2022 Amarillo-area Class 5A-2A UIL State Track and Field medal winners

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Amarillo High’s Isaac McGill ran to a bronze medal during the 3200 meter and the 1600 meter run at the UIL Class 5A State Track and Field Championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium. [Joe Garcia III/ Press Pass Sports]
AUSTIN- The Texas Panhandle saw 15 medal winners, including seven gold medal championships during the UIL Class 5A-2A State Track Meet at Mike A. Myers Stadium on Friday.

GOLD MEDALS

Kyla Kane, Wellington

Year: Senior

Events: 800 and 1600 meter run

Performance: Kane stamped her outstanding high school career winning two gold medals Friday night at the UIL Class 2A State Track and Field Meet at Mike A. Myers Stadium. Kane first won the 800 meter run with a time of 2:20.65. Later in the evening, Kane chased down Cassidy Bilsing of Normangee in the final 100 meters of the 1600 to claim her second gold of the night, to defend her title clocking a 5:17.02.

Quoting Kane: “There was no way I was losing that 1600. I heard coach (Chris) Sumrall yell at me to kick it at the 200 meter mark, and I knew I wasn’t coming back so I left it all out there. Being an athlete at Wellington has meant everything to me. Coming from a small school you have to do every sport. But being a Lady Skyrocket is the best thing I could have ever imagined.”

Mackie Land, Panhandle

Year: Senior

Events: 400 meter, 200 meter, and 1600 meter relay

Performance: Land left her legacy on the track as arguably one of the greatest sprinters in Texas Panhandle history. For a second straight year the Texas Tech signee walked off Mike A. Myers Stadium with heavy hardware capturing three gold medals, helping the Ettes to a Class 2A state runner-up finish, and was a part of a 1600-meter relay team that broke their own state record blazing a 3:55.79. Land dominated the 400 meter run capturing that state championship for a third straight year with a time of 54.21, she also won the 200 meter with a new personal-mark of 23.75.

Quoting Land: “I think coming out that mindset that we could break are own record shows what we are about. This doesn’t come easy, but we’re a team and we proved it. It was great to come down here and show people that it wasn’t just a one-year type thing. I was able to come back to Austin and do better each time. That meant the most to me.”

Panhandle 1600 meter relay

Team: Avery Sides, Jr., Sydney Adee, Jr., Leah Land, Fr., Mackie Land, Sr.

Performance: The team of Sides, Adee, Leah and her older sister, Mackie, never trailed in the 1600 meter relay as the Ettes broke their own Class 2A meet record from a year ago clocking a 3:55.79. Panhandle finished with 58 points and the state runner-up as a team.

Qouting Adee: “We work so hard every single day, and this doesn’t come easy. It’s an honor coming down here, so coming out on top is a big deal. We’re not done yet. We lose one senior and we have a lot more to come in the future. That’s what this track program has built.”

Ella Strickland, Junction

Year: Senior

Event: Pole vault, 100 meter, and 300-meter hurdles

Performance: The former Sunray Lady Bobcat standout that now competes at Junction High School dazzled fans with an unforgettable performance during the UIL Class 2A State Track and Field Championships on Friday afternoon. Strickland, who held the Class 2A meet record of 13-feet 1/4 after winning state in the pole vault at Sunray last season, put on an astonishing display by setting the all-time Texas record in any classification leaping 13-feet-9 1/4 inches. Strickland earned her second gold medal of the day winning the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.48, and won the bronze in the 300-meter hurdles clocking a 46.10.

Quoting Strickland: “All I really feel is joy. Once I had already won state and there weren’t any stipulations, I was able to go out and just enjoy setting that record. This was just an amazing day overall. I love that there were people from Sunray in the crowd to watch me today. I love Sunray and seeing the support from a town I grew up in.”

SILVER MEDALS

Cameron McConnell, Randall

Year: Senior

Event: 1600 meter run

Performance: The UIL Class 5A Cross Country state champion capped off a sensational senior season earning a silver medal in the 1600 meter run Friday night with a time of 4:51.56. McConnell has signed to run at Division I Oklahoma State University.

Quoting McConnell: “I was a little disappointed how my 800 meter run went. I got boxed in and wasn’t able to get any momentum. I knew this was my last high school race and I wanted to make it count. It feels great to come back from Cross Country and win a medal. I can’t thank my coach (Rebekah James) and my teammates enough for such a fun year.”

Panhandle 800 meter relay 

Team: Leah Land, Fr., Avery Sides, Jr., Sydney Adee, Jr., Grace Sims, Jr.

Performance: The team of Land, Sides, Adee, and Sims found the medal stand thanks to a fantastic race. The Ettes found the silver medal stand thanks to a time of 1:46.09.

Quoting Sims: “We were pushed. It was to get on the medal stand after we missed it in the 400 meter relay. We knew we had to forget about that race and reset are mind.”

BRONZE MEDALS 

Amarillo High 800 meter relay

Team: Jameson Garcia, Jr., JQ Ervin, So., Tyreese Molden (not pictured), Xavin Landry, Sr.

Performance: The Sandies 800 meter relay team of Landry, Ervin, Molden and Garcia finished a stellar season breaking their own school-record with a time of 1:25.43. Garcia snuck past Rosenberg Terry’s Devin Wilkerson at the finish line that help lift AHS to the bronze medal.

Quoting Garcia: “We had come this far, and we weren’t leaving without some hardware. We gave it everything we had for are last race. This is a special group, and it meant a lot to get on the medal stand. With two seniors this is the last time we’ll run together.”

Bryce Braden, Stratford

Year: Freshman

Event: Discus

Performance: The freshman made the most of his first UIL State Track and Field meet throwing a new season-best mark of 157-9 to earn a bronze medal.

Quoting Braden: “This just tops off a great year. Winning state in football, and now getting to go to state in track, I just couldn’t ask for more. I can’t give enough thanks to my coaches. They are the reason I’m successful, and we’re successful as a team.”

Isaac McGill, Amarillo High

Year: Senior

Event: 3200 meter, and 1600 meter run

Performance: McGill started his long day by grabbing a bronze medal with a time of 9:15.53. In the evening session McGill broke his own school-record with another bronze performance with a time of 4:15.21.

Quoting McGill: “I’m proud. I was able to get the school-record in the mile by two seconds. I now have the school-record in every distance event so I’m happy with that. I’m a little sad my high school career is over, but I’m ready for the next level at Portland. I like to know I’ve had an impact on the younger guys, and that means a lot to me.”

Pratt McLain, Gruver

Year: Sophomore

Event: Pole vault

Performance: McLain medaled for the first time in his young career and set a new personal record clearing 15-feet.

Quoting McLain: “I came in a little nervous after not getting height last year. Then I cleared 13-feet-6 and that really relieved some of my stress I’d built all year. I finally got confident and had fun with it. It was awesome.”

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