District 5-2A track: Tahoka's Grace Reglin chasing high bar set as a freshman

SUNDOWN — It'd be hard to top how Grace Reglin began her high-school track and field career.

The Tahoka athlete went home with five gold medals from her first district meet, where she won three individual events as a freshman.

Reglin won't match that total this year, but her aspirations remain high as the postseason moves forward. She took the first step toward her ultimate goals Wednesday during the first day of the District 5-2A meet at Slaughter Field.

The sophomore won the long jump and placed fourth in the high jump to advance to the area meet in both. A state qualifier in the 200-meter dash last season, Reglin will look to add to her medal haul in Thursday's running finals.

"That set the bar really high," Reglin said of her district debut. "It's definitely motivated me. But I'm trying to just keep in mind, you know, today's a different day than last year's district. Whatever happens today, I'm just trying to do my best. And I'm trying to have fun, because that's the most important thing. I can be super hard on myself and kind of forget to enjoy it sometimes.

"It was really cool last year, and of course we're trying to do the same thing this year, but really I'm just here to have fun."

Despite dealing with a back issue, Reglin's long jump of 16 feet, 2½ inches bested New Home's Kristen McWhirter (16-½). Reglin got the winning distance on her second attempt, scratching her next three jumps before skipping a final attempt with first place already secured.

She placed fifth in Region I-2A at 16-5½ and had a season-high of 17-3 last year.

"It wasn't my best today, but it leaves room for improvement," Reglin said, "so that we can go to area and get even better and hopefully pass that too. … I'm trying to best (17-3) this year and continue to get in those 17s and not just make it a one-time thing."

About 15 minutes later, Reglin was competing in the high jump after one warmup attempt. She cleared 4-6 to tie New Home's Mylee Baum, who won a jump-off for third place. Reglin won the event with a personal-best 4-10 last year. It was a different Bulldog on top this season, as teammate Brooklyn Harris took gold after clearing 5-0.

Reglin placed seventh at last season's Class 2A state meet in 26.08 seconds. She will be among the favorites to take the district crown Friday, although a familiar challenger awaits. Ropes' Heather McNabb finished one spot behind Reglin at regionals in 2022, with the latter nabbing a wildcard berth in third place.

Texas Tech signee Crawford competing with Post one last time

After watching his senior season of football from the sideline, there was no way Isaiah Crawford was going to give up one last opportunity to compete for his high school.

Crawford, who missed Post's football season because of a knee injury, got the medical go-ahead just in time for track. With only months remaining before he joins the Texas Tech football program, Crawford wanted to spend his last semester around Bold Gold athletics.

"It's good just being with my teammates," Crawford said, "just being around them. I don't think I could've stayed out of track, so I had to do it."

Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire had no qualms about it, encouraging it so Crawford could stay fit. The Tech signee placed third in the long jump Wednesday to advance to the area meet. His best leap went 18-7½. That tied New Home's Colt Keys, but Crawford earned the bronze with a longer second-best.

Crawford is also set to run in the 200, along with the 400- and 800-meter relays.

District 5-2A track and field meet

at Slaughter Field, Sundown

Wednesday's events

BOYS

High jump: 1. Kaden Gray, New Home, 6 feet, 2 inches; 2. Jake Fogerson, New Home, 5-10; 3. Landon Nale, Ropes, 5-10; 4. Colby Cook, New Home, 5-8; 5. Rocky Garcia, Plains, 5-8; 6. Briar Miller, Sundown, 5-6.

Pole vault: 1. Josh Sexton, Ropes, 13-6; 2. Jonathan Adams, Post, 11-6; 3. Max Cole, Post, 10-6; 4. Bridger Brown, New Home, 10-6; 5. Rickey Melendez, Sundown, 10-0; 6. Branson Sanders, Sundown, 9-0.

Long jump: 1. Jhoan Menjivar, Plains, 18-10; 2. Jackson Raines, New Home, 18-8½; 3. Isaiah Crawford, Post, 18-7½; 4. Colt Keys, New Home, 18-7½; 5. Jeremiah Gonzales, Plains, 18-5½; 6. Iain DeLeon, Tahoka, 18-5¼.

