AUSTIN, Texas (KTSM) – Chapin track star Morgan Little knew she would have a busy day at the UIL State Track & Field Championships on Friday. By the end, she felt like she’d made the most of it.
Little competed in four events in Friday’s Class 5A state meet. It started with a sixth place finish in the girls long jump with a leap of 18 feet, seven inches on Friday morning.
In the evening, Little ran the second leg of both the 4×100 meter and 4×200 meter relays. Chapin narrowly missed out on a medal in the 4×100, finishing in fourth place, as they were caught in the final 15 meters by the second and third place teams. Chapin’s 4×200 meter team finished in eighth place.
The pinnacle for Little came in the 5A 100 meters, in which she came through with a bronze medal in 11.74 seconds, out-leaning LaMiaya Henderson of Hallsville (11.77) for third place.
It was a chance for Little to show off her speed in a stacked field, before she heads off to run track at San Jose State next fall.
“I’m really proud of myself. I feel like I came here and did exactly what I was supposed to do. My mindset was to stay positive, stay motivated and not let the pressure crack me, as well as finish strong,” Little said.
Elsewhere on the track, Chapin junior Seth Truax finished ninth in the boys 5A 800 meters in 1:59.01 in his first trip to the state meet.
Meanwhile, tragedy struck the Parkland boys 4×200 meter team on the final exchange as the Matadors dropped the baton. The mistake led to a ninth place finish in 1:39.50.
In the morning, Horizon high jumper Ricardo Leyva closed out his high school career with a silver medal in the 5A high jump with a leap of 6’10.
The UIL State Track and Field Championships wrap up on Saturday with the Class 1A and Class 6A meets. Nine athletes from the Borderland will compete in seven different events.
