RUNNING TO REGIONALS – Decatur’s Will Quintana and Hunter Smith will compete in four events each at the 4A Region I meet Friday and Saturday. Messenger photo by Micah McCartney

After combining for eight total medals last week, Decatur’s Will Quintana and Hunter Smith are looking to have their best performances of the year this weekend and qualify for the state meet.

The duo will lead the Eagles into the 4A Region I meet Friday and Saturday at Lowrey Field at Plains Capital Park in Lubbock.

Field events start at 9 a.m. on both days. Running prelims will take place starting at 10:30 a.m. Friday. Finals begin at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

Quintana earned four gold medals at the UIL District 7/8 area track meet.

He claimed area titles in the 200, 110 hurdles and high jump. Quintana also anchored the Eagles’ victory in the 4 200.

“It feels really good to be going to regionals,” Quintana said. “I’m hoping to do the same thing that I did at area. I won’t be happy unless I walk out of there with three golds. I expect that much of myself, and I really think I can do it.

“There’s a lot of really good high jumpers and hurdlers in Region I. The 4×200 will definitely be tough. I think there’s one team in front of us. We haven’t had all of our legs back yet. I think once we have the right four back together, we’ll be pretty good.”

Smith qualified for the regionals for the first time. He won the 800, 300 hurdles and 4×400 relay at area and led off Decatur’s 4×100 relay, which took second.

“I feel really good, honestly,” Smith said. “The competition will definitely amp up at regionals, and so I have to, as well. I just want to try to have fun and do my best. We’ve got a big group going with us, so hopefully we’ll be able to get a lot of people to state.”

The top two finishers in each event will advance to the UIL state meet May 6 at the Mike A. Myers Stadium at the University of Texas at Austin.

UIL 4A Region I Meet

Friday and Saturday, April 23-24

(Bridgeport and Decatur qualifiers)

BOYS

• 200: Will Quintana, Decatur; Kamerin Ferguson, Decatur
• 400: Jose Reyes, Decatur
• 800: Hunter Smith, Decatur
• 110 hurdles: Will Quintana, Decatur; Cade Johnson, Decatur
• 300 hurdles: Hunter Smith, Decatur; Cade Johnson, Decatur
• 4×100: Decatur (Hunter Smith, Jake Poteet, James Lewis, Kamerin Ferguson)
• 4×200: Decatur (Hunter Huggins, Jake Poteet, Kamerin Ferguson, Will Quintana)
• 4×400: Bridgeport (Garret Hudson, Landon Herring, Mason McGuire, Adan Santoyo); Decatur (Jose Reyes, Jake Poteet, Danner Holmes, Hunter Smith)
• Long jump: Renier Reyes
• High jump: Will Quintana
• Pole vault: Bryan Diaz

GIRLS

• 100: Izzy Zayas, Decatur
• 400: Zoe Hall, Bridgeport
• 1,600: Star Fraga, Bridgeport; Presley Wall, Decatur
• 3,200: Star Fraga, Bridgeport, Presley Wall, Decatur
• 100 hurdles: Melisa Caldera-Ortiz, Bridgeport
• 300 hurdles: Lilyan Gripp, Decatur
• 4X100: Decatur (Ashlynn Dickey, Meredith Shults, Grace Knight, Shylee Dubois)
• 4×200: Decatur (Ashlynn Dickey, Meredith Shults, Grace Knight, Shylee Dubois)
• 4×400: Decatur (Ashlynn Dickey, Meredith Shults, Haylie Huggins, Izzy Zayas)
• High jump: Zoe Hall Bridgeport
• Shot put: Ashley Ingram, Bridgeport; Makenna Gantt, Bridgeport
• Discus: Makenna Gantt, Bridgeport
• Pole vault: Jaiden Ware, Decatur; Ellie Ware, Decatur

UIL 3A Region II Meet

Friday and Saturday, April 23-24

(Boyd and Paradise qualifiers)

BOYS

• 800: Landon Holley, Paradise
• 1,600: Noah Richardson, Boyd
• 3,200: Andrew Messenger, Paradise; Noah Richardson, Boyd
• 110 hurdles: Chase McDowell, Paradise
• 300 hurdles: Chase McDowell, Paradise
• 4×200: Paradise (Casey Nocks, Trein Cox, Leo Hernandez, Anthony Cardenas)
• Shot put: Dustin Meadows, Paradise
• Pole vault: Lane Medlock, Boyd

GIRLS

• 1,600: Tania Ramirez, Boyd
• 3,200: Tania Ramirez, Boyd
• 100 hurdles: Mahkenzie Rutledge, Boyd; Nicole Travis, Boyd
• 300 hurdles: Ashton Orr, Boyd
• 4×400: Boyd (Nicole Travis, Kylie Hays, Brooklyn Vassar, Tania Ramirez)
• Long jump: Kylie Hays, Boyd; Aubrey Jordan, Paradise
• Triple jump: Kynlee Holt, Paradise
• Pole vault: Hayley Gaught, Boyd

UIL 2A Region II Meet

Friday and Saturday, April 23-24

(Alvord and Chico qualifiers)

BOYS

• 800: Austin Souther, Alvord; Raul Warnock, Chico
• 1,600: Austin Souther, Alvord
• 3,200: Austin Souther, Alvord
• Long jump: Joseph Jones, Alvord
• Triple jump: Hunter Richey, Alvord; Brennon Anderle, Chico
• High jump: Brennon Anderle, Chico
• Shot put: Bryce Russell, Alvord
• Discus: Daniel Mora, Alvord
• Pole vault: Jessie Butler, Alvord

GIRLS

• 200: Katie Slaten, Alvord
• 800: Tawni Hamilton, Alvord
• 1,600: Aereonna Cardenas, Chico
• 3,200: Aereonna Cardenas, Chico
• 100 hurdles: Jocelyn Tambunga, Alvord
• 300 hurdles: Rachae Fowler, Alvord
• 4×100: Alvord (Katie Slaten, Laney Mitchell, Audra Nivens, Aubrey Mitchell)
• 4×200: Alvord (Katie Slaten, Aubrey Mitchell, Rachae Fowler, Laney Mitchell)
• 4×400: Alvord (Rachae Fowler, Laney Mitchell, Tawni Hamilton, Audra Nivens)
• Long jump: Laney Mitchell, Alvord; Katie Slaten, Alvord
• Discus: Madison Clark, Alvord
• Triple jump: Katie Slaten, Alvord

UIL 1A Region III Meet

Friday and Saturday, April 23-24

(Slidell qualifiers)

BOYS

• 1,600: Kaden Spoon
• 110 hurdles: Jerl McCasland
• 4×200: Slidell (Hudson Franklin, Manny Peralta, Dillon Stone, Easton Vanover)
• 4×400: Slidell (Hudson Franklin, Manny Peralta, Dillon Stone, Easton Vanover)

GIRLS

• 1,600: Avery Weathers
• 3,200: Avery Weathers
• 300 hurdles: Kenlea Hardin
• Long jump: Jasmine Gonzalez
• Shot put: Sydney Schertz