The Boys Track and Field athletes Jacob Cantu, Sebastian Garcia, and Jewell Hicks traveled to the University of Texas at Austin to compete in the 2026 UIL State Track and Field Championships on May 14. They represented Lytle with pride in a year like no other. Many of the Class 3A events outperformed higher classifications, making the podium even harder to reach. Nonetheless, our boys showed up on the biggest stage.
Sebastian Garcia started things off in the 800m, placing 8th with a time of 1:57.86. He ran a fierce race, and the experience gained on the biggest stage will be valuable moving forward. We look forward to seeing what he does next year, as he is the No. 2 returner in the field.
Jewell Hicks competed next in the 400m, placing 4th with a time of 49.90 and missing the podium by just three hundredths of a second. We are very proud of Hicks and look forward to seeing what he does at the next level as he continues his academic and athletic career at Texas A&M University @ San Antonio this fall.
Lastly, Jacob Cantu closed things out for the Pirates in the 1600m. Cantu ran a gutsy race, but the plan changed around the 800m mark. The goal was to position himself near the third-place runner and attack on the final lap in hopes of earning a podium finish. Knowing the strength of the field, it was going to be a tough race. Nonetheless, Cantu placed 4th with a time of 4:22.23. We are extremely proud of him. He has a bright future ahead and is the No. 2 returner in the event next year.
This closes a season that will be remembered forever. As a whole, this has been our strongest team dating back to the early 1990s, as far back as I can confirm. This group broke five school records that had stood for more than 18 years. They defended their District Team Championship title, finished as Area Runner-Ups, qualified 13 athletes to the Regional Meet, and advanced three athletes to the State Meet.
We will truly miss this group, the memories, and the journey they took us on over these past few months. We wish our seniors the very best as they move on to the next chapter of their lives. As for our returners, we look forward to what lies ahead and the continued growth of this program.
Thank you all for the continued support throughout this unforgettable season.
- Coach Benavides