Several Marble Falls track and field athletes advance to area

CAPTION: Marble Falls senior Cameron Graham leaps for gold in the triple jump at the District 24-4A meet April 2. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography

Many Marble Falls High School track-and-field runners joined their field-event teammates in advancing to the District 23 and 24-4A area meet by finishing in the top four of their events at the District 24-4A meet April 2 and 4.

Junior Tyler Hamblin added the silver medal in the 1,600 meters to the silver he captured in the 3,200 meters. He finished the 1,600 meters in 4 minutes and 23.71 seconds and the 3,200 meters in 9:47.14. Teammate Nick Dahl, a senior, took bronze in the 1,600 meters in 4:26.06 and silver in the 800 meters in 1:59.62.

Burnet junior Victor Aviles, who is the Class 4A defending 800-meter state champion, won all three races in 1:57.80, 4:22.17 and 9:46.47, respectively.

“I think Tyler, Victor and also Nick absolutely bring out the best in each other,” Marble Falls head coach Austin Silva said. “I think they’ve all gotten the better of each other at some point this season. Nick and Tyler have the upmost confidence in themselves and fully expected to finish top four in their events. Tyler in the 3,200 and 1,600. Nick in the 800, 1600 and 4×4. Proud of them for executing and look forward to watching them next week.”

Senior Dax Murphy earned the bronze medal in the 400 meters in 51.81 seconds.

“Dax didn’t run his best race in the finals, falling behind early,” Silva said. “With 150 meters to go, he had a lot of work to do. But Dax is a competitor, and it showed as he battled back with a top four finish. Between prelims and finals, he learned a lot and I am confident that experience will help him at area.”

Freshman Madison Cuplin won double gold in the triple jump with a leap of 35 feet and 1.5 inches and the long jump with a mark of 17-7.5. She took silver in the 100 meters in 12.66 seconds and helped the 400-meter and 800-meter relays finish fourth and third, respectively.

“She finished prelims only 4 hundredths (of a second) behind first place (Jarrell junior Kaydyn Edwards at 12.53 seconds) and was eager to do better in the finals,” the coach said. “Although she wasn’t very happy, we reminded her at this level top four is really all that matters because it ensures you get another opportunity. Regardless, we are very proud of Maddie for making it to area in five different events as a freshman. That’s an incredible accomplishment that shouldn’t be overlooked.”

Cuplin’s commitment to the sport is why she is having success her first year on the varsity.

“Although Maddie is just a freshman, she does track just about year-round,” Silva said. “So she is always training and competing. From Junior Olympics to indoor meets to competing against our upperclassmen at practice, these are things that have helped prepare her for meets like district and beyond.”

The Lady Mustangs’ 800-meter relay team of Nashla Crott, Ava Carter, Sadie Harris and Cuplin took bronze in 1:48.37, and the 400-meter relay team of Crott, Carter, Kenadie Cotton and Cuplin finished fourth in 50.85 seconds.

“The relays are always very competitive at the district level,” the coach said. “I am very proud of our girls for executing their exchanges in the 4×1 and 4×2 and finishing in the top four. Going in, we knew it would come down to exchanges; it always does at championship meets.”  

The Mustangs’ 1,600-meter relay team of Isaac Larranaga, Jett Martich, Dahl and Murphy earned bronze in 3:33.20.

“The boys had a rough start,” the coach said. “Although they finished with a big (personal record) of 44.37 seconds, they missed area in the 4×1 by 5 hundredths of a second. Which was a tough pill to swallow. Then we dropped the stick in the 4×2.”

Three throwers also advanced. They are seniors Lexie Edwards and Jeremiah Bales and junior Kylie Roberts. Roberts won the discus with a toss of 112 feet and 1 inch and the shot put with a heave of 33-6. Edwards took bronze in the shot put with a throw of 29-11, and Bales won silver with a throw of 42-11.

“We are very proud of Kylie, Lexie and Jeremiah for advancing to area,” Silva said. “Throwing) coach (Richard) Scales has done a tremendous job with our throwers since he’s been here. They executed and got the job done. Excited to watch them next week at area.”

Senior Cameron Graham won the triple jump with a leap of 42-9.

