Marble Falls boys track finishes seconds at Gatesville meet
The Marble Falls High School boys track-and-field team finished as the runner-up at the Gatesville Hornet Relays Feb. 23.
Weather forced officials in Lampasas to cancel the Badger Relays scheduled for March 2.
“The varsity boys taking second overall in the first meet of the season coupled with our boys and girls relay performances was a big step in the right direction for our program,” head coach Austin Silva said.
Coaches are encouraged for a number of reasons, he added.
Top of the list are the number of athletes joining the program. The Mustangs have 40 athletes, while the Lady Mustangs have 20.
“What excites me is the numbers we have,” Silva said. “Because it allows us to actually compete for first as a team at every meet. We have more numbers on both sides this year compared to last and I fully expect them to continue growing.”
The Mustangs are getting tremendous results from a number of athletes, Silva noted.
Zach Woody won gold in the 400 meters in 53.52 seconds and silver in the triple jump with leap of 40-01.
Tyler Hamblin finished second in the 3,200 meters in 9:58.
Nick Dahl was third in the 1,600 meters in 4:48.14.
The Mustangs 4×200-meter relay team of Isaac Larranaga, Zach Woody, Dax Murphy and Cameron Graham earned a silver medal by clocking 1:35.65.
The Mustangs 4×100-meter relay team of Derek Gonzalez, Murphy, Kristian Dubose and Graham earned bronze with a time of 45.70 seconds.
Marble Falls’ 4×400-meter relay team of Larranaga, Austin Cutchin, Nick Dahl and Woody was third in 3:49.64.
Two Lady Mustangs were District 25 and 26-5A area meet qualifiers last year, and they continue to impress in 2023.
They are sophomore thrower Kylie Roberts and senior pole vaulter Anne McCary, who also qualified for the Class 5A Region IV meet.
Roberts, who spent time in the throwing pit during the offseason, took gold in the discus with a toss of 104-9.
“The sky is the limit for Kylie,” Silva said. “And she very well could throw further than that. Making it to area last year as a freshman in the 5A district we were in has only made her hungrier, focused and excited to make another postseason run this year. She’s picked up where she left off last year and is on track.”
As she begins her final year of high school pole vaulting, McCary has taken on another important role, Silva said.
“As our only returning regional qualifier, Anne has taken on a much bigger leadership role this year, and it’s been awesome to watch her mentor our young vaulters while simultaneously working on her own craft,” he said. “Her sister, Katherine, is also one to watch after placing third in last week’s meet.”
The Lady Mustangs’ 4×200-meter relay team of Sadie Harris, Ava Carter, Kamri Langley, Nashla Crott took bronze in 1: 55.55.
Over the years, Marble Falls track has gained a reputation of being a solid distance program as well as having athletes excel in the field events. And while that should continue, coaches aren’t shy about wanting to add sprints and relays, too, Silva said.
“We’ve been working hard at getting our sprinters and relays on that same level,” he said. “It also helps tremendously that we having more running this year. This allows for more competition throughout the week and options. All that to say, I am happy with how our sprinters are growing and excited to see where they will be in April.”
Marble Falls will compete at the Yellow Jacket Relays in Llano Thursday, March 9.
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