Natalia Mustang 100m Dash runner Donovan Hawkins qualified for State with a 11.10 time at Regional Saturday at D.W. Rutledge Stadium in Converse. Hawkins followed up his 11.23 preliminary time 4th place finish by winning gold in the finals heat by five-hundredths of a second over silver medalist AJ Haines of Universal City Randolph.
Later, Hawkins found out that he would also get the “Wild Card” spot at State in the 400m as well. According to U.I.L., after the regional meet directors have certified state qualifiers, the UIL staff will select one additional qualifier to compete in the state meet as a wild card.
Natalia scored 27 points as a team to place seventh overall, only one point behind sixth place Yoakum and one point ahead of San Diego and Corpus Christi London.
Hawkins earned the bronze medal in the 400m Dash while Noah Gilkey placed fourth in the 1600m Run and fifth in the 3200m Run. Jared Stallworth finished fourth in the 300m Hurdles and Isaac Rios was 6th place in the 800m Run.
Congratulations Mustangs on a fine showing at Regional and best of luck to Donovan at State!
State info
Donovan Hawkins will run at Mike A Myers Stadium in Austin on Thursday, May 6. The 3A girls run the 100m at 6:05pm followed by Hawkins and the rest of the boy 3A qualifiers directly after the girls.
The 400m Dash begins with the 3A girls running first at 6:45pm, followed by the 3A boys.
Team standings (Top 14)
1st Universal City Randolph 52, 2nd Lago Vista 50, 3rd Vanderbilt Industrial 44, 4th Goliad 41, 5th Llano 39, 6th Yoakum 28, 7th Natalia 27, 8th San Diego and Corpus Christi London 26, 10th Palacios 23, 11th Poth 21, 12th Progresso and Great Hearts Northern 20, Tie 14th Lytle, Bishop, Marion 17.
Mustangs
100m Dash (F)—1st Donovan Hawkins 11.10 400m Dash (F)—3rd Hawkins 49.61 800m Run (F)—6th Isaac Rios 2:06.95 1600m Run (F)—4th Noah Gilkey 4:44.68 3200m Run (F)—5th Gilkey 10:07.44 300m Hurdles (F)—4th Jared Stallworth 41.90.
By Jerel Beaty
Staff Writer
