Track: Willard, McLellan among favorites at state

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – More than a dozen athletes from local high schools have qualified to compete at the UIL Class 5A State Track and Field Meet, Friday and Saturday, May 10-11, at Mike Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin.

Two of those enter the state meet as the top qualifier, including defending state champion Katie Willard, of The Woodlands High School, who has the top qualifying time – 2 minutes, 10.13 seconds – in the 800 meters. Willard won the 2012 state championship with a time of 2:10.31.

In addition, The Woodlands’ Madi McLellan enters the mile run with the top qualifying time of 4:53.13. She ran second in the event at the 2012 state meet, with a time of 4:53.50. College Park High School’s Katie Jensen enters the same race with the second-fastest qualifying time of 4:54.19. She ran third at the 2012 state meet with a time of 4:54.04.

Jensen also owns the sixth-fastest qualifying time in the 3,200 (10:45.25). She is the defending state champion in the event, winning last year’s title in record time (10:24.80).

College Park’s Tristen Newman goes into the state meet with the third-best mark in the boys’ shot put (58-07 ¾). The Woodlands’ Jonathan Huckins is the ninth seed (52-09 ¼) in the event. Oak Ridge High School’s N’Dia Jacques-Warren goes into the state meet with the fourth-best qualifying throw (44-07 ¾) in the girls’ shot put.

The Woodlands’ Brigham Hedges (4:17.27) and Logan Emery (4:18.00) qualified for the state meet with the sixth- and seventh-fastest times respectively in the boys’ mile. Hedges was the 2012 state runner-up in the event, finishing in a time of 4:10.07.

Hedges (9:30.01) and Craig Irvin (9:32.11) qualified for the state tournament with the eighth- and ninth-fastest times in the 3,200.

Oak Ridge’s Mia Hicks qualified for the girls’ state discus competition with the sixth-best qualifying throw of 138-11.

In addition, The Woodlands girls’ mile relay qualified with the seventh-fastest time of 3:48.50. The group, with alternates, includes Alyssa Gillespie, Kaitlynn Lindsey, Alana Brady, Lindsay Wilken, Charity Thomas and Teesa Mpagi.