TEMPLE, TX — The atmosphere was electric at Wildcat Stadium on April 1 as the Travis Science Academy Mustang 7th Grade Track & Field team battled for a spot on the big stage. Competing in the Temple School Cen-Tex Divisional Meet, the Mustangs faced stiff competition in a high-stakes qualifier for the upcoming District Championships.
The Mustangs secured a 5th Place finish in the overall team standings with 55 points. North Belton claimed the top spot with 178 points, followed by SC Lee in second with 131. While the team race was competitive, the primary goal of the day was clear: finish in the top four to keep the season alive.
Leading the Charge: District Qualifiers
The Mustangs will be well-represented at the District Championships thanks to several standout performances that landed on the podium.
Lajavien Clark provided the highlight of the night, sprinting his way to a 1st Place finish in the 100 meters with a blistering time of 11.64.
Easton Williams showed incredible endurance and heart in the distance events, securing two qualifying spots. He took 2nd Place in the 2400 meters (8:48.69) and 3rd Place in the 1600 meters (5:32.36).
The relay teams also rose to the occasion. The 4x100 Relay team (Darryl Luck, Taran Sanders, Christopher Weaver, Lajavien Clark) grabbed 3rd Place with a time of 46.94.
The 4x200 Relay team (Darryl Luck, Christopher Weaver, Taran Sanders, Lajavien Clark) safely advanced with a 4th Place finish, clocking in at 1:44.15.
Full Mustang Performance List
Every Mustang athlete contributed to the team's 5th-place effort. Here is how the full roster fared at Wildcat Stadium:
Running Events
100 Meters: Lajavien Clark (1st, 11.64); Darryl Luck (5th, 12.12); Jazavian Canady (8th, 12.36).
200 Meters: Jazavian Canady (5th, 25.34); Noah Carey (16th, 27.96); Jace Lara (17th, 28.84).
400 Meters: Jeremiah Kprazeon (5th, 1:00.81); Zaden Jurca (6th, 1:00.94); Nathan Seig (17th, 1:23.14).
800 Meters: Zaden Jurca (8th, 2:27.36); Jeremiah Kprazeon (11th, 2:40.20); Aaron Aguilar (12th, 2:44.21).
1600 Meters: Easton Williams (3rd, 5:32.36); Cesar Marin (8th, 6:05.67); Aaron Aguilar (16th, 6:56.96).
2400 Meters: Easton Williams (2nd, 8:48.69); Joel Lopez Garcia (11th, 10:35.86); Christian Ruzicka (15th, 13:50.72).
300 Hurdles: Christian Jackson (9th, 51.25); Darin Harris (11th, 51.40).
Relays
4x100 Relay: Darryl Luck, Taran Sanders, Christopher Weaver, Lajavien Clark (3rd, 46.94).
4x200 Relay: Darryl Luck, Christopher Weaver, Taran Sanders, Lajavien Clark (4th, 1:44.15).
4x400 Relay: Darin Harris, Zaden Jurca, Jeremiah Kprazeon, Noah Carey (5th, 4:25.03).
Field Events
Long Jump: Darryl Luck (10th, 16’4); Jazavian Canady (16th, 13’11); Jace Lara (17th, 12’11 ½).
Triple Jump: Lajavien Clark (14th, 29’11); Christian Jackson (16th, 28’0).
Looking Ahead to District
The qualifying Mustangs will now set their sights on the Cen-Tex Middle School District Championships. The meet is scheduled for April 7th at Panther Stadium on the campus of Midway High School in Hewitt. Field events are set to begin at 4:00 PM, followed by the running finals at 6:00 PM.
Congratulations to all the athletes who competed and good luck to those advancing to represent Travis Science Academy at District!
