Faith Academy track athletes qualify for state
CAPTION: Freshman Landon Silvers and his Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools’ South Region medals. Courtesy photo
The Faith Academy of Marble Falls track and field athletes performed well at the Class 3A South Regional Meet of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.
The meet was April 24-25 in Seguin.
Next up is the Class 3A state meet in Waco Friday and Saturday, May 2-3. The top four finishers at the regional meet advance to the state meet.
“I’m glad this young team gets to be on the big stage,” head coach Steve McCannon said.
All six relay teams shined at the meet. Each finished in the top four of their races with the boys 1,600-meter relay and the girls 400-meter relay each winning silver.
“I’ve never gone to state with all the relays,” McCannon said. “There’s a lot of growth with this young team.”
In the boys 1,600-meter relay, McCannon noted the Flames “were running the school record.”
“We were in the lead, and (Conroe Covenant Christian) beat us,” he said. “We would have had to run the school record to win it.”
Conroe Covenant Christian won in 3 minutes and 30.84 seconds, while the Flames clocked 3:35.25.
The boys’ 800-meter relay team had a late change, adding senior Asher Apel.
“Asher stepped in,” McCannon said. “I’m proud of Asher for stepping up. He didn’t think while he was driving on the road he’d run all three relays, and he did.”
The Flames were paced by freshman hurdler Landon Silvers, who took double bronze. He finished the 110-meter high hurdles in 17.18 seconds and the 300-meter hurdles in 44.61 seconds. McCannon noted that Silvers’ attitude and athleticism is why he has been so solid in these races all season.
Joining him at the state meet is junior Beau Steele, who was fourth in the 800 meters in 2:05.69 and showed his desire to advance in the final 100 meters.
Horizontal jumper Braxton Blair finished fourth in the long jump with a mark of 19 feet and three-quarters of an inch.
McCannon was equally proud of the girls 400-meter relay.
“I feel we’re peaking at the right time,” he said.
Junior Miley Fessler took silver in the shot put and finished fourth in the discus, while junior Natalie Weems claimed bronze in the shot put.
Freshman Ashlyn Rishavy earned bronze in the high jump.
“I’m proud of Miley for getting to state in two events,” the coach said.
As happy as McCannon was for the athletes who advanced to the state meet, others had their seasons end at a meet that tests them in many ways.
“We’re youthful and their inexperience showed at the meet,” he said. “You have to go survive and advance. Winning state is a process. I think they’re learning the process. Where I could have done better as a coach is teaching them the process – if you blink, you’re not going. We talked a lot about now is when it counts. It’s like the SAT and ACT – you have to be ready at 9 a.m. Nobody asks what’s your training. Remember what it really means to win and be ready when it really counts.”
He also noted the program’s rich tradition of winning at the highest levels and that the athletes who didn’t advance felt disappointment can be good if they turn that into motivation and drive for a better season next year.
“When you have your standards, you’ll be disappointed,” the coach said. “What’s going to come out of that disappointment is great growth.”
RESULTS
Class 3A South Regional Championships
Seguin
BOYS, finished seventh overall with 71 points (top four advance to the state meet)
400 – 5, Andrew Houy, 53.50; 800 – 4, Beau Steele, 2:05.69; 1,600 – 8, Madden Kinnee, 5:50.79; 110 hurdles – 3, Landon Silvers, 17.18, 8, Braxton Blair, 18.59; 300 hurdles – 3, Landon Silvers, 44.61; 4×100 – 4, Faith Academy, 47.25; 4×200 – 4, Faith Academy, 1:36.73; 4×400 – 2, Faith Academy, 3:35.25; long jump – 4, Braxton Blair, 19-0.75; triple jump – 5, Braxton Blair, 38-7.5; discus – 7, Cooper Hansard, 91-8; shot put – 7, Paddy Cashion, 34-0.5
GIRLS, finished fifth overall with 92.5 points (top four advance to the state meet)
200 – 7, Cuyleigh Zimmerman, 29.97; 400 – 5, Zoe Rhoads, 1:10.27; 800 – 7, Abigail Kosoglow, 2:50.07; 1,600 – 5, Mcklayne Apel, 6:22.88, 7, Abigail Kosoglow, 6:55.22; 3,200 – 5, Mcklayne Apel, 13:48.40; 300 hurdles – 6, Bradly Taylor, 57.79, 8, Ashlyn Rishavy, 1:05.38; 4×100 – 2, Faith Academy, 53.95; 4×200 – 4, Faith Academy, 1:56.56; 4×400 – 4, Faith Academy, 4:36.15; high jump – 3, Ashlyn Rishavy, 4-6, 8, Cuyleigh Zimmerman, 4-4; long jump – 7, Eden Thames, 14-4; triple jump – 5, Eden Thames, 32-7.5, 7, Zoe Rhoads, 29-8.5, 8, Halley Offutt, 27-0.25; discus – 4, Miley Fessler, 87-3; shot put – 2, Miley Fessler, 29-9.75, 3, Natalie Weems, 28-10.5
