Track and field: Willard defends state crown

AUSTIN, Texas – Katie Willard defended her state championship and three other local track and field athletes medaled at the UIL Class 5A State Track and Field Meet on Saturday at Mike Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas.

Willard, a standout on The Woodlands High School girls’ track team, won her second consecutive 800-meter state championship. Willard led the pack with a time of 2 minutes, 09.32 seconds. She won the 2012 state championship with a time of 2:10.31.

The Woodlands’ Madi McLellan ran second at the state meet, in the 1,600, with a time of 4:53.25 and Tristen Newman, of the College Park High School boys’ track team, placed second in the shot put with a throw of 59-09 ¾.

In addition, N’Dia Warren-Jacques, of the Oak Ridge High School girls’ track team, placed third in the shot put with a throw of 45-10 ¼.

Brigham Hedges, of The Woodlands High School boys’ track team, ran fourth in the mile with a time of 4:14.09. Highlanders’ Logan Emery raced sixth in 4:16.49. Hedges ran eighth in the 3,200 (9:30.13) with Highlanders’ Craig Irvin racing ninth (9:30.15).

Oak Ridge’s Mia Hicks placed fifth in the girls’ discus with a throw measuring 139-11 and The Woodlands’ Jonathan Huckins placed sixth in the boys’ shot put with a throw of 54-00 ½.

The Woodlands’ girls’ mile relay placed sixth in 3:51.92 with Lindsay Wilken, Willard, Alyssa Gillespie and Kaitlynn Lindsey comprising the group.

Katie Jensen, of the College Park High School girls’ track team, ran seventh in the mile (5:05.93) and ninth in the 3,200 (12:11.56).