Burnet, Marble Falls regional track meet to finish April 22

CAPTION: Burnet junior Victor Aviles (center) and Marble Falls junior Tyler Hamblin (right) are on the medal podium after they capture medals from their finishes in the 3,200 meters at the Class 4A Region III meet. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography

Lightning delays and rain April 20 forced Class 4A Region III track and field officials to conclude the rest of the meet Monday, April 22, a move supported by most of the coaches whose athletes still have a chance at advancing to the Class 4A state meet.

“Early this morning, it was fine,” Burnet boys head track and field coach Ben Speer said. “We finished the high jump, and then within 10 minutes, we had the first lightning delay.”

That started a chain reaction of seeking shelter. Some decided to grab lunch while they waited. Then they returned to the track only to be told to leave because of the weather. For about two hours, athletes couldn’t compete. Just as teams thought they could compete, officials made a decision.

“By the time we got everyone to the track, it started pouring,” the coach said. “By that time, they postponed to Monday.”

Still, some events happened and three Burnet High School athletes punched their tickets to the state meet.

They are senior pole vaulter Brayden Hill, who captured gold by clearing 15 feet and 6 inches, senior athlete Grant Jones, who took silver in the long jump with a leap of 22-7.5, and junior Victor Aviles, who won the 3,200 meters with a time of 9 minutes and 22.86 seconds.

Aviles, junior Noah Crawford and the 800-meter relay team of juniors Khris Kassner and Colt Stanford, Crawford and Jones, and Lady Dawg sophomore Asah Roy will return April 22.

Aviles, the defending state champion in the 800 meters, and Roy will both run in the 800 and 1,600 meters. Crawford will compete in the 100 meters. Joining Aviles in the boys races is Marble Falls senior Nick Dahl.

The running events will begin at 3 p.m. Speer said the Burnet preliminary travel schedule is to leave at 9 a.m., stop for a power lunch, and arrive to the track at 2 p.m. to allow athletes to stretch, get loose and get their warm-ups in before giving it all they have.

“It’s not the greatest, but it’s the best we can do,” the coach said. “No (coaches) seemed upset (about the postponement). They were more interested in getting a good weather day. This is about seeds as you’re trying to go to state. You’re at regionals in bad weather where it’s slick and wet. You’re not going to have great times and great marks. And you’d like to have that.”

Speer was thrilled for the Bulldogs who advanced to the state meet and noted there’s a good chance they’ll bring more.

Salado senior pole vaulter Jackson Bragg took silver with a mark of 15-6 because Hill cleared that height in fewer attempts. Burnet senior Brady Rygaard is the bronze medalist with a mark of 15-3, which is the best among the third-place finishers in the four regional meets. Speer believes Rygaard earned the wild card to vault at the state meet for the second year in a row.

The athletes’ vaults at the regional meet rank in the top 50 in the state.

Speer noted that Rygaard’s mark is the best among the bronze medalists at the four regional meets.

“Both pole vaulters broke the school record,” Speer said. “Grant had his best jump for the year.”

Aviles’ time in the 3,200 set a new personal record. But the other five finishers in the race, including Marble Falls junior Tyler Hamblin, also set new personal records.

“Victor’s goal is to try to win regionals in all three races,” the coach said. “It’s very obtainable for him. This break helps him. He’s not running in back-to-back days. It has to be beneficial for him.”

Hamblin took bronze in 9:28.04. Projections are that he has the fastest time among the third-place runners at the regional meets to secure the wild card.

And though Burnet senior Garner Krause’s season ended in the high jump with a flop of 6-2, he set a new personal record in his final meet.

“Those seniors keep pressing on,” Speer said. “We were so pleased for him.”

Watch videos on Highland Lakes sports by going to Fierro’s YouTube channel and searching for The Broad Podcaster. Please like, subscribe and share.

CAPTION: Burnet senior pole vaulters Brayden Hill (top) and Brady Rygaard (right) on the medals podium at the Class 4A Region III championships. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography

RESULTS

Class 4A Region III, April 19-20

Boys

3,200 — 1, Victor Aviles (Burnet), 9:22.86, 3, Tyler Hamblin (Marble Falls), 9:28.04; long jump — 2, Grant Jones (Burnet), 22-7.5 (new personal best); pole vault — 1, Brayden Hill (Burnet), 15-6, 3, Brady Rygaard (Burnet), 15-3; high jump — 4, Garner Krause (Burnet), 6-2 (new personal best)

Girls

Long jump — 7, Madison Cuplin (Marble Falls), 16-10.5; discus — 11, Kyleigh Mott (Burnet), 95-4, 13, Kylie Roberts (Marble Falls), 87-1.25