Panhandle shines on big afternoon for Amarillo-area athletes at Region 1-2A meet

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Panhandle’s Mackie Land broke the Texas Panhandle’s 200 meter record clocking a 23.98 during the Region I-2A Track and Field meet at West Texas A&M on Saturday. [Ben Jenkins/ Press Pass Sports]

A packed house at West Texas A&M and gorgeous weather gave athletes from the Texas Panhandle perfect conditions to put on stellar performances at the Region I-2A track and field meet Saturday afternoon.

For a second straight year the Panhandle boys and girls team put on a show making it a clean sweep as Region I-2A team champions.

The Ettes dominated stacking up 98 points to Eldorado’s 62. The Panthers won the 1600 meter relay that lifted Panhandle to 70 points that edged Coleman’s 65 points.

“Both teams did so well,” Panhandle head football coach and athletic director Dane Ashley said. “We’re a year around program. We spend four days in the weight room, we spend four days on the track trying to get faster. You can finally see it paying off.”

Like a year ago, the Ettes stood tall dominating all three relay events.

It comes as no surprise that once again Texas Tech signee and Panhandle senior Mackie Land stole the show. The four-time state champion is headed back to Austin after putting on one of the most dominant days in Texas Panhandle history.

Land’s first race was her go-to 400 meter run where she set a new personal-mark of 54.98. Land then left her stamp on history setting the new Texas Panhandle record in the 200 meter dash blazing to a 23.87, breaking Pampa’s Tanya Lidy previous mark of 24.1 set in 1986.

From there, Land wasn’t quite done. As the anchor leg of the 1600 meter relay, Land took the handoff from her sister, Leah, and pulled away to help the Ettes set a season-best 3:58.72.

“With the state meet coming up I really wanted to go hard and see what I could do,” Land said. “It’s an honor to break the 200 record. I didn’t think I’d get 23 seconds. But to also go to state with my team is what’s most important. I cherish that. It’s always about the team and we had a great day.”

Panhandle’s Landyn Hack qualified for state in four events during the Region I-2A Track and Field meet at West Texas A&M on Saturday. [Ben Jenkins/ Press Pass Sports]

Land wasn’t the only Panhandle representative making a splash. On the boys side, Landyn Hack had himself a show-stopping afternoon as a part of all three relays that qualified. During the 400 meter relay, the junior took the stick on the anchor leg in fifth place, however, sped down the back stretch to pass the field for a first place finish of 43.57. As the anchor on the 800 meter relay, Hack once again took the handoff middle of the pack and drove his team to a silver medal with a 1:31.56, and to cap things off, Hack was the second leg of the 1600 meter relay giving his team a comfortable lead as the Panthers went on to win another gold clocking a 3:26.12.

“It was an amazing day,” Hack said. “We got all three relays to state, and I’m just so happy about that. I knew I had to empty the tank every time I took the handoff but it was worth it.

Hack also took the wildcard spot placing third in the discus tossing a 155.

Hack’s father, Ashley, said being his coach is nerve racking enough, but to also be a dad on the field watching is another level.

“It’s stressful watching Landyn,” Ashley said. “You’re pulling for your team, and you want your son to have success. I’m extremely proud of Landyn and what he did. He works so hard, and always has. I’m just excited for him.”

Wellington’s Kyla Kane won the 800 and 1600 meter runs during the Region I-2A Track and Field meet at West Texas A&M on Saturday. [Ben Jenkins/ Press Pass Sports]

Wellington is taking four athletes to state. Decorated Wellington long distance runner Kyla Kane went double gold in the 800 and 1600 meter runs. Kane, a three-time UIL Class 2A state cross country champion, had never won a regional gold in track until Saturday. Kane, a West Texas A&M basketball signee, left the field behind running a 2:20.46 in the 800 and a time of 5:27.19 to win the 1600.

“This is special to finally win at regionals,” Kane said. “I don’t feel I ran my best today, but I made it back to state and that was my goal. I’m excited to go finish my high school career strong.”

Teammate Hadlee Gomez also had a special afternoon. Gomez earned a silver in the 300-meter hurdles with a 45.87. She also qualified as the wildcard in the 100 hurdles (15.60).

Wellington star running back Marc Ramirez punched his ticket to Austin for the first time in his illustrious athletic career. Ramirez set a new personal-best time of 39.40, and was the wildcard in the 110-meter hurdles (15.37).

