KINGSVILLE – The Thrall Tigerettes track team were crowned reginal champions after the regional meet Friday and Saturday, April 28-29 at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville.
The Tigerettes took first place as a team with several athletes qualifying for the state meet.
The Tigerettes racked up 81 points as a team and finished nine points ahead of second place. Leading off for the Tigerettes was the 3200-meter run, where sophomore Sarah Laurence finished in fourth with a time of 12 minutes and 16 seconds, which was only four seconds off from qualifying for state.
Next was the 4x100 relay with the Tigerettes team consisting of Avery Koonce, Kassandra Jackson, Melaina Grissom and Naveah Irvin. They took second place with a time of 49 seconds, giving their team a big boost in points.
Koonce was just getting her day started and would find herself in the starting blocks of the 100 race, where she would make her way back to the podium. Koonce took second place with a time of 12 seconds, but still had more to offer the team.
Koonce participated in the pole vault event for the Tigerettes, landing in the top spot when it was all said and done. Koonce cleared 11 feet to plant her flag firmly in first place for the event and qualify for the state meet.
Irvin would also compete in multiple events after the relay race, as she took on the challenge of the 400. Irvin would finish the race in 59 seconds to claim second place and also qualify for state.
Lastly, was Grissom for the Tigerettes who, after helping the relay team qualify for the state meet, competed in the triple jump event, which she dominated. Grissom jumped 36 feet and 10 inches to grab the top spot and be yet another state meet qualifier for the Tigerettes.
The Tigerettes added the regional championship trophy to their trophy case and with athletes competing in five events at the State meet they will be looking to add some more hardware before seasons end.
