TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL TRACK AND FIELD: 10 BEST SPRINTERS IN 2023-24
National records fell and like many years, lots of attention turned to tracks throughout the Lone Star State in 2023-24.
Texas high school boys track and field was on full display at the University of Texas last week, with the 3A and 4A championships on Thursday, 2A and 5A on Friday and 1A and 6A on Saturday.
>> Every record broken during 2024 Texas (UIL) state high school track and field meet
Many of the nation's fastest track and field athletes hailed from Texas. From Duncanville's national record-setting 4x200 relay team, to Atascocita's fastest-ever 4x100 team, there was no shortage of talent among the state's best sprinters.
But who rose above the rest?
These 10 high school sprinters across the state of Texas stood out above the rest in 2023-24:
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TOP 10 HIGH SCHOOL SPRINTERS IN TEXAS IN 2023-24
Kevin Bello, Katy Cinco Ranch, sr.
The state’s fastest 400 runner with a 46.04 PR at a 6A area meet in early April, Bello, a senior, never replicated that effort, placing eighth at the 6A state meet in the 400 and ninth in the 100 (10.74).
Tyler Brown, Aubrey, jr.
His all-time best 20.72 won him the class 4A 200-meter final, narrowly beating La Grange’s Austen Diggs’ 20.77. It was the fourth best 200 time in the Lone Star State regardless of classification. He also ran anchor on Aubrey’s 4A state record-setting 4x400 team and its third place-finishing 4x100 team.
Ernest Campbell, Refugio, sr.
His class 2A state title-winning 10.49 puts him in the top 40 fastest high school 100 times in Texas. Campbell. He was a three-time 2A champion on Friday, also helping Refugio win the 4x100 and 4x200 en route to a team title.
Austen Diggs, La Grange, sr.
His 10.43 finish in the 100-meter dash final wasn’t just 0.03 seconds behind the winner, Gilmer’s Will Henderson, but the senior’s 20.77 second place finish in the 200 is the fourth-best wind legal time in Texas this spring.
Caden Durham, Duncanville, sr.
He carried the second leg of Duncanville’s national high school record-setting 4x200 team in the 6A final. The Panthers finished in 1:22.25, breaking the record by an entire second.
Will Henderson, Gilmer, sr.
One of the state’s fastest sprinters regardless of classification, he ran anchor in Gilmer’s 4A boys state meet record-setting 4x100 win (40.56), repeated as a state champion in the 100-meter dash (10.40) and 4x200 (1:24.71).
Lawson Jacobs, Klein Forest, sr.
His 46.85 finish in the 400 won him the class 6A event championship on Saturday after placing second as a junior. He also was a part of a third place finishing 4x400 team (3:12.08) and ran anchor in a 4x100 team that won a district title and placed third at the 6A Region II meet.
Jhase McMillan, Katy Tompkins, sr.
The Montana State football commit finished third at state in the class 6A 200 with a 20.84 behind Jelani Watkins (20.60) and Spring Dekaney’s Tanook Hines (20.71) and helped Tompkins in several relays — a fourth place 4x100 state finish and second in the 4x200.
Tate Taylor, Northside Harlan, soph.
The future of Texas high school sprints is here. The sophomore ran the fifth fastest wind legal 100 time in Texas this spring — 10.28 — in the 6A state final, finishing second behind Atascocita’s Jelani Watkins, who finished in 10.19. He also placed fourth in the 200 with a 21.15 personal best and fifth in the 4x100.
Jelani Watkins, Atascocita, sr.
It’s hard to argue anyone else was the sprints king of Texas this spring. Watkins, a four-star LSU-signed wide receiver, popped a personal best 10.19 to win the 100 in class 6A in what was the fastest wind legal time in Texas during the 2024 season. He also anchored the fastest 4x100 team in national high school history.
-- Andy Buhler | [email protected] | @sblivetx
2024-05-08T02:03:15Z dg43tfdfdgfd