"The cool thing was in the 3,200, it was Ian (Kerstetter's) first race ever in track, and he won," said Harvey Carreathers, Manzano High's seventh-year boys coach, after the seven-team "B" meet at Milne Stadium. "And we went 1-2 in the event. That's an exciting prospect for us."

Kerstetter — the senior from Tijeras has swum and run cross country for the Monarchs, but has never competed for his school on track's oval — clocked the race, a 2-mile equivalent, in 10 minutes, 57.25 seconds. Manzano junior Alex Clark, who has homes in Yrisarri and Sandia Park, was second in 10:57.53.

In addition, Monarch Josh Bowen earned the gold medal in the 400 dash with a time of 53.38, and his teammate, Jesus Maldonado, was first in the 300 hurdles in 42.21. Manzano placed third overall with 40 points, and La Cueva won with 118.

"It was a really good start for us," said Carreathers, whose boys placed 12th at the state Class 5A meet last year. "I was proud of the way the boys ran."

Coach John Flores, who is in his 26th year guiding the Manzano girls, was equally upbeat about his team, which took on a B-meet field at Wilson Stadium. Three varsity meets, designated by the letters A, B and C, were run simultaneously at both stadiums.

Flores' squad garnered three golds en route to an overall fourth-place finish with 53 points, and La Cueva's Bears also took the girls crown with 115 points. The Monarchs' winners included junior Caroline Lewiecki, 2:28.15 in the 800 run; sophomore Samantha Sword-Fehlberg, 33 feet, 7 inches in the shot put; and Sondai Lonesome, 26.14 in the 200 dash.

Lewiecki lives in Tijeras, and Sword-Fehlberg, who also got a silver in the discus, is from Cedar Crest.

"Caroline, she missed qualifying (for state) by a second," Flores said.

Lewiecki took the lead early in the two-lap 800, and Sara DiGiovanna, a sophomore from Rio Rancho's Cleveland High, sought to take advantage by drafting on the Monarch. DiGiovanna held that position through the initial 600 meters, and even slid to the right and one step behind Lewiecki in preparation for passing the Manzano runner as they sped down the final backstretch.

Lewiecki, however, kicked in the afterburners just prior to entering the last curve and quickly established some distance between herself and her opponent. She wound up with a comfortable lead at the finish line.

Monarchs senior Veronica Vazquez placed second in the 1,600 run. She's from Tijeras.

Kimmy Weeks and Samantha Gutierrez, both of Sandia Park, competed for Manzano. Tijeras' Paige Williams was also on the roster.

Manzano junior Rachel Bean, who hails from Carnuel, has been a cross country and a distance track runner. But she's exploring other options.

"I'm not getting the times (in running) I'd like to have," Bean said. "I'm considering the pole vault this year."

The Monarchs placed 19th at the 2009 state meet.

Manzano softball

The Monarchs, who have had a tendency to start slowly at the beginning of the season only to accelerate during District 5-5A play, got their first victory of 2010 with a 10-7 win at West Mesa on March 4. Manzano was the district runner-up in 2009.

Monarch Evangeline Samora, the coach's daughter, got the pitching win versus the Mustangs. She struck out nine, walked two, hit three batsman and gave up seven hits.

"I'm feeling real good, especially considering that I had surgery in July on my left shoulder," said the 5-foot-4 senior. "I hurt it in the last game of the season against Eldorado (last year)."

Samora helped her cause with a triple in the second inning that drove in two runs for a 4-0 lead. She also got a single off a perfectly placed bunt in the sixth inning that scored a run for a 9-5 advantage.

Monarchs 11th-year coach Arthur Samora said his team will add Chelsy Kitcheyan, a senior middle infielder, and junior center fielder Ty Romero to the lineup this week. The two had been playing basketball up until their team's loss in a state first-round game Friday.

"We have several players in new positions this year so communication is going to be a big factor," Samora said.

In addition, junior Rachel Haukereid was set to join the team late last week. The 5-6 second baseman hails from the Sedillo Hill area.

"I floated a lot last year," she said. "But this will be my first full year on varsity."

Manzano (1-2 as of Monday) lost 13-1 at Volcano Vista on Saturday.