Marble Falls track has 3 going to the state meet
CAPTION: Senior Tyler Hamblin (right) is returning to a familiar place – Mike Myers Stadium on the University of Texas campus thanks to taking the silver medal in the 3,200 meters. Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography
Three Marble Falls High School track and field athletes finished in the top two of their events at the Class 4A Region III Championships April 18-19 at Bullard High School.
They are sophomore Madison Cuplin, senior thrower Kylie Roberts and senior middle-distance runner Tyler Hamblin.
While all the events are incredibly competitive, few live up to the pre-meet hype. That wasn’t the case in the middle distance races where familiar runners from District 24-4A faced off one more time to determine which two would advance to the state meet.
Reigning regional champion Victor Aviles, Burnet senior, took gold in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters again. But the longest race of the three was the first running event of day and set the tone for what lie ahead.
Mere tenths of a second separated the top four finishers with Aviles winning in 9 minutes and 32.91 seconds. But right behind him was Hamblin, who crossed in 9:33.53. Coming off the final curve and into the final 100 meters, the Mustang was fourth.
Middle-distance running coach Brenda Gonzalez said Hamblin “ran a phenomenal race” where “on any given day, it can be anyone’s race.”
“He made the decision right then and there to leave it all on the track,” she said. “He ran with the heart of a champion, outkicked everyone except Victor, and secured his spot at state. It was such an exciting finish and a huge moment not just for him, but for our entire program. I’m so proud of him. To watch him run one more time as a senior is truly special. He also ran a season best — couldn’t ask for more.”
As happy as the Mustangs were for Hamblin in the 3,200 meters, they were sad for him in the 1,600 meters. Gonzalez called the race “brutal” where seconds determined the finish.
“Our district is stacked with talent, especially in the mile,” she said. “Tyler gave it everything he had. Unfortunately, he finished fourth — just two seconds off his (personal record) — but still ran a season best. It wasn’t the ending we hoped for in the 1,600, but Tyler had a fantastic regional meet and left everything on the track. I’m so proud of him and what he’s accomplished this season.”
CAPTION: Sophomore Madison Cuplin sits atop of the podium after taking double gold in the long jump and triple jump of the Class 4A Region III Championships to move on to the Class 4A state meet. Photo by Derek Gonzalez
Sophomore Madison Cuplin took gold in the long jump and the triple jump by a total of three inches in both events. Gonzalez noted Cuplin is both physically gifted and mentally tough, two traits that helped her win both events at the district and area meets.
Because she also qualified to run in the preliminaries of the 100 and 200 meters, coaches created a plan that Cuplin followed, Gonzalez said.
“With a full load of running and jumping over the two days of regionals, our strategy was to secure a top mark early and only jump again if necessary,” she said. “(Cuplin) executed that plan perfectly. Sports are just as mental as they are physical — the body follows the mind. Maddie knows what she’s capable of, and she trusted herself to get the job done. She’s headed to state as the regional champion in both events — absolutely incredible. So proud of her.”
The story of this meet, however, is how Roberts performed in the discus at a place where she has experienced more disappointment than success. Gonzalez saw that the Lady Mustang, who was a favorite to finish in the top two and advance to the state meet, wasn’t herself. She wasn’t in the top eight at the time and it didn’t look like she’d advance to the final. So after her parents, Davy and Shannon Roberts, spoke to her, the coach also talked to her.
Gonzalez said she asked the thrower what was her biggest challenge?
“Everything,” the younger Roberts replied. “This place hates me.”
While Gonzalez said she doesn’t remember exactly what she said to Roberts — something to the effect of “control what you can control, “step back into the ring with confidence in your abilities and visualize the throw you need” — it obviously worked because the Lady Mustang was different.
“She listened and looked at me and said, ‘Yes ma’am.’ The rest is history,” the coach said. “That next throw not only got her into the finals — it ended up being the second-best throw of the entire competition. She finished as the regional runner-up and earned her first-ever trip to the state meet. Her parents told me afterward that they had never seen her bounce back from such a low moment.
“All I did was remind her of what she’s capable of,” Gonzalez added. “But most importantly, she believed in herself. It was the comeback of the year for sure. We were all on the edge of our seats, just hoping she would pull through — and she did. I’m so incredibly proud of her. It was a surreal moment and one I’ll never forget.”
CAPTION: Senior Kylie Roberts on the podium with her silver medal from the Class 4A Region III meet. Courtesy photo
The Mustangs had other regional qualifiers.
Junior Joaquin Aguilar was 16th in the long jump with a mark of 19-0.75 and sophomore hurdler Anthony Griffin finished 13th in the 110-meter high hurdles in 16.01.
Gonzalez said the seasons ended for them “but not without a fight.”
“Joaquin didn’t have his best day, but he gave his best effort. He’s a junior and gained valuable experience for next year,” she said. “Anthony finished the season with a personal best in the 110-meter hurdles. He’s just a sophomore and has a bright future ahead.”
Freshman Graham Goggans was fifth in the 800 meters in 1:57.18 to set a new personal best.
“That’s a huge jump and a big moment for him,” Gonzalez said. “We had a goal in mind, and he went out there and crushed it. As just a freshman, he handled the pressure of regionals with maturity and heart. I’m really proud of his effort and excited to see how he continues to grow in the years to come.”
Cuplin was seventh in the 100 meters in 12.60 seconds and sixth in the 200 meters in 25.60 after finishing in the top eight of the preliminaries to advance to the finals.
Gonzalez pointed out that the Lady Mustang “made huge strides” in her sophomore year, noting she didn’t make the finals of the 100 at the area meet a year ago. This season, she captured gold.
“The competition was fast, but Maddie held her own,” the coach said. “She made the finals in both races. That’s a huge accomplishment for her, especially as just a sophomore. I’m excited to watch her continue developing over the next couple of years.”
RESULTS
Class 4A Region III meet in Bullard
April 18-19
BOYS
800 – 1, Victor Aviles (Burnet), 1:53.44, 5, Graham Goggans (Marble Falls), 1:57.18; 1,600 – 1, Victor Aviles (Burnet), 4:20.31, 4, Tyler Hamblin (Marble Falls) 4:25.35; 3,200 – 1, Victor Aviles (Burnet), 9:32.91, 2, Tyler Hamblin (Marble Falls), 9:33.53; 110 hurdles – 13, Anthony Griffin (Marble Falls), 16.01; 4×100 – 14, Burnet, 43.44; long jump – 3, David Prather (Burnet), 21-8.5, 16, Joaquin Aguilar (Marble Falls), 19-0.75
GIRLS
100 – 7, Madison Cuplin (Marble Falls), 12.60; 200 – 6, Madison Cuplin (Marble Falls), 25.60; 800 – Asah Roy (Burnet), 2:26.84 (new personal best); 4×400 – 7, Burnet (Asah Roy, Camryn Courtney, Brianne Smith, Calie Eason, Adriana Briggs, Wrigley Mulhollan), 4:05.06 (new school record); long jump – 1, Madison Cuplin (Marble Falls), 18-1; triple jump – 1, Madison Cuplin (Marble Falls), 38-1; discus – 2, Kylie Roberts (Marble Falls), 114-9; shot put – 16, Kylie Roberts (Marble Falls), 31-4.5