Triple jump: 1. Kaden Gray, New Home, 43-4¼; 2. Adrian Contreras, Plains, 40-3¾; 3. Ian Vergara, Post, 40-2¾; 4. Jair Johnston, New Home, 40-1; 5. Josh Sexton, Ropes, 39-9; 6. Caleb Cook, New Home, 39-1½.

Discus: 1. Brody Emert, New Home, 136-7; 2. Mason Wright, Post, 126-0; 3. Jaxon Rodriguez, Sundown, 124-3; 4. Hunter Tindol, Sundown, 123-3; 5. Logan Delgado, Ropes, 117-0; 6. Nate Brooks, Ropes, 107-5.

Shot put: 1. Mason Wright, Post, 43-2¾; 2. Allan Gallegos, Plains, 41-1¾; 3. Dekota Golightly, Sundown, 39-10¾; 4. Logan Delgado, Ropes, 39-10; 5. Xavyn Garcia, Sundown, 37-1½; 6. Richard Badillo, Plains, 36-7½.

3,200-meter run: 1. Sawyer Hamilton, Plains, 10 minutes, 39.64 seconds; 2. Koy Torres, Sundown, 10:42.13; 3. Jackson Martinez, New Home, 10:45.88; 4. Christian Sanchez, Plains, 10:46.53; 5. Xavier Felan, Plains, 11:17.14; 6. Mathias Salgado, Sundown, 12:06.80.

GIRLS

High jump: 1. Brooklyn Harris, Tahoka, 5-0; 2. Ava Grace Falls, Ropes, 4-10; 3. Mylee Baum, New Home, 4-7; 4. Grace Reglin, Tahoka, 4-6; 5. Bree Stumbo, Ropes, 4-6; 6. Cienna Jackson, Sundown, 4-6.

Pole vault: 1. Chloe Clay, New Home, 9-6; 2. Mikah Woodley, Ropes, 7-0; 3. Calgary Due, Tahoka, 6-6; 4. Kylee Cook, Ropes, 6-0; 5. Kylee Ramos, Tahoka, 5-0; 6. Brooklyn Keesler, Sundown, 5-0.

Long jump: 1. Grace Reglin, Tahoka, 16-2½; 2. Kristen McWhirter, New Home, 16-½; 3. Heather McNabb, Ropes, 15-10½; 4. Lexy Mijares, Seagraves, 15-2¾; 5. Lana Bell, Plains, 15-1¼; 6. Reagan Guerra, Plains, 14-9¾.

Triple jump: 1. Kyler Noble, New Home, 34-11; 2. MaKenna Johnson, New Home, 34-0; 3. Bianca Negrete, Seagraves, 33-9; 4. Brooklyn Harris, Tahoka, 32-7¾; 5. Allie McCormick, Sundown, 32-4½; 6. Zoe Clay, New Home, 31-10½.

Discus: 1. Justyce Brown, Plains, 104-4; 2. Payton Connor, New Home, 100-11; 3. Rylee McDaniel, Post, 91-5; 4. Autum Olivas, Sundown, 88-7; 5. Aubrey Bandy, Ropes, 77-1; 6. Marivel Acosta-Lopez, Sundown, 73-10.

Shot put: 1. Payton Connor, New Home, 35-0; 2. Tyara Guerrero, Post, 32-3; 3. Serenity Valdez, Plains, 31-2¼; 4. Sydney Snell, New Home, 30-6¾; 5. Malaya Garcia, Tahoka, 30-6; 6. Madelynn DeLeon, Tahoka, 29-¾.

3,200: 1. Lillian Morrissey, Tahoka, 12:57.78; 2. Keely Franco, New Home, 13:37.72; 3. Mari Barrera, Seagraves, 14:22.20; 4. Kendal Franco, New Home, 14:28.04; 5. Anaya De La Cruz, Tahoka, 14:39.14; 6. Kendra Garcez, Tahoka, 14:51.49.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: District 5-2A track: Tahoka's Grace Reglin chasing high bar