensive Teams of the Year presented by Houston Methodist Orthopedic and Sports Medicine.
OFFENSIVE MVP
FINALISTS
Dillon Bell, Kinkaid
Brady Dever, Fort Bend Christian Academy
Jake Wright, St. Thomas
(The winner will be announced as part of the 2021-22 VYPE Awards presented by Houston Methodist Orthopedic and Sports Medicine)
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QUARTERBACK
First-Team
Brady Dever, Fort Bend Christian Academy
Jake Wright, St. Thomas
…
Second-Team
David Capobianco, Kinkaid
Doran Yustein, Emery/Weiner
…
Honorable Mention
Turner Murdock, Second Baptist
Tyler Prazak, Legacy Prep
Vaughn McKeever, John Cooper School
…
RUNNING BACKS
First-Team
Sam LeBlue, Fort Bend Christian Academy
Eli Smith, Second Baptist School
…
Second-Team
Micah Bell, Kinkaid
Jaxson Pierce, John Cooper School
…
Honorable Mention
Cole Allen, St. John’s
Cody Andrus, Cypress Christian
Wesley Barnes, Bay Area Christian
Burke Battenfield, St. Pius X
Bijan Bobrow, Emery/Weiner
Johann Cardenas, St. Thomas
Leo Gerst, Emery/Weiner
Roric Hawkins Jr., The Woodlands Christian Academy
Smith Nave, Bay Area Christian
…
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
First-Team
Reid Cordell, Second Baptist School
Michael Fite, St. Pius X
Beau Edwards, Episcopal
Colby Gorman, The Woodlands Christian Academy
Thomas Green, St. Thomas
…
Second-Team
Ty Cappi, Bay Area Christian
John Dearing, Second Baptist School
Jacob Moran, Cypress Christian
Caden Auger, Legacy Prep
Kade Sink, Bay Area Christian
…
Honorable Mention
Jackson Busch, Rosehill
Ezekiel Hogan, Cypress Christian
Samuel Kabatsky, Lutheran North
Ari Strauss, Emery Weiner
Cullen Witt, Episcopal
…
WIDE RECEIVERS
First-Team
Bryan Domino, Fort Bend Christian Academy
Joel Hutchins, Lutheran South Academy
Cameron Price, St. Thomas
…
Second-Team
Marcus Chretien, Fort Bend Christian Academy
Grayson Kim, Second Baptist School
Blake Wiley, TWCA
…
Honorable Mention
Vincent Banks, Emery Weiner
Chase Behrens, Rosehill Christian
Willie Elliott, Houston Christian
Joe Madden, St. Thomas
Ian McCraray, Legacy Prep
Jackson Mobley, St. Pius X
Jackson Owen, Cypress Christian
…
ATHLETES
First-Team
Dillon Bell, Kinkaid
…
Second-Team
Zamari Bruce, Frassati Catholic
…
Honorable Mention
Grayson Beckman, Cypress Christian
Cam Henry, Kinkaid
Maxwell Landrum, Cypress Christian
…
KICKERS
First-Team
Hudson Yezak, Concordia Lutheran
…
Second-Team
Vincent Banks, Emery/Weiner
…
Honorable Mention
Adam Atwell, Bay Area Christian
Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine is Houston's leading provider of orthopedic services, from sports medicine to joint replacement. Houston Methodist offers comprehensive diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative services with a high standard of excellence for elite athletes, active adults and student athletes. Houston Methodist serves as the official health care provider for the Houston Texans, Houston Astros, Rice Athletics, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™, Houston Ballet, Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera.