For the Meridian boys track team, getting back to the UIL Class 1A State Track & Field Championships this Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin stood out as the focal point of the 2024 season.

Bosque County will be represented well at the UIL State Track and Field Championships held this Thursday-Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin.

In a wild finish to the 2024 Texas high school baseball regular season in District 14-1A, the Meridian Yellowjackets shook off a three-game losing streak to wrap up the season with three straight wins, earning back-to-back trips to the playoffs for the first time since 2010. After knocking off the District 14-1A champion Oglesby Tigers, 6-5, on the road last Tuesday, the Jackets wrapped up the regular season with a win without stepping on the field as the Gholson Wildcats forfeited due to not having enough healthy players.

Looking like a championship squad right from the beginning, the Class 3A’s 20th-ranked Blooming Grove Lady Lions swept the Clifton Lady Cubs in their Bi-District playoff best of three-game series last week. But the Lady Cubs did not go down without a fight.

Despite more than doubling their win total from last season, the Clifton Cub baseball squad came up just short of their goal of returning to the Class 3A state playoffs for the first time since 2019. But along the way, the Cubs went on a wild ride that took them to the brink of getting back where they belong.

For the Clifton boys and girls track teams, two athletes will be making return trips to the UIL Class 3A State Track & Field Championships this week. When junior Ray Ochoa and sophomore Alexa Lane compete Thursday at Mike A.

Coming off their shocking 5-3 upset victory over the then 10th-ranked Maypearl Panthers, the upstart Clifton Cubs became painfully aware that they might have just woke up the sleeping giant. Looking like the team that captured the 2023 District 17-3A title and marched to the Class 3A state semifinals, Maypearl stormed back for a dominating 20-0 win over Clifton at Cub Field last Tuesday night to salvage a split of the two-game, homeand- home series.

Despite carrying a fourgame losing streak into the 2024 Texas high school softball regular season finale, the Clifton Lady Cub dream of achieving backto- back playoff appearances remained a realistic possibility as Clifton faced a must-win scenario against Maypearl. And in the headto- head battle for District 17-3A’s final postseason berth, the Lady Cubs wanted it more.

While being well-represented at the UIL Class 3A, Region III Track and Field Championships held last Friday and Saturday at Midway High School in Hewitt, the Clifton boys and girls needed a couple of gold medal efforts to advance to the Class 3A State Championships May 2 in Austin. Breaking his own school record with a time of 48.74, junior Ray Ochoa qualified for the state meet by capturing the gold medal in the 400-meter dash.

Just when they needed it most, the Clifton Cub baseball team came up with its biggest win of the season. Shaking off back-to-back lopsided losses to the 16thranked West Trojans, the Cubs shocked the 10thranked Maypearl Panthers, 5-3, on the road last Friday night to seize control of their postseason destiny.