“It’s an awesome feeling,” said Ramirez, who ran for over 5,000 career yards for the Skyrockets football team. I’ve never made it to state in track so this will be an unbelievable experience.”

Willy Olvera also made it out for Wellington tossing a 49-3 for second place in the shot put.

Sanford-Fritch sprinter Brayden Freeman won gold in the 100 and 200 meter dash during the Region I-2A Track and Field meet at West Texas A&M on Saturday. [Ben Jenkins/ Press Pass Sports]

Junior Brayden Freeman put Sanford-Fritch on the map. Freeman went double gold sprinting his way to the 100 meter dash and 200 meter regional championships. Freeman ran an 11.16 in the 100, followed by a 22.38 in the 200.

Gruver also had a fine showing sending a host of athletes to state. Pratt McLain and his cousin Michael McCloy went first and second in the pole vault. McLain won with a vault of 14-6, McCloy cleared 13-6. Candace Holland won the girls pole vault (10-feet), and junior Brenna Butler won the 300-meter hurdles (45.71) and advanced as a part of the 1600 meter relay.

The University Interscholastic League Class 2A state track meet is set for Friday, May 13, at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

For full results of the Region I-2A track meet, please visit, https://gobuffsgo.com/sports/2021/2/10/uil-at-west-texas-am.aspx

Region I-2A Amarillo-area state qualifiers

Boys

100 meters

1st: Brayden Freeman. S-Fritch, 11.16

2nd: Jayden Slater, Boys Ranch, 11.42

200 meters

1st: Brayden Freeman, S-Fritch, 22.38

2nd: Caden Peevey, Shamrock, 22.51

400 meters

1st: Miguel Lopez, Bovina, 50.32

2nd: Jayden Slater, Boys Ranch, 50.33

800 meters

No qualifiers

1600 meters

No qualifiers

3200 meters

No qualifiers

110-meter hurdles

3rd: Marc Ramirez, Wellington, 15:37 (Wildcard)

300-meter hurdles

1st: Marc Ramirez, Wellington, 39.40

2nd: Closjer Williams, Shamrock, 40.52

400 meter relay

1st: Panhandle (Caden Rocha, Wyatt Brookshire, Cooper Neil, Landyn Hack), 43.57

800 meter relay

2nd: Panhandle (Cooper Neil, Wyatt Brookshire, Aiden Harris, Landyn Hack), 1:31.56

1600 meter relay

1st: Panhandle (Cooper Neil, Landyn Hack, Landon Durst, Wyatt Brookshire), 3:26.12

High jump

2nd: Luke Braden, Stratford, 6-4

Long jump

No qualifiers

Triple jump

No qualifiers

Pole vault

1st: Pratt McLain, Gruver, 14-6

2nd: Michael McCloy, Gruver, 13-6

Discus

2nd: Bryce Braden, Stratford, 156-9

3rd: Landyn Hack, Panhandle, 155-0 (Wildcard)

Shot put

2nd: Willy Olvera, Wellington, 49-3

Girls

100 meters

2nd: Aletha Usanga, Boys Ranch, 12.74

200 meters

1st: Mackie Land, Panhandle, 23.87

400 meters

1st: Mackie Land, Panhandle, 54.98

2nd: Isabella Jaime, Farwell, 1:01.19

800 meters

1st: Kyla Kane, Wellington, 2:20.46

1600 meters

1st: Kyla Kane, Wellington, 5:27.19

3200 meter run

1st: Lula Nolan, WT High, 12:29.98

100-meter hurdles

2nd: Kami Drinnon, Vega, 15.23

3rd: Hadlee Gomez, Wellington, 15.60 (Wildcard)

300-meter hurdles

1st: Brenna Butler, Gruver, 45.71

2nd: Hadlee Gomez, Wellington, 45.87

400 meter relay

1st: Panhandle (Leah Land, Makennah Austin, Grace Sims, Avery Sides), 50.33

800 meter relay

1st: Panhandle (Leah Land, Sydnee Adee, Grace Sims, Avery Sides), 1:45.66

1600 meter relay

1st: Panhandle (Avery Sides, Sydney Adee, Leah Land, Mackie Land, 3:58.72

2nd: Gruver (Kimber Whitehead, Tyerin Aranda, Briana Martinez, Brenna Butler), 4:05.51

High jump

No qualifiers

Long jump

No qualifiers

Triple jump

No qualifiers

Pole vault

1st: Candace Holland, Gruver, 10-0

Discus

1st: Mia Gray, Sunray, 117-11

Shot put

No qualifiers

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