Vote now: Who was the best distance runner in Texas high school boys track in 2023?
Kevin Sanchez photo by Tommy Hays
The UIL state track meet took place May 8-11 at Mike A. Myers Stadium at University of Texas in Austin, culminating a season that set new national records and scores of dominant breakout performances.
With the UIL high school track and field season finished, SBLive is taking a look at the top athletes across the 2023 spring by event group.
UIL STATE TRACK:
We started by highlighting the top girls sprinters in Texas, followed by girls throwers, and in the coming days we're turning to the top distance runners, hurdlers and jumpers — then letting you decide which athlete rises above the rest in each category.
Here are 10 distance runners — competitors in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 — who stood above the rest this Texas high school boys track and field season. Cast your vote for the best boys distance runner in the state. Voting is open until May 30 at 11:59 p.m. Central time:
Top 10 boys distance runners in Texas in 2023
Michael Archie, Humble Atascocita (6A), Sr.
Best event: 1,600
PR: 4:11.31 (Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays)
Archie ran the 10th-fastest 3,200 in Texas this year at the state meet, and he came up big in the 1,600 earlier in the season at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays with a 4:11.31. He'll be running cross country next year for the University of Houston.
Jack Boyd, Klein Oak (6A), Sr.
Best event: 3,200
PR: 8:57.56 (UIL 6A state meet)
Boyd won the regional championship in the 1,600, and he set the school record with an 8:57.56 at the state meet in the 3,200. He'll be competing for Texas next season in track and cross country.
Adam Burlison, Grapevine (5A), Jr.
Best event: 1,600
PR: 4:08.64 (UIL 6A state meet)
Burlison is just as good in the 3,200 as he is in the 1,600. He won state titles in both as a junior, finishing with the second-best time in the state overall in both (8:54.47 and 4:08.64, respectively). His time in the 3,200 set a new state record in Class 5A.
Aaron Crittenden, Killeen Ellison (5A), Sr.
Best event: 800
PR: 1:51.77 (Arcadia Invitational)
Crittenden's time of 1:51.77 in a loaded 800-meter field at the Arcadia Invitational in California in April held up as the third-fastest 800 among Texas runners in 2023. He'll be running for the University of Houston next year.
Keyshawn Garcia, Edinburg North (6A), Sr.
Best event: 800
PR: 1:51.53 (UIL 6A state meet)
Garcia won gold in the 800 at state with a time of 1:51.53, the second-fastest time in the state in 2023. He also finished ninth at state in the 400 with a time of 50.74.
Ayden Granados, McAllen Memorial (5A), Sr.
Best event: 3,200
PR: 8:57.29 (UIL 6A state meet)
Granados ran the fourth-fastest 1,600 in the state this season at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in March (4:09.42), and he finished second in the 1,600 and 3,200 at the 5A state meet. He signed in January to compete in track and cross country at Oklahoma State.
Zeke Moreno, Conroe Oak Ridge (6A), Sr.
Best event: 800
PR: 1:51.40 (UIL 6A District 13 meet)
Moreno ran a disappointing eighth in the 800 at the state meet, but his PR in April of 1:51.40 was the fastest time in Texas this year. He just started running competitively as a junior and will be competing in college for Texas Tech.
Luis Pastor, El Paso Coronado (6A), Sr.
Best event: 1,600
PR: 4:09.04 (UIL 6A state meet)
Pastor finished his high school career with PRs in the 1,600 and 3,200 at the state meet, earning silver in the 1,600 and bronze in the 3,200. He'll be joining Boyd to compete for the Texas Longhorns next season.
Kevin Sanchez, Austin Vandegrift (6A), Sr.
Best event: 3,200
PR: 8:56.38 (UIL 6A state meet)
The defending state champ in the 3,200, Sanchez had to settle for silver this year, finishing with a time of 8:56.38. The Notre Dame signee took bronze in the 1,600 with a time of 4:12.42. He's also a two-time state champion in cross country.
Reese Vannerson, Houston Strake Jesuit (6A), Sr.
Best event: 3,200
PR: 8:49.10 (UIL 6A state meet)
Vannerson set a hot pace in the 3,200 at the 6A state meet and finished just as strong, establishing a meet record of 8:49.10. He also edged Pastor in the 1,600 with a time of 4:08.08, but his top time in that even this season was a 4:06.87 at the Grand Oaks Grizzly Senior Day Relays.
