Junior High Track Wraps Up Strong Season With Records, Titles

April 13, 2026 – The Grace junior high track and field team wrapped up its season this past week after a successful year filled with growth, strong performances and memorable finishes. This year’s program included 72 athletes who competed throughout the season and continued to improve at every meet.

The Cougars opened the season with a practice meet at Big Sandy, where the seventh grade group immediately made an impact. The eighth grade teams also returned with a strong core of experienced athletes and showed continued progress, led by Camilla Palacios, who ran a 68-second 400-meter dash. Standout early performances also included Josiah Goodman’s 2:40 debut in the 800-meter run, Grayson Gautier winning the 100-meter dash in 12.5 seconds, and a strong showing in the hurdles from Chris Allgaier, Jace France and Wesley Weiner.

Following spring break, Grace hosted the Cougar Relays and delivered one of its most impressive performances of the season. All four teams won their division titles. Skylar McGee highlighted the meet by setting a new school record in the long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 2.5 inches. McGee also won the high jump, 100-meter dash, 300-meter hurdles and ran the lead leg of the first-place 4×400 relay team. On the girls side, Meagan Smith won both the shot put and discus, while Lydia Martinez claimed victories in the 2,400-meter and 1,600-meter runs.

The Cougars followed that performance with another strong showing at the Brook Hill Invitational, competing against a deeper field and continuing their success. The teams earned multiple top finishes, including first-place overall finishes by the seventh grade boys and eighth grade girls. Notable performances included Carson Henry winning the discus with a throw of 115 feet, Miller Cooper running 58 seconds in the 400-meter dash, Joshua Wright cutting 30 seconds off his personal best in the 1,600-meter run, and Isaac Jenks setting a new school record in the 1,600 with a time of 5:11.85.

Grace closed the season at the Texas Private Middle School State Championship held at Brook Hill. Both boys teams and the seventh grade girls finished second overall, while the eighth grade girls placed third. The Cougars produced several standout results, including Laurabeth Roseman and Pippa Burton finishing first and second in the pole vault, Kathrine Proctor completing an undefeated season in the triple jump, Jace France breaking 20 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles, and Wesley Weiner breaking 50 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles.

Hannah Jenks also delivered a perfect day for the seventh grade girls, winning the 2,400-meter and 1,600-meter runs and anchoring the 4×400 relay team to a key victory.

Grace coaches said they are proud of the effort and attitude shown throughout the season, as athletes worked hard, supported one another and improved each week. The program looks forward to building on the success and continuing to grow in the years ahead.