HUNTSVILLE — After a long wait, local track-and-field athletes finally had their shot at the Region III, Class 4A meet at Sam Houston State University.

San Marcos, Hays and Lehman were each well-represented at Bowers Stadium as the athletes tried to obtain the elusive state meet berth.

Hays and Lehman were the first to kick things off, as the Lady Lobos’ 4x100 meter team placed third in their flight.

Hays’ Mariana Sigala placed third in her heat of the 800 meters with a time of 2:25.83. She was just edged out for a spot in the finals by Sojourner Brown from Beaumont Ozen.

San Marcos had its first two athletes in the 110-meter high hurdles, with Amanda Hunt and Tomas Velasquez taking to the track. Hunt finished her heat in fourth place with a time of 16.30, while Velasquez qualified for the finals with a sprint of 14.77.

Velasquez wasn’t able to get a state qualifying placing, as he finished in eighth place (15.47).

Lehman’s girls 4x200 meter team finished third, which led to the Girls 400-meter dash.

Two local athletes tried their might, as San Marcos’ Solana Dever and Hays’ Kellie Trinkauas toed the track.

Dever finished in the back of her heat in 1:04.48, while Trinkauas qualified for the finals with a time of 59.64.

Trinkauas wouldn’t be able to reel in a state qualifying bid, as she placed eighth in the finals in 1:00.29.

Lehman’s Jaylon Hardaway put on a good showing in the Boys 400-meter dash and finished with a time of 51.34.

San Marcos’ Ashley Garza placed fifth in her heat of the 300-meter hurdles in 52.52, while Hays’ Iesha Castro-Soliz reeled in a sixth-place finish in 51.32.

Velasquez tried his might in the 300-meter hurdles, finishing third in his heat 41.54.

Lehman’s Ramon Martinez finished ninth in the 3200-meter run with a time of 10:21.86.

Following the 3200-meter run, the 4x400-meter relay took the track, as San Marcos’ team of Ashley Crayton, Gina Misasiak, Meghan Rodriguez and Dever finished in 4:18.04.

Hays’ squad of Cary Gay, Krista Koopman, Mariana Sigala and Trinkaus qualified for the finals with a time of 4:06.89. They were unable to lock down a state qualifying bid, finishing seventh in the heat in 4:09.83.

The Lobos’ 4x400-meter team of Jaylon Hardaway, Jason Euresti, Justin Torres and Matt Wehr finished seventh in their heat with a time of 3:30.42.

In the field events, San Marcos had a good showing with Dever completing the long jump in 16-feet, 4-inches and Xavia Pipkins hurling the discus 94-feet, 2-inches.

As it was expected, the Hays pole vaulters earned state qualifying bids, with Chaney Turney winning the event with a leap of 11 feet, while Merideth Driskell placed third with 10-feet, 6-inches. Briana Abreo cleared the bar with 9-feet, 6-inches.

Lehman’s Kerry Robinson finished third in the Girl’s High Jump in 5-4, while Hays’ Iann Tennille attained a height of 6-4 in the male event.

Chris Wise and RJ Hardaway did well in the Boy’s Shot Put, while Trevell Jones of Hays bounded 44-feet, 4-inches in the triple jump.

The University Interscholastic League State Meet will be held June 5-6 at the University of Texas.