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When Baylor chose not to hold its high school regional qualifiers meet this year, it was good news for nearby qualifier meets, like the one held by McGregor.
And there might be an overflow effect at Brenham, where the Cubs have been in the regional qualifiers business since 1991. Their meet is scheduled for Friday with field events set to start at 2 p.m., the 1,600 meters at 4 p.m. and other running events at 5 p.m. at Cub Stadium.
It will be a final chance for athletes to hone skills before moving on to their respective regional events May 1-2.
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It's rare when one school sweeps all three regional berths in an event at a district track meet. Cameron's Bustamante sisters literally kept it all in the family.
Leticia, Guadalupe and Martha Bustamante went 1-2-3 in the 800 at the District 24-3A meet at Navasota. Guadalupe also qualified third in the 1,600, and Martha finished third in the 3,200. Guadalupe and Leticia then ran legs on Cameron's 1,600 relay team, which finished second.
No matter what they had for breakfast that day, it was the breakfast of champions.
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While the statewide bests have not yet been updated on Phil Murray's texastrack.com (lots of track to update), the discus throw by Bryan's Fono Vakalahi at the 12-5A meet would rank as the ninth-best this season. Vakalahi won the event with a toss of 176 feet, 5 inches.
A&M Consolidated's Keri Wood was already on Murray's list for her time of 5 minutes, 10.4 seconds in the 1,600. She finished second in the 800 at district, but should earn a spot on Murray's list in that event, too. Harker Heights' Aliese Hyde won in 2:13.62, the second-best mark in the state. Wood's time of 2:16.32 projects to ninth place.
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Lexington's Elydia Farwell was unable to finish the 100 on her home track in the 25-2A meet. That ended her bid to win a third straight state championship in the event. She has battled a muscle pull all season.
Farwell is a junior, so she has a chance to return to the victory stand in Austin next season. She also is the defending state champion in the 200.
Lexington had two state champions last year, Farwell and Amanda Dowdy, who won the high jump and was on the All-Big 12 freshman volleyball team at Texas Tech this season.
The Lexington boys team may match -- or better -- that mark this year. Two Eagles combined to score 72 points and outscored two teams in the district meet. Titus Clark won the 100, the triple jump and ran a leg on the winning 400 relay. He also won silver medals in the 800 relay and the long jump to score 37 points. Teammate Clint Hutson scored 35 and was golden in four events, winning both hurdle events and the long jump and running on the winning 400 relay.
Lexington will now advance to the 2A Region IV meet, which is moving from Texas State's Bobcat Stadium this season to Judson Stadium in Converse.
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Experience pays off. Bremond's LiDarrall Bailey and Johnathon White both qualified for the UIL Track & Field Championships last year, and the teammates led the Tigers to the 27-A championship this season.
Bailey, a first-team all-district quarterback and co-MVP in basketball, won both hurdle events, including the 300 hurdles in 39.79. White, who was a backup quarterback and one of the Tigers' baseball leaders, won the 800 and took second in the 400.
Iola's do-everything football player Slayton Murray did a lot on the track, winning the high jump at 6-0 and the 400 in 51.21 and taking third in the 100 (11.19).
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Records are made to be broken, but they have to be set first. Rudder is doing that this season and has its first regional qualifiers. Lamaria Cole was second in the high jump (5-0) and third in the long jump (17-2 1/2) at the 24-3A meet. Mike Jones qualified third in the 100 (11.04) and Colton Jackson (12-0) finished third in the pole vault. In a school populated by sophomores and freshmen, they will have a chance to hold on or improve their new school marks.
David Campbell's e-mail address is david.campbell@theeagle.com.
