By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

First-round summaries: BOYS | GIRLS

Second-round summaries: BOYS | GIRLS

Regional semifinals summaries: BOYS | GIRLS

TOURNAMENT BRACKETS

WEST REGIONAL

Duncanville TX 82, Bentonville AR 54

For the third time in tournament history, Texas will be represented in the national final, with UIL 6A state champion Duncanville ending the memorable run of Arkansas 6A winner Bentonville. The Panthers joined 2019 tournament champion DeSoto and last year’s runner-up Flower Mound as Texas programs to compete for the virtual title. The Tigers were not only the first Arkansas girls program to participate in the 32-team field in the seven editions of the tournament, but Bentonville held the advantage in the six field events in all four of its matchups, including a 30-24 edge against Duncanville. Nine of those points came as a result of the Panthers not fielding any entries in the pole vault, but Paisley Hight prevailed in the high jump with a 5-7 clearance and Hannah Hanson took third at 5-4 for the Tigers, with Brooklyn Williams clearing 5-6 for Duncanville. Ashley Lister was victorious in the long jump at 19-4.50, with freshman Zipporah Jones taking the triple jump at 36-7, Alana Butler earning the win in the discus at 140-11 and Ariyonna Edmond securing the top spot in the shot put at 41-3.25 for the Panthers. Devyn O’Daniel, Madison Galindo, Macey Hurley, Haley Loewe and Hanson accounted for the only 24 points on the track for Bentonville with their performances in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. In addition to winning the 4x100 in 45.55 and the 4x400 in 3:45.60, Duncanville dominated again in the sprints and hurdles. Aaliyah Gipson, Sanyah Keeton, De’Kayla Simpson, Kayli Hill and Lister swept the 100, 200 and 400 for the Panthers. Indyia Walton, Kennedy Brown, Trezur Connley and Chloe Mann did the same in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles for Duncanville, which also received a runner-up performance in the 1,600 from Isabella Celis. It marked the second year in a row that a team making its tournament debut reached the final, with Duncanville joining 2022 UIL 6A state champion Flower Mound in achieving the feat. The Panthers tied for 18th place at last year’s 6A state final, before elevating to capture the championship this season.

EAST REGIONAL

Bullis School MD 80, Union Catholic NJ 56

In a rematch of last season’s regional final – a 78-58 victory for Bullis School – the teams split the six field events with 27 points apiece, but the Maryland independent school powerhouse Bulldogs demonstrated again why they were even stronger and deeper on the track than last year’s lineup that went on to capture the national title. With Bullis School sweeping the 100, 200 and 400 to offset Union Catholic scoring 26 of a possible 27 points in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, the Bulldogs did the most damage in the hurdling events and relays to prevent the Vikings from reaching their first national final. Bullis ran 44.67 in the 4x100 and 3:36.25 in the 4x400 to earn 10 points, then Myla Greene clocked 13.10 in the 100-meter hurdles and 58.17 in the 400-meter hurdles for the Bulldogs. Although Taylor Cox matched Bullis’ Kennedy Flynn by clocking 13.56 in the 100 hurdles to tie for second, in addition to taking third in the 400 hurdles at 1:03.22 behind Greene and Sydney Sutton (1:01.53), those were the only points accumulated by the Vikings, who were outscored by a 15-3 margin. Lauren Leath managed the only point in the 800 with a third-place finish for Bullis, with Peyton Hollis, Kaleigh Gunsiorowski, Courtney Kaiser and Ella Solorzano accounting for all the remaining scoring in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 for Union Catholic, which won its eighth consecutive New Jersey Non-Public A Group title. Jade Ofotan, Mirai Bernard, Payton Payne, Sage Hinton and Sutton joined forces to sweep the 100, 200 and 400 for the Bulldogs. In addition to nine points amassed in the pole vault since Bullis didn’t field any entries, Union Catholic also won the long jump with a 19-foot leap from Vonya Gould and the high jump as a result of a 5-2 clearance by Ebony Turner. The Bulldogs prevailed in the triple jump, as Morgan Bridges soared 40-7.50, with Aleah Schwartz throwing 120-2 to take top honors in the discus and achieving a 36-foot shot put to emerge victorious as well. Madison Emery also scored in both throwing events for Bullis, which joined Miami Northwestern High and St. Thomas Aquinas High from Florida, along with Chandler High of Arizona, as the only girls programs in tournament history to make consecutive appearances in the national championship matchup.