Mustangs perform well at top meet
FREDERICKSBURG — Marble Falls High School track and field coaches have been pleased with the Mustangs’ progress, especially since many of them have been preparing for the season since December.
Those efforts paid off for several athletes at the Battlin’ Billies Relays last week, head coach Kyle Futrell said.
IN PHOTO: Marble Falls freshman runner Katelyn Corley accepts the baton from sophomore Whitney Ulbricht. Photo by Virgil Belk/Hill Country Sports Images
“We’re all real pleased with the way our kids competed,” he said.
Senior Jesús Manzano completed the 3,200-meter run in 10 minutes 31.54 seconds.
“Jesùs ran a good time in the 3,200 and barely missed placing,” Futrell said.
The senior finished the 800-meter run in 2:06.56, while junior Michael Rowsey was done in 2:11.30.
Senior T.J. Crawford placed fifth in the discus with a toss of 132 feet 11 inches.
“He missed two years because of injury,” the coach said. “It’s good to see him out there.”
Senior Willie Nelson finished third in the 110-meter high hurdles in 15.71, and sixth in the 300-meter hurdles in 43.00.
“He’s a 110 hurdler, but quite frankly he ran better in the 300,” Futrell said. “His best finish was not necessarily the best time in the 300. That’s going to help him.”
Junior Steven Castillo came in third in the 200-meter dash, finishing in 23.69 seconds.
“He had a really good time his first time out,” Futrell said.
Junior Tarron Machen performed well in the 100-meter dash by posting a time of 12.21; the 4×100 relay; and also the 4×200-meter relay in 1:39.28, Futrell said.
“He’s one the guys who tore his (anterior cruciate ligament) in football,” he said. “He has worked hard to get back. We’re really pleased with him.”
The 4×400-meter relay team of sophomore Aaron Hinojosa, Castillo, Machen and sophomore Bobby Hall performed well, while the 4×100-meter relay team struggled.
“We dropped the stick,” the Mustangs skipper said. “That’s going to happen.”
Junior Amber Lecates cleared the opening height of 8-0 in the pole vault.
Perhaps the most impressive feat came from sophomore Whitney Ulbricht. She ran two preliminaries and a final in the 200 and 400 meters that equaled a mile.
“With 14 teams there, to qualify is a big deal,” the coach said. “Fredericksburg is loaded. I think that makes Whitney’s accomplishment significant. That’s all competition. I hadn’t thought about it in those terms.”
Her time in the 400 final was 1:04.96, and she finished the 200 final in 28.77.
As for the junior varsity, freshman Katelyn Corley competed well in the 3,200, with a time of 12:58.67 and the 800 in 2:41.69, Futrell said.
Freshman Kelsey Bauers placed fifth in the long jump, with a leap of 13-01.
Sophomore Johnny Garcia won the 400 in 54.75 and anchored the JV 4×400 relay to third place.
“He made up 15 to 20 yards,” Futrell said. “He’s running the race exactly the way we wanted him to. He’s going to run on the varsity.”
Teammates Cody Schultz and Brian Shrubar, both freshmen, made the finals of the 400, along with three Fredericksburg runners and a Burnet sprinter.
Sophomore Anjel Guerrero, who has been playing soccer for the Mustangs, posted a winning time of 10:36 in the 3,200 in his track debut.
“We ran him JV because we didn’t know how much conditioning he had,” Futrell said. “He ran 10:36 and won easily. That’s a big highlight for us.”
The coach noted some athletes have not been training for the last several weeks because of other sports.
“We’re a month away from district,” Futrell said. “Right now they’re trying to be where the kids who have been training for a month are at.”