UIL state track and field: 5 biggest storylines for Lubbock, South Plains entering meet

The UIL state track and field meet begins Thursday at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. Here's a look at the biggest storylines for athletes from Lubbock and the South Plains.

STATE QUALIFIERS: See which Lubbock-area athletes made it to Austin

Ropes boys 400 relay on the rise

Ropes has gone from a third-place finish at district to Class 2A's top qualifying time in the boys 400-meter relay.

The foursome of Ben Saldivar, Landon Nale, Kolter Dockery and Reese Williams won Region I in 42.81 seconds at West Texas A&M. The Eagles beat runner-up Big Lake Reagan County, which ran the fastest prelim.

Ropes finished behind Seagraves and New Home in the event at the District 5-2A meet in 43.91. The Eagles were second to Seagraves at area in 44.12.

Now Ropes enters as the state favorite, followed by Thorndale and Stamford, which each clocked 43.18 at their region meets.

'GOD'S PLAN': How Seagraves' relay turned devastation into a state track meet berth

Springlake-Earth's Taytum Goodman closes decorated career

Months after finishing her cross-country career undefeated, Taytum Goodman will look for more dominance in Austin.

The Springlake-Earth star has eight state track medals, including three golds from last season. That gave Goodman seven golds and one bronze.

She set 1A girls state-meet records in her trio of events in 2023, improving on two of her own bests.

In her first year competing in the event, Goodman beat the previous 3,200 mark by more than 31 seconds, running a 10:56.53. She also won the 800 (2:16.89) and 1,600 (5:04.92) for the third consecutive season.

2023 RECAP: Taytum Goodman charges to three state records in dominant day

Goodman, a Texas Tech signee, enters with the best qualifying mark in each event this year, but she has a new challenger in the 800. Menard freshman Danni Ruiz turned in a 2:22.72 at regionals, 1.25 seconds behind Goodman.

Shallowater's Makki Hart, Cameron Yoe's Yierra Flemings face off for final time

Despite being from different parts of the state, Makki Hart and Yierra Flemings became quite familiar during high school.

Shallowater's Hart and Cameron Yoe's Flemings have filled the top two spots in the 3A girls 400 the past three seasons. Unfortunately for Hart, those have all been Flemings wins.

Last year, Flemings set a 3A state-meet record in 54.51, breaking the 49-year old mark by Spur's Essie Kelley (54.84). Hart ran a 55.13.

Fresh off a Region I-3A meet record 54.81, Hart enters as the top seed. Flemings ran a 57.26 to win Region III. Wall's Lexi Slaughter is sandwiched between at 55.91.

Shallowater girls 1,600 relay looks to three-peat

Hart is also a key cog in the Shallowater girls 1,600 relay. The Oklahoma State signee anchored the team to state wins the past two years.

The Fillies are back in the event with half of those gold-medal winners. Maggie Grimes has also been on the relay for two seasons.

Newcomers Tatum Rentfro and Emie Lusk start off the relay, which enters as the No. 3 seed. Shallowater set a region-meet record in 3:55.19, which comes in behind favorite Goliad (3:53.27) and Universal City Randolph (3:54.99) out of Region IV.

Three members return from Randolph's 2023 bronze-medal team. The Fillies ran a school-record 3:53.89 to win the event.

2023 LOOKBACK: Shallowater repeats as state champions to close historic chapter

South Plains 2023 medalists returning to state

There are plenty of other 2023 South Plains medalists looking to add to their collection. The following are headed back to state in these events after reaching the podium last year.

Jhoan Menjivar, Plains, 2A boys 800, gold medalist (1:55.45)

Paducah, 1A boys 400 relay, gold medalists (1A state-meet record 42.80)

Kamryn Dyck, Loop, 1A girls 100, gold medalist (12.59); 1A girls long jump, gold medalist (16-9¼)

Jakyen Wright, 1A boys 200, gold medalist (1A state-meet record 22.20)

Nazareth, 1A girls 1,600 relay, gold medalists (4:09.47)

Nazareth, 1A girls 800 relay, silver medalists (1:47.89)

Griff Reel, Jayton, 1A boys 400, silver medalist (50.73)

Dakota Zuber, Roosevelt, 3A boys pole vault, bronze medalist (14 feet, 0 inches)

Daniel Sianez, Muleshoe, 3A boys 400, bronze medalist (48.94)

Madison Nunes, New Deal, 2A girls 3,200, bronze medalist (11:40.88)

Kennedi Richey, Farwell, 2A girls 300 hurdles, bronze medalist (45.26)

Emma Samaron, 1A girls 300 hurdles, bronze medalist (47.64)

Wiley Gaskins, Sands, 1A boys 1,600, bronze medalist (4:41.25)

Madison Tyler, 1A girls high jump, bronze medalist (5-0)

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: UIL state track preview: 5 biggest storylines for Lubbock, South Plains