9 Takeaways From the Canyon Invitational This Weekend.

After a Canyon Invitational that saw both School and Meet records fall I thought it fitting to share my 9 biggest takeaways from the weekend.

1. I have to stop calling Tanner Adams the fastest man in 3A as it does him a disservice. His 10.19 100m this weekend is the fastest time in the entire state this year and would have won any division you put him in at the 2023 State Track Meet. It also would have broken Brennen Thompson’s 100m State Track Meet 3A Record.

2. Adam Burlison is 100% as good as everyone has said he is. The University of Oregon signee and 2023 Dallas Morning News Athlete of the Year now running at Amarillo High put on a show in the 1600m. Wouldn’t shock me to see him get a 4 minute mile this year.

3. Carly Land is fun to watch in the 300m hurdles. I really hope we get to see her and Keely Harper go head to head at the Amarillo Relays. She and Kennedi Richey are going to be a MUST SEE match up in 2A Region 1 on their way to State.

4. The Texas Panhandle is LOADED with incredible girls 4x400 teams. The Amarillo High girls 4x400 is a super talented group and after just missing the medal stand at State last year taking 4th you can tell they are on a mission this year. We also got to see the back to back State Champion Canyon Lady Eagles. There were a few new faces on this years squad but you can tell that by the time post season track rolls around they will be locked and loaded to go for a three-peat. 3A District 1 should be put on notice that the River Road Lady Cats having returned their entire squad from last year are primed to make a run at the District Championship. Last but definitely not least in this takeaway are the defending State Silver Medal winning Panhandle ladies led by the Land sisters who can absolutely fly.

5. The Bushland boys 4x100 relay after graduating 3 Seniors last year off their State Silver Medal squad is going to be right back in the conversation of best 3A 4x100 teams this year. We talk a lot about Tanner Adams but a name Falcon fans will want to familiarize themselves with this year is Slade Perry. He has developed into one incredible sprinter that shoots out of the blocks and eats up that first curve as well as it can be done. It’s going to be fun to watch he and Tanner fine tune that first handoff as they look to continue to go faster.

6. Congratulations Pius Vokes on setting the new AHS school record with his 10.48 100m. Pius can absolutely fly and he and his Amarillo High 4x100 who replaced 2 legs from last years Regional Qualifying team already look to be in midseason form. Will be a lot of fun to see their rematch with Bushland at the Amarillo Relays in a few weeks.

7. The Bushland girls 4x100 has the potential to be back on the medal stand at State! Which is saying a lot after graduating Jesse Fowler and Bayleigh Eason off last year’s squad. They may have dropped the baton this weekend but that may be the only thing that slows them down.

8. Hannah Stuart is absolutely incredible! The defending State Champion looks primed to defend her title.

9. Congratulations to the Bushland Falcon 4x200 team of Slade Perry, Jake Hammer, Easton Fuentes and Tanner Adams on their new school record of 1:29.41. This early in the season we can expect that number to go even lower but it’s also exciting to know that time run at Regionals would have qualified them for the State Track Meet!