CP's Vela qualifies for state, Beckerson takes bronze at regional meet

KINGSVILLE – Center Point’s Taylor Vela punched his ticket to the state track and field meet with gold and silver medal racing performances at the Region-IV Class 2A meet Saturday at Javelina Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M Kingsville.

Class 2A races will take place Saturday, May 13 at Mike Myers Stadium at The University of Texas.

Vela, a senior, won the 800 meters when he clocked a personal best 2:01 to hold off second place Antonio Martinez of Louise (2:02), and Alan Baez of Ganado (2:03).

In the 1600 a few hours later Vela placed second in a time of 4:33, and was just behind District 29-2A rival Jose Vanegas-Martinez of Goldthwaite who ran 4:32. Salvatore Lione of San Antonio Stacey came in third behind Vela at 4:36.

Top two finishers at regional meets qualify for state while third positions are considered “wild cards” and will have to wait-and-see how they stack up to third placers from all four regional meets before knowing if they might advance to Austin.

Vela extracted a measure of racing revenge by beating Vanegas-Martinez, Baez, and Lione after all three were ahead of him in the 3200 on Friday. That race was won by Stockdale’s Taylor Warrick in 9:55. Vela’s time was 10:43 for fifth.

Hoping for a “wild card” trip to state is senior Toree Beckerson who high jumped to third, clearing the bar at 5-2 which was well below her area winning effort of 5-4. Meredith Magliolo from Schulenburg won with 5-5, and Holland’s Maddison Cross second at 5-3.

Fellow CPHS senior Derrick Dominguez finished seventh in pole vault where his final season effort was 11-0.

Vela’s 20 points were better than 12 other schools while Beckerson’s six points came out ahead of two.