FAIRFIELD—Rockdale senior Devon Hicks and freshman De’Andre Stephens improved on their winning heights from the district meet to finish first in their events at the area meet in Fairfield on Friday.
“Devon and Dre have decent shot to get to state,” said Coach Chr is Van Cleave.
Despite being challenged by a very strong wind, Hicks won the pole vault with a height of 13 feet even. Twice this season he has cleared 13’-6”, so as coach stated, he has a solid chance to advance.
Stephens has been consistent all year, finishing in the top three in the high jump throughout the season. Like Hicks, he is peaking at the right time and won the area meet with a jump of 6’-4”. Also, like Hicks he can go even higher having cleared 6’-6” earlier this season at the Rockdale Relays.
RHS senior Yovanney Delgadillo continues to impress in both distance runs, though his strength is in the 3200-meter run.
He has finished in the top three at every meet this season in the twomile event, taking second place at the area meet with a time 10:26.72. If he can run his fastest time of 10:16.59 again this week he has a solid chance of making it to the state meet in Austin.
In t he 1600-meter run he also advanced to regionals this weekend with a time of 4:47.05 and a third-place finish.
While the relay teams didn’t have the day they had hoped for, the mile relay team advanced to regionals with a thirdplace finish in 3:29.23. The long-distance sprinters have had a tough year dealing with injuries. Senior Tristan Galvan was out early this year and has been limited until the last few weeks and sophomore Tim Grice is still dealing with a hamstring issue. Both were available at the area meet and it showed by the team getting their fastest time of the year.
Coach Van Cleave said, “Seniors Galvan and Aiden Hirt have really been the glue on that relay. Freshman Stephens continues to improve with his first leg on that 4x400 and, I believe, a healthy Grice puts them in contention to compete to get top 2 in the region.”
A top two finish will send to them to Austin for the state meet in May.
The 4x100 relay team of Grice, Galvan, Robert Owens and Stephens finished in sixth.
Others placing, but not qualifying for the regional meet are Owens (sixth in the 100-meter dash), Grice (fifth in the 200-meterdash) and Erik Sheppard (sixth in the long jump).
LADY TIGERS— The lone Lady Tiger, sophomore T’Niyah Miles, took fourth in shot put with a distance of 34’-10½”. It wasn’t quite her district championship throw of 35’10”, but it was good enough to send her to Waco for the regional meet.
T’Niyah has been the true star of the girls’ varsity team as she has placed in every meet this year despite dealing with a wrist injury.
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