Cleveland boys, Academy girls continue track and field dominance at metros

The team standings at the Albuquerque Metro Track and Field Championships followed exactly the standings from the previous week, at least at the top as Cleveland’s boys and Albuquerque Academy’s girls claimed the gargantuan metro trophies.

The Storm put up a huge number, 125 points, which was 49 in front of La Cueva (76). St. Pius had a very impressive day and placed third with 69 points.

The Chargers scored 96.5 points, and they even lost 10 points when they were DQ’d out of the 1,600-meter medley, a race they were clearly going to win, for a poor exchange.

La Cueva (71) and Sandia (56.5, a point in front of Cleveland) were second and third, respectively.

St. Pius senior Bryan Thomas had a pair of victories, in the 200-meter dash and 400-meter run. He was also fourth in the open 100, and added an outstanding anchor leg to lead the Sartans to victory in the meet’s final event, the 4x400-meter relay. He scored 20.5 points.

Grace Erinle, a sophomore from Academy, had a meet-best 23 points. She won the long jump on Thursday, and won the 200 on Saturday (25.14 seconds). She also placed second Saturday to teammate Julia Stein, who won the triple jump on her final attempt (35 feet, 6 inches).

Erinle also earned points in the two sprint relays for Academy. She was also the high point girl at her home meet last weekend.

Thomas and Erinle were among a handful of athletes who had multiple event wins at metros. Cleveland’s stellar girls hurdler, Morgan James, won comfortably at both distances, especially the 300-meter intermediate hurdles.

There were athletes who won events on both days of competition.

Moses Sparks of Cleveland was the metro shot put champion on Thursday; and he added the discus title on Saturday, with a terrific throw — a personal-best 147 feet, 1 inch — that separated him by nearly 15 feet from second place.

“That’s my goal this year, is to win state in both,” Sparks said. “I’m gonna get there, I’m gonna do it.”

Sparks, a giant offensive tackle, also is considered the most attractive prep football prospect in the upcoming senior class. The junior already has a few official visits lined up when track and field season ends. He said Saturday he’ll for sure be visiting Boise State, Texas Tech, Nebraska and Arizona.

Rio Grande’s Isabella Files, like Sparks, had a shot put victory Thursday and then a discus (120-10) championship on Saturday.

La Cueva’s Cienna Mazotti had one of the best meets for the girls outside of Erinle. She won the high jump Thursday, and had a pair of top-three finishes in Saturday’s hurdles finals, and no one except Erinle scored more points.

St. Pius had a surprising sweep of the open 100 with a pair of sophomores. Gianna Archuleta, coming back from injury to compete for the first time in several weeks, finished first in 12.43 seconds. She’s been battling some knee and (primarily) hamstring issues and hadn’t run the 100 in three weeks.

“It was amazing,” Archuleta said. “I was actually really surprised. I was pretty nervous going into it because of my (injury), but after the finish I was so excited.”

That metros were postponed by weather on Friday, she added, was a blessing.

“If I would have run (Friday), I would have been too sore,” she said.

Her classmate, Hershul Olloway Jr., ran to a minor upset over La Cueva’s Tanner Montano, with Olloway at 10.81 seconds, and Montano (10.83) second.

“It just shows me that I can compete with the best of the best, and that I do belong,” Olloway said. He was one of the crucial pieces on the St. Pius football team last fall that reached the Class 4A state final. Of dueling with Montano, he said, “I don’t really look at people next to me, I kind of just try to be myself.”

As was the case Thursday in prelims, Albuquerque High senior hurdler Kaden Andrus was a marvel in the 110-meter high hurdles. His prelim time of 13.76 seconds on Thursday was brilliant even with a helping tailwind.

On Saturday, in pristine, windless conditions, Andrus went even lower, finishing in 13.65 seconds. If he runs a time similar to either mark in two weeks at the Class 5A state meet — and the wind stays away — he will break the overall New Mexico state record (which is currently 13.98). State records can only be set at the state meet.

Andrus and Cleveland’s Collin Joyner went 1-2 in the 110 hurdles; they also went 1-2 in the 300 hurdles, with Joyner winning.

Gianna Rahmer of Eldorado stayed away from the two major distance races at metros, but she did emerge Saturday to win the 800-meter run (2:15.81) by 2½ seconds over Adelyn Harper of Albuquerque High, who had just won the 400-meter dash two events earlier.

Rio Rancho’s boys showed well in the two distance events Saturday. Xavier Martinez was first in the 1,600 (4:30.47), and Cody Sullivan (in 1:56.90) won the 800.

Junior Anna Hastings of Academy, last year’s state champ in 4A in both the 1,600 and 3,200, ran second to Rahmer in both races last week at the Harper. She won the 1,600 on Saturday (5:07.60).

“Today wasn’t necessarily my fastest race, especially compared to last week … but I’m super excited. I’ve had lots of big PRs this season, and definitely just trying to get ready for state,” Hastings said. “I’m trying to repeat (in the 1,600 and 3,200) and get out there and have good races.”

Grant Vlaun of La Cueva won the delayed boys pole vault (16-0). The event had been postponed by wind on Thursday night.