April 3, 2008
Sprint times often are jammed up because of the short distances. But the longer hurdles race usually provides more separation than area track fans are seeing this year.
Luis Garcia of Canadian sped to a 39.77 in the prelims of the Amarillo Relays Meet of Champions. Michael Rasor of Dimmitt has clocked the same time, and both athletes are barely ahead of Amarillo High's Christian Puschman (39.86). Five other athletes are under 41 seconds.
Garcia and Rasor likely will be among the hurdlers to beat at the Region I-2A meet. Tatum's Darnius Moore last spring lowered the 2A state-meet record to 36.99.
Those three athletes are among the top high hurdlers, with Rasor again leading the pack (14.50).
The 800 meters also is bunched, with good runners representing 5A (AHS' Adam Lane), 4A (Dumas' Ryan Lopez and Francisco Viscaino), 3A (Canyon's Sann Allison, and Perryton's Willy Richards) and 2A (Panhandle's Colby Skidmore). They all need to get to 2 minutes or lower to keep running past district.
Caprock's Anthony Pequeno, who had a breakout cross country season, is the king of the distance races. His times in the 1600 (4:27.15) and 3200 (9:47.19) are well ahead of the field.
Randall again is putting together a patched-up 800 relay (Darius Hase has replaced injured Tanner McWilliams, and Brandon English is running with a cast) but still winning meets. The Raiders dipped under 1:30 at the Relays.
Amarillo High's Dane Hamrick came out of nowhere to become a contender for the state meet in the shot put, which Tascosa's Nick Jones won last year. Hamrick's 55-01/2 could punch a ticket to Austin.
Canadian's Caleb Berry tossed the shot 51-01/4 at the Relays, a distance that also puts him in position to compete for a trip to the state meet.
Friona's Dillon Welch was second in the 2A discus last year but already has thrown 10 feet farther than he did in Austin. White Deer's Cameron Armstrong's 166-3 is a potential state medal distance.
Palo Duro's Devin Swain didn't place at the 4A high jump last spring but duplicating his 6-9 leap this spring could medal.
Keep an eye on Canadian, which has Garcia and has been under 3:30 in the 1600 relay. Also in 2A, Pete Daniel and his Childress Bobcats.