State track meets feature talented Highland Lakes athletes

CAPTION: Marble Falls junior Tyler Hamblin will run in the 3,200 meters of the Class 4A Track and Field Championship Thursday, May 2. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography

Highland Lakes athletes will showcase their talents at the Class 3A and 4A State Track and Field Championships Thursday, May 2, at Mike Myers Stadium on the University of Texas at Austin campus.

Burnet High School junior Victor Aviles looks to defend his title as he heads into the meet as the top 800-meter runner, while making his state debut in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters.

After sweeping all three events at the Class 4A Region III meet two weeks earlier, Aviles has his eyes focused on the podium as he seeks triple gold, a goal he set at the beginning of the season. Only three boys in state history have won gold in all three events. One is Olympic silver medalist and Marble Falls High School graduate Leonel Manzano.

Aviles comes into the 3,200 meters and 1,600 meters with the second fastest time. He’ll face Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis senior Angel Sanchez who brings the top time in both races: 4 minutes and 14.71 seconds in the 1,600 meters and 9:18.02 in the 3,200 meters. Sanchez is the 2023 Class 4A cross country state champion, the 2022 1,600-meter state champion, and the 2022 3,200-meter state silver medalist behind Burnet High graduate Hudson Bennett.

“Everyone knows who Angel is, but Aviles brings a lot of heart, which is why he’s hard to beat,” said Burnet head coach Ben Speer. “Not only is Victor a hard worker with a great work ethic that loves to train, but his speed and kick give him a huge advantage.”

Coaches and runner agree that speed is important as well as smart race tactics in these distance races.

Marble Falls junior Tyler Hamblin, the state’s wildcard, enters the race with the fifth fastest time at 9:28.04.

“Excited for his state debut,” Marble Falls distance coach Chris Schrader said. “Tyler has left no stone unturned as he lives a life balancing his nutrition and sleep, the cornerstones of training. He’ll have to stay in contact with the lead group for 6.5 laps where the real racing will start.”

The 3,200 meters will begin at 9:45 a.m., the 800 meters at 6:25 p.m., and 1,600 meters at 7:50 p.m.

Burnet also brings a showing of field events, adding to the excitement. Burnet’s pair of senior pole vaulters enter the meet as strong medal contenders. The event begins at 1 p.m.

Defending state champion Brayden Hill is tied for the top seed with a vault of 15 feet and 6 inches, while Brady Rygaard returns as the third seed with a height of 15-3. Hill placed sixth at last year’s meet.

“The boys just keep getting better and better, achieving new personal bests at every meet,” Speer said. “It’s been fun watching them battle and motivate each other. It’s a team deal.”

Region III has three pole vaulters in the meet thanks to Rygaard entering as the wildcard. Salado senior Jackson Bragg and Hill each vaulted 15-6 at the regional meet. Bragg has the slight edge as he’s gone higher than 15-6, but that motivates Hill and Rygaard even more, Speer said.

Senior jumper Grant Jones will make his first state appearance at 10:45 a.m. After placing second at regionals with a long jump of 22-5, he enters the meet with excitement and determination.

“After nearly breaking the school record, he now has two goals in mind, before he graduates,” Speer said.

In the Class 3A state meet, Llano senior Gwyn Burnett looks to add a gold medal in the 300-meter hurdles, her signature event, and will make her debut in the long jump.

Burnett enters the 300-meter hurdles with the state’s fastest time at 43.86 seconds, which is a program record. Goliad senior Kyla Hill has won three consecutive state championships in this event and beat the Lady Jacket two years ago when Burnett captured silver with a time of 44.54 seconds. The event will be at 7:10 p.m.

Before the hurdles, Burnett will be at the long jump pit at 9 a.m. She took silver at the Class 3A Region I meet with a mark of 18-3.

This event has a couple of state medalists competing for gold. Defending state champion Taylor Nunez, a senior at Universal City Randolph, and Cameron Yoe senior Yierra Flemings, who captured the 2022 silver medal and the 2021 bronze medal, are jumping 19 feet.

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