TEMPLE, TX — Under the bright lights of Wildcat Stadium on April 1, the Lamar Middle School Bearcat 7th grade track and field team took to the oval for the Cen-Tex Divisional Meet. With a trip to the District Championships on the line, the Bearcats fought through a competitive field to secure their spot among the region's best.
Lamar finished 6th Place in the overall team standings with 21 points. In a razor-thin race for the top spot, SC Lee claimed 1st Place (172.66 points), narrowly edging out North Belton (172.33 points).
Heading to District: The Top Performers
The primary goal of the Divisional Meet was clear: finish in the top four to punch a ticket to the Cen-Tex Middle School District Championships.
Leading the charge for the Bearcats was Jafari Bennett, who proved to be a force in the field events. Bennett earned bronze medals in two different disciplines, securing his advancement to the next round:
High Jump: 3rd Place – 4’10 (District Qualifier)
Triple Jump: 3rd Place – 34’11 ½ (District Qualifier)
Bennett’s dual-medal performance provided the bulk of the Bearcats' scoring and ensured Lamar representation in the jumps at the upcoming championships.
Full Meet Results
The Bearcats showed depth across all categories, from the explosive sprints to the grueling distance runs. While many narrowly missed the top-four cutoff, their efforts contributed to a solid 6th-place team finish.
Sprints & Hurdles
100 Meters: Jafari Bennett (12.63, 7th); Michael Nino (13.96, 17th); Major Lee (14.37, 18th)
110 Hurdles: Kayden Clark (21.08, 9th); Camden Grant (23.13, 14th)
200 Meters: Jafari Bennett (26.63, 9th); Ian Torres (30.67, 15th); Major Lee (33.81, 16th)
300 Hurdles: Robert Williams (54.63, 9th); Kayden Clark (1:12.49, 16th); Camden Grant (1:14.25, 17th)
400 Meters: Jimmy Caudillo (1:06.20, 11th); Ian Torres (1:08.40, 12th); Major Lee (1:10.63, 14th)
Distance
800 Meters: Alfonso Rodriguez (3:20.43, 15th); Christopher Torres (3:22.11, 16th); Tracy Baugh (3:42.44, 17th)
1600 Meters: Jordan Wells (6:26.45, 8th); Alfonso Rodriguez (7:41.33, 14th); Alexander Sotelo (8:22.75, 15th)
2400 Meters: Jordan Wells (11:48.68, 11th); Alfonso Rodriguez (12:24.69, 12th); Alexander Sotelo (14:27.22, 15th)
Field Events
High Jump: Jafari Bennett (4’10, 3rd)
Long Jump: Kayden Clark (16’1, 9th); Jordan Wells (12’4 ½, 17th); Major Lee (12’1, 18th)
Triple Jump: Jafari Bennett (34’11 ½, 3rd); Kayden Clark (33’6, 6th)
Relays
4x100 Relay: Kayden Clark, Michael Nino, Jimmy Caudillo, Jafari Bennett (52.57, 6th)
4x200 Relay: Kayden Clark, Jimmy Caudillo, Michael Nino, Jafari Bennett (1:52.62, 5th)
4x400 Relay: Jafari Bennett, Jimmy Caudillo, Michael Nino, Ian Torres (4:36.54, 6th)
Looking Ahead
The qualifying Bearcats will now shift their focus to the Cen-Tex Middle School District Championships on April 7th. The meet will be held at Panther Stadium on the campus of Midway High School in Hewitt.
Lamar supporters can catch the action starting with the field events at 4:00 PM, followed by the running finals at 6:00 PM. Good luck to Jafari Bennett as he represents the maroon and gold on the big stage!