“Very impressed by Cam’s performance in triple jump,” Silva said. “Coach (and dad Jamie) Graham always knew he had the ability to perform like he did; it was just a matter of getting him to hit his mark, which he did, and it paid off.”

Senior Sadie Harris is the silver medalist in the high jump with a flop of 4-8.

“Very proud of Sadie and really just the mental fortitude she displayed,” Silva said. “The pressure of championship meets like district can very easily cause you to underperform, which we saw from several. Sadie understood what she needed to do and executed.”

The area meet is Wednesday, April 10, at Lago Vista High School.  

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CAPTION: Marble Falls freshman Madison Cuplin takes gold in the long jump and triple jump in the Class 24-4A meet. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography

RESULTS

District 24-4A meet

Boys

Varsity

100 — 5, Derek Gonzalez, 11.63; 800 — 2, Nick Dahl, 1:59.62; 400 — 4, Dax Murphy, 52.09; 1,600 — 2, Tyler Hamblin, 4:23.71, 3, Nick Dahl, 4:26.06; 3,200 — 2, Tyler Hamblin, 9:47.14; 4×100 — 5, Marble Falls (Derek Gonzalez, Cameron Graham, Joaquin Aguilar, Dax Murphy), 44.37; 4×400 — 3, Marble Falls (Isaac Laranaga, Jett March, Nick Dahl, Dax Murphy), 3:33.20; discus — 5, Maverick Lawson, 116-3, 6, Jeremiah Bales, 103-2; shot put — 2, Jeremiah Bales, 42-11

Junior varsity

400 — 3, Gunnar Deeds, 54.52, 4, Gage Coleman, 55.45; 1,600 — 1, Hunter Holder, 5:04.53, 4, Colton Rutland, 5:13.01; 3,200 — 1, Owen Martin, 11:04.81, 2, Hunter Holder, 11:15.34, 3, Colton Rutland, 11:34.25; 110 hurdles — 5, Josh Koenig, 18.75, 6, Gregory Colver, 19.0; 300 hurdles — 5, Gregory Colver, 48.33; 4×100 — 4, Marble Falls (Brody Graham, Branson Bunting, Daniel Dominguez, David Dominguez), 46.83; 4×400 — 1, Marble Falls (Gage Coleman, Josh Koenig, Gunnar Deeds, Gregory Lemon), 3:41.14; discus — 3, Noah Luckie, 94-3; long jump — 6, Jalen Rogiers, 17-0; pole vault — 1, Gregory Lemon, 12-0, 6, Jace Williams, 9-6; shot put — 3, Noah Luckie, 32-10, 5, Tyler Leverett, 31-11; triple jump — 4, Jalen Rogiers, 36-11, 5, Bentley Trejo, 35-10

Girls

Varsity

100 — 2, Madison Cuplin, 12.66; 1,600 — 6, Chloe Ellis, 5:58.56; 3,200 — 5, Chloe Ellis, 13:27.39; 4×100 — 4, Marble Falls (Nashla Crott, Ava Carter, Kenadie Cotton, Madison Cuplin), 50.85; 4×200 — 3, Marble Falls (Nashla Crott, Ava Carter, Sadie Harris, Madison Cuplin), 1:48.37; discus — 1, Kylie Roberts, 112-1; shot put — 1, Kylie Roberts, 33-6, 3, Lexie Edwards, 29-11; high jump — 2, Sadie Harris, 4-8; long jump — 1, Madison Cuplin, 17-7.5; triple jump — 1, Madison Cuplin, 35-1.5

Junior varsity

100 — 2, Rayleigh Crim, 13.95; 200 — 4, Bethany Fry, 29.53; 800 — 2, Ines Ruiz, 2:37.64; 1,600 — 1, Ines Ruiz, 6:09.33; 4×100 — 1, Marble Falls (Ivanna Quintanilla, Bethan Fry, Ruby Carrillo, Rayleigh Crim), 54.16; 4×200 — 3, Marble Falls (Ivanna Quintanilla, Ruby Carrillo, Bethany Fry, Rayleigh Crim), 1:57.03; discus — 1, Alexis Dalton, 82-0, 3, Bethany Fry, 77-5; shot put — 1, Bethany Fry, 32-1, 2, Alexis Dalton, 27-2, 3, Sophia Pedraza, 26-6