Northwest freshman wins state title, sets national record

Student-athletes from Byron Nelson and Northwest high schools traveled to the UIL Track & Field State Championships last weekend with Northwest High School freshman Cooper Lutkenhaus coming home as a state champion in the 5A 800-meter run.

Cooper ran an incredible final 200 meters as he separated from the field and finished with a time of 1:49.84, setting a national class record as the fastest time by a high school freshman in U.S. history. Cooper finished nearly four seconds ahead of the rest of the nine-person field which featured all juniors and seniors.

In addition to Cooper’s state championship and gold medal, four other NISD student-athletes stood on the podium last weekend at the Mike A. Myers Track & Soccer Stadium in Austin. 

Sky Brazzell, a junior from Byron Nelson, won the silver medal in the girls 6A 400-meter run with a time of 53.84 seconds. Sky was also part of the Byron Nelson 4x100-meter relay team that took third place and the bronze medal with a school-record time of 45.43 seconds. Other members of the team were Bryce Brazzell, Grace Berry and Lily McDowell. 

In addition to the Byron Nelson girls breaking a school record in the 4x100-meter relay, the Bobcats’ 4x400-meter relay team also broke a school record on their way to a fourth place finish in the event. Overall, the Byron Nelson girls finished the meet in fourth place as a team.

A total of 17 Northwest ISD student-athletes competed in nine different events at the state meet. 

Below is a full list of NISD’s state track and field podium finishers:

Northwest High School - Boys

• Cooper Lutkenhaus (Freshman)
  • 800-meter run - 1st place, 5A State Champion - 1:49.84
    • Freshman national record 

Byron Nelson High School - Girls

•  Grace Berry (Senior), Bryce Brazzell (Senior), Sky Brazzell (Junior), Lily McDowell (Senior)
  • 4x100-meter Relay Team - 3rd place - 45.43 seconds
• Sky Brazzell (Junior)
  • 400-meter run - 2nd place - 53.84 seconds