The 2025 Yellowjacket Relays did not disappoint.

The meet saw Mineola freshman Kipton Neighbors place himself in elite company as he vaulted 14’ 8,” for a school record.  

From a team perspective, the Mineola Lady Jackets put together another banner day of track and field performances. They scored in 15 of 18 events to amass a 58-point margin over the second-place Sabine Lady Cardinals.  

Neighbors was joined in the blue-ribbon circle by teammate Caden Rupert, who won the 300-meter hurdles in 42.26 seconds. The Jackets finished just two points behind the Sabine Cardinal track team.  

The Mineola boys registered 62 points from the six field events. Neighbors, Chance Williams and River Strange swept the pole vault. 

Top-three finishers for Mineola included Trey Rushing (second in discus), Zane Strange (second in high jump), Rupert (third in long jump and second in the 110-meter hurdles) and a third-place time by the 4x200-meter relay of Caidon Beck, Ainsley Steward, Neighbors and Jonathan Ledesma.

Other Mineola scorers included Preston Haskins in the 800-meter run, Caidon Beck in the 200-meter dash and the long jump, Rushing in the shot put, Grayson Dupont in the discus and Rupert and Steward in the triple jump and the high jump. 

The Quitman boys team finished in seventh place overall. Jairo Salinas captured the 800-meter crown with a first-place time of 2:05.11. 

The 4x100-meter relay team of Mark Sanders, Dakota Reynolds, Jacob Powell and Solomon Davis finished third. Other Bulldogs scorers included Saul Flores in the 3200-meter run, Nehemiah Faulkner in the 110-meter hurdles, Reynolds in the 100-meter dash, Bryson Hobbs in the high jump, Creedence Runyon in the pole vault and the 4x200-meter relay team.

The Mineola girls squad saw 15 athletes contribute to the scoring table. Both the 4x100-meter team of Desiree Gandy, Mahayla McMahon, Jaylee Navarez and Stephanie Rojas; and the 4x200-meter team of Tierany Neighbors, Nevarez, Rojas and Adelyn Steward collected blue ribbons. The 4x100-eterm team recorded a time of 51.67 seconds, while the 4x200-meter team crossed the line in 1:48.64.

The Lady Jackets totaled six first-place finishers. In addition to the relay teams, they were Raylie Peoples (2:24.68 in the 800-meter run), Khloe Johnson (17.00 in the 100-meter hurdles), Caroline Castleberry (49.22 in the 300-meter hurdles) and Tierany Neighbors (11’9” in the pole vault).

Top-three finishers included Olivia Hughes in the 3200 meters, Khloe Johnson in the 300-meter hurdles, Rojas in the 200-meter dash and triple jump, Neighbors in the shot put and McMahon in the high jump.

Other scorers included Castleberry and Destinee Gandy in the 100-meter hurdles, Navarez in the 100-meter dash and pole vault, Macey Ramirez in the 400-meter dash, Amera Caldwell and Adelyn Steward in the 200-meter dash, Jaeyla Dennis in the long jump and triple jump and Milo Reed in the pole vault. 

The Lady Bulldogs logged a fifth-place team finish. Katie DeGorostiza led the squad by taking 3200-meter race in a time of 11:58.48. 

Braleigh Wood (800 and 400 meters), Alexis Frazier (long jump), Annabelle Hollinquest (discus) and Sadie Vander Schaaf (high jump) recorded top-three finishes.  

Other Lady Bulldog scorers were Jaeda Comeaux in the 3200 meters, DeGorostiza in the 800-meter run, and Cooper Marcee in the 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles and pole vault. The 4x100-meter and 4x200-meter relay teams placed sixth and fifth, respectively. 

Competing at the Yellowjacket Relays were athletes from Edgewood, Grand Saline, Harmony, Mineola, Quitman, Rains, Sabine and Winnsboro.