Girls Steeplechase Highlights Video
Only the 2000 meter steeplechase was run for the high school division on Thursday's docket of events for the 2014 Texas Relays. No shortage of stories between the two races winners for girls and boys. Gabby Thompson, a senior at New Braunfels High School in the suburbs of San Antonio, won her second consecutive major steeplechase of the outdoor season. Two weeks ago, she traveled to the Disney Showcase outside of Orlando, Florida and won with a US #3 time of 7:22. She was seven seconds on Thursday at Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas, but she dominated the field from nearly start to finish with her 7:29.26 victory. The next two finishers after Thompson were Ashley Koett of The Woodlands in the runner-up spot at 7:38 and Emily Voss of Katy in third place at 7:47.
The steeplechase is not a new event for Thompson as she previously lived and competed in New York, which holds the steeplechase through their championship season. Last spring at Immaculate Heart Central in South Watertown, New York, Thompson ran a junior year best of 7:26 in the 2K steeple. In her senior year of high school, Thompson is adjusting to a much earlier, but much warmer outdoor season. The early start to outdoor and no real indoor season was not a bad thing for Thompson and her New Braunfels teammates who qualified and competed late in the cross country season at the Nike Cross Nationals in early December. Braunfels was the team's #5 runner at the Nike Cross Nationals and is looking forward to running on their top contending relays later this weekend at the University of Texas with the DMR on Friday and 4x800 meter relay on Saturday. The warm weather and Texas running scene is definitely suiting the former New York in Thompson well.
| Place | Athlete | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Gabby Thompson 12 - New Braunfels |
7:29.26 | ||
| 2 |
Ashley Koett 11 - The Woodlands |
7:38.24 | ||
| 3 |
Emily Voss 11 - Katy |
7:47.92 | ||
| 4 |
Naira Alvarado 11 - Ingleside |
7:53.89 | ||
| 5 |
Hailey Smalley 11 - NB Canyon |
7:55.28 | ||
| 6 |
Alex Pearcy 11 - Mineral Wells |
8:07.39 | ||
| 7 |
Rebekah Rodriguez 10 - Klein Collins |
8:39.86 |
Boys Steeplechase Highlights Video
It is tough to enjoy victories and success in Texas with how intense the level of competition can be at the high school level, so Klein High School junior Dominic Baptiste is going to let Thursday's win in the steeplechase soak in for a while. Literally. Baptiste charged to the lead from the gun before being challenged and settling into second place for a lap temporarily with Dallas Shelton (TX) sophomore Reese Walters assuming the pace duties. Baptiste was uncomfortable with not leading, so he made an aggressive move to keep the lead for good midway through. With a modest 1600 meter personal best of 4:30, Baptiste certainly had a breakthrough race to have that kind of 1600 PR time translate over to a 6:22.94 win in the 2K steeplechase. Jaron Hamilton, a sophomore at Arlington Bowie, closed well over the final lap to pull into second place with a solid time of 6:27.93 to edge out Cedar Park senior Logan Thomas in third place at 6:28.
Baptiste knows that it will be very difficult to even advance out of his district (#13 in the 5A classification), but feels good about his ability to run under 4:25 this season and get closer to a regional meet berth and who knows state meet might be in the cards. At least he is building towards being a state meet qualifier eventually in a very difficult state to advance onto the highest level by adding up major wins like his race on Thursday night at the Texas Relays.
| Place | Athlete | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Dominic Baptiste 11 - Klein |
6:22.94 | |
| 2 |
Jaron Hamilton 10 - Arl Bowie |
6:27.83 | |
| 3 |
Logan Thomas 12 - Cedar Park |
6:28.46 | |
| 4 |
Kendall Joiner 12 - Lucas Lovejoy |
6:31.02 | |
| 5 |
Reese Walters 10 - Shelton School |
6:31.70 | |
| 6 |
Joe Brands 12 - Lucas Lovejoy |
6:35.12 | |
| 7 |
Dylan Person 12 - Brownwood |
6:41.24 | |
| 8 |
Jesus Caballero CC Collegiate |
6:41.53 | |
| 9 |
Blake Chiuminetta 12 - Dripping Springs |
6:42.17 | |
| 10 |
Daniel Henkes 12 - SA Alamo Heights |
6:48.36 | |
| 11 |
Matthew Solcher 12 - Hou Strake Jesuit |
6:50.17 | |
| 12 |
Henry Butz 12 - All Saints Episcopal |
6:52.62 | |
| 13 |
Christian Kerr 12 - LB Poly |
6:56.02 | |
| 14 |
augusto Frankenberg 10 - Cedar Park |
6:57.37 | |
| 15 |
Chris Sandoval 11 - Har-Ber |
7:03.49 | |
| 16 |
Andrew Joy 12 - SA Reagan |
7:03.68 | |
| 17 |
Austin Figueroa 12 - Edinburg Vela |
7:13.67 |
Highlights from non-high school action on Thursday: In an elite invitational 800 meter race, Olympic 1500 meter silver medalist Leo Manzano won with a late kick in a meet record time of 1:47.34.
Much more to come from our Texas Relays on-site meet coverage over the next two days!