Lion track finds success at state meet

May 10—WACO, Texas — After a long season on the track, Alpha Omega Academy wrapped up its 2024 season at Waco Midway High School in the TAPPS 3A State Championship.

With six members competing across four events, the Lions team was ready to attack the stiff competition at one of the highest levels.

"It has been a season filled with challenges but I am so thankful for how well the athletes and coaches have persevered," AOA track and field coach Charlotte Collier said. "Our theme this year has been: We can do hard things."

Despite heavy rains and some road closures, the Lions trekked to Waco for the state meet. AOA saw freshman Peyton Nichols compete for the 100-meter hurdle run, where she moved up a spot on the leaderboard. Nichols wrapped up the season with a seventh-place finish and a time of 17.48 seconds, a new personal record.

AOA senior Noah Weeks was another member who performed well at the meet. In his last run, Weeks finished the 110-meter hurdle with a time of 17.44 seconds for seventh place in the state.

To round out the running events, the Lady Lions had a 4x200-meter relay. The squad is made up of Ava Nino, Evi Nino, Leinaya Gay and Hannah Dunster to run the race. The relay teams finished fifth, with a time of 1:53.84.

Ava also competed in the triple jump where she just missed the podium with a 33' 11" jump to finish fourth.

"With the district and region competition level being much higher than in the past years, I was thankful that we had as many athletes advance to the State Meet as we did," Collier said. "Next year, the majority of the schools in our district are moving up a classification, which makes the playing field for AOA athletes more level."