The Wylie Pirates track and field team saw great success throughout the season, and now has two competitors representing it at the state championships. 

With the top two athletes in each meet automatically qualifying for state, the Pirates’ first qualifier came in the 100-meter dash. Logan Popelka finished second overall in the boys’ 100-meter dash (10.49) with a new personal record time. He finished just .29 seconds behind the winner out of Woodlands College Park.

Popelka also had a chance to qualify in the 200-meter dash, after finishing third in the preliminary heats (21.54), but had to pull out because of a hamstring injury. The Pirates then had two state qualifying times in long-distance running, both from Luke Lambert in the 1600-and 3200-meter races. 

Lambert squeaked out a close victory in the 1600-meter (4:17.57), finishing just .08 seconds ahead of second place and .13 seconds ahead of third place. 

Lambert had a much more comfortable victory in the 3200-meter, finishing nearly six seconds ahead of the pack with a personal record ahead of his own (9:12.26). 

Popelka and Lambert advance to the state championship, where they’ll compete on May 8 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

See the full story in the April 28 edition of The Wylie News.

By Kyle Grondin • [email protected]