Cougars’ Lewis Seeks Hurdles Title
The high school state track and field championships begin Friday at the University of New Mexico Complex.
Here is a rundown of some events in which local athletes could be a factor:
BOYS: Cibola’s Steven Lewis and Hobbs’ Daniel Fuentes are expected to have a close race in the final of the 110-meter high hurdles. Lewis beat Fuentes head-to-head in their only meeting — at the Marilyn Sepulveda meet. But Fuentes comes in with the top qualifying time this weekend.
Volcano Vista’s Ryan Goss could contend in the 110 hurdles where he is seeded third, and Goss might also score in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, where he’s seeded seventh.
Another Cibola athlete, Kendall McVey, could be a double champion this weekend.
The senior has the top qualifying time in both the 400 and 800, although his chances are considered much better in the 800. McVey has been just about unbeatable in the 800, and his best mark of the year, 1:54.44, is almost 3 1/2 seconds better than the next qualifier on the list, Jose Arias of Gadsden.
Both Joe Ortega of Volcano Vista and Christopher Martin of Cibola could place in the 100-meter dash, one of the first running finals Saturday. West Mesa’s Chris Kline has a chance to score in all three sprints — the 100, 200 and 400. Kline has the second-quickest time in the 400, behind McVey. In the 200, he has the fourth-fastest mark of the 2011 season.
There are three local athletes who might place in the shot put: Ty Stanley of West Mesa, Zack Clouse of Volcano Vista (who also is a possible placer in the discus) and Volcano Vista’s Erik Crum.
Cibola has two pole vaulters who could place: James Chavez and Evan Schwartz. And the Cougars’ Dane Fragger is one of the top qualifiers in the long jump, behind only Isaiah Lintz of Hobbs.
West Mesa’s Matt Jaramillo, along with Mike Kozemchak and Adam Mitchell of Cibola, all have a shot to place in the javelin, in which Rio Rancho’s Paul Jaramillo is the top seed.
Cibola’s 2×200-meter relay team could, with a strong race, place at state.
♦ Junior Jesus Estrada of Atrisco Heritage Academy could place in both the 1,600 and the 3,200. Tyler Saiz of Del Norte is the favorite at both distances.
GIRLS: Stephanie McCorkle of Volcano Vista should be a factor in several events. She is seeded sixth for the prelims in the 100, and also qualified in the 200. But her best chance for a state title is probably in the long jump, where she has the second-best qualifying mark of the year, 17 feet, 6 1/2 inches. Regina Okoye of Eldorado has gone 17-10 this season.
Rio Grande’s Lucretia Vigil is another area athlete who has qualified in several events, and may place in one of them. Vigil is seeded fifth in the 400, and she also qualified in the 200 and the 100. Brianna Chirpas of Volcano Vista will run the 100 and 200.
Cibola’s Edwina Peele could score in two events: the shot put where she has a decent shot to win (she is seeded fourth), and the discus, in which she is seeded second behind Rio Rancho’s tough Shaqria Hogue.
Cibola’s Kim Chapman and Volcano Vista’s Adriana Lopez could possibly place in the 1,600 if either has an especially strong race. So could Volcano Vista’s Elisa Woody in the 3,200.
Cibola’s Bailey Lindsay is seeded second in the pole vault, but she’s got some work to do if she hopes to overtake the favorite, Highland’s Anicka Newell.
Volcano Vista’s 4×100-meter relay team has a serious shot at a win; the Hawks have the second-quickest time this year in that event, behind only Mayfield.
♦ Top contenders for St. Pius in the 4A meet include: Marissa Nathe in the 3,200, 1,600 and 800; Kelli Reagan in the 800; Sara Weber in the javelin and the discus; Danielle Rivera in the pole vault; and Hannah Gradza in either the triple jump or high jump.
The Atrisco Heritage girls qualified in just one event, the 4×400-meter relay.
State Golf
Cibola’s Kelcey Tate finished third individually at the Class 5A state tournament earlier this week at New Mexico Tech Golf Course in Socorro.
Tate was the defending state champion; she went second, second, first and third in her four-year career with the Cougars.
Cibola’s boys finished seventh at state. Justin Fredericks was the low Cougar, at 175, tied for 18th place. Andrew Ellis was 27th overall.
Josiah Guajardo of Volcano Vista finished 29th.
Jessica Guajardo of the Hawks shot rounds of 104 and 109, and teammate Jamie Mondragon had scores of 98 and 108.
The St. Pius boys finished sixth in 4A at the UNM Championship Course in Albuquerque. Joey Tellez, who tied for 16th, was the low Sartan. Zeb Montoya-Sanchez tied for 24th.
The St. Pius girls were tied for eighth, although Memoree LeCompte finished all-state by placing third after solid rounds of 80 and 82 in windy conditions.
The Bosque School girls, led by top-10 showings from Bella Sanchez and Claire Spence, finished second in Class 1A-3A in Las Cruces. Socorro won the team title by 67 shots.
— This article appeared on page 8 of the West Side Journal
