REGION III - 6A Track and Field Meet - Turner Stadium in Humble, TX

What a thrilling weekend it was in Humble as the best track and field athletes in our region from 5A and 6A battled it out for two guaranteed entries to the UIL state meet in Austin in a few weeks. In 2021 three Stratford athletes qualified for state, but we’ll need an additional van and more hotel rooms to accommodate the eight athletes that earned their way to the showcase event this year.

Senior Parker Samuelson, a Tulane signee, was the first Spartan qualifier of the weekend when he cleared 14’ 6 in the Pole Vault and earned a 2nd place spot on the podium. Parker was also a state qualifier in 2021, so a return trip to state will be a great opportunity for him to prove that he is among the best in 6A as he wraps up a stellar high school career. 

Evelyn Lavielle, a senior and 4th place finisher at the 2021 state meet, will make a return trip to Austin after finishing 3rd place in the high jump and earning the sole wildcard qualifier. The wildcard is awarded to the next best performer (across all four state regions) that did not finish in the top-two at their regional meet. Evelyn’s jump of 5 ‘8” was good enough to secure the wildcard, and the University of Texas signee will look to go out with a bang at the site of her future college home. 

The girls 4 x 100 meter relay team of Mikayla Osborne, Sophia Akpan, Paris Strange, and Sarah Akpan were electric in the finals and powered their way to a 2nd place finish and a trip to state. Their time of 46.08 is the 3rd fastest 4 x 100 time run in the entire state of Texas this year and they will be a team to look out for in Austin. Sarah and Sophia will take their talents to the University of Virginia next year, while Mikayla (junior) and Paris (freshman) will return to Stratford.

Sophomore Niamh Collins is the regional champion in the 800 meters after taking charge early in the race and holding off two other runners down the final stretch to finish in 2:16.23 This will be Niamh’s first trip to the state meet, and she demonstrated a tremendous amount of grit and determination as she fought all the way to the finish. She’s also following in her mother’s footsteps, a former Stratford and Rice track standout in the early and mid 90’s. 

Senior Emanuel Galdino’s amazing story and journey to becoming the most-heralded boys distance runner in Stratford history and one of the best in the country over the last two years, has one final stop remaining in his high school career. In the 800 meters, Emanuel went head-to-head with last year’s state runner-up and finished 2nd in 1:52.33. Two hours later, in one of the most exciting finishes the spectators will ever witness, Emanuel and Ruben Rojas from Katy Seven Lakes tracked down Reese Vannerson from Strake Jesuit in the final 100 meters and all three guys crossed the finish line in what appeared to be the exact same time. After several minutes of review by the race officials, the Jumbotron at the end of the stadium posted: Rojas 4:13.74, Galdino 4:13.80, Vannerson 4:13.85. Emanuel is returning to state in two events after finishing 4th in the 3200 meters and 3rd in the 1600 meters at the 2021 state meet. 

Other Results - Girls

Sarah Akpan
4th place - 100 meters - 11.70
3rd place - 200 meters - 23.98 (missed the wildcard by one one-hundredth of a second !)

Sophia Akpan
5th place - 300 meter hurdles - 44.03

Mia Bent
9th - Triple Jump - 36’ 08”

Lauren Reed
4th - Pole Vault - 11' 00”

Emma Hickman
8th - High Jump - 5’ 2"

Valentina Chelala
9th - Pole Vault - 9’ 6"

Maggie Pearce
14th - 3200 meter run - 12:22
11th - 1600 meter run - 5:33

Anastasia Sciretti
16th - 3200 meter run - 12:40

Allie Weinhardt
Did not compete - 1600 meters

Addison Lanning
Did not compete - Shot Put

Mikayla Osborne
Did not compete - 400 meters

Other Results - Boys

Luke Rives
5th - Long Jump - 22’ 11”

Brandon Arenas
7th - 110 meter hurdles - 14.85

Kenneth Owen
9th - High Jump - 6’ 2”

Nate Grant
11th - Long Jump - 21’ 06"

David Kalwahali
14th - 3200 meters - 9:54

Blake Daniels
Did not make final - 23.21

Travis Dunwoody
15th - Shot Put - 42’ 02”

Nick Rodriguez
14th - Pole Vault - 11’ 06"

4 x 100 meter relay (Recharde Pride, Blake Daniels, Nate Grant, Luke Rives) - Did not make final - 43.61

4 x 200 meter relay (Derrick McGee, Day’vonne Singleton, Parker Samuelson, Luke Rives) - Did not make final

Emanuel Galdino
Withdrew from 3200 meters

Full meet results can be found here: https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/470513/results/all