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Thursday, May 08, 2008

'Stangs, Bears Get District Track Titles

By Harold Smith
Mountain View Telegraph
      The Mountainair and Estancia high school track and field teams got their prestate booster shots Saturday.
       All four local squads won their respective district titles.
      
       Mountainair
       The Mustangs boys garnered seven gold medals at district, including two each from Vincent Zamora (300-meter hurdles and triple jump) and Josh Gonzales (1,600 and 3,200 runs).
       “It was pretty cool,” said Zamora, who was the district's high-point athlete and is the No. 1 seed in the 300 for state. “We'd won it almost every other year, but last year, we lost (to Carrizozo). It's good to win it again.”
       Based on a review of the seedings for this weekend's state meet, Mountainair — on paper — is a predicted fourth-place finisher with 31 points, 30 behind Fort Sumner, a probable third. The top six placers in each event score, and the top three teams earn the coveted trophies.
       Hagerman is the favorite, with 88 points, and Carrizozo could be second with 70. Blue-ribbon athletes have more of an impact at state than they do at district.
       The Lady Mustangs took first in all four relays at district. Mountainair's Elena Chavez was the gold medalist in the 100 hurdles and the triple jump.
       “We won,” said 'Stangs girls coach Tammy Zamora. “We beat Carrizozo by (63) points. But I wasn't surprised. I knew Carrizozo didn't have any speed. They didn't have much. I had 14 girls out there. We had a rough season, but they gave medals through sixth place. Our girls were pretty excited.”
       The state meet is another matter altogether. Mountainair will find it difficult to score any points.
       “I don't expect too much at state,” Zamora said. “But it'll be good for the girls. A lot of them haven't been to state.”
       Estancia
       The Bears boys accumulated nine gold medals at district. David Ortiz won the high and triple jumps, and Derek Georgia was the victor in both hurdles events.
       Ortiz was the competition's high-point athlete.
       “I was never the track star,” he said. “Last year (when Estancia won its second straight state title), I didn't run so much. This year, coach put me in some relays. It'll be good if we can get a trophy.”
       On paper, the EHS boys are a projected fourth-place finisher with 40 points, trailing Texico, a possible third, by only two points.
       With that differential, anything can happen. An injury, an illness or a dropped baton by the Wolverines or one Bear's stepped-up performance could propel Estancia into trophy range.
       Tucumcari is the probable winner with 74 points based on the seedings, and Clayton could be second at 59. Ortiz is the top seed in the high jump, and teammate Garrett Watkins is No. 1 in the pole vault.
       “Hopefully, we can be in the top five,” Estancia boys coach Troy Coburn said. “Our relays are getting faster every time out. We've qualified in all four relays.”
       The Lady Bears got 11 first-place finishes at the district meet. Kaiya Coburn — she got the gold in both hurdles and the javelin — was the high-point girl.
       “I felt good,” said Coburn, who had a slow start this season after injuring her right quad on the first day of practice back in February. “It was the first time I did the 300 (hurdles this season), and it felt good.”
       Estancia is a projected fourth-place finisher with 38 points. Santa Fe's Monte del Sol, on paper, is third, with 57.
       “The goal is to get a trophy,” Lockwood said. “We are one of the few teams that have qualified for state by time in all four relays. I think we have a legitimate shot for a trophy.”
       Cloudcroft is favored on paper with 79 points, and Texico could be second with 60. Bear Brittany Falconer is the No. 1 seed in the pole vault.
       East Mountain
       The Timberwolves boys placed third at the District 8-2A meet with 48 points. Alec Vall won the discus and shot put.
       The EMHS girls were fourth with 32 points. Elora Overbey was the gold medalist in the shot put.
       The T'Wolves boys, in a statistical prognostication, is expected to finish at about 17th with five points at state. The East Mountain girls will have a hard time getting a point.
       Moriarty
       The Pintos boys took third with 48 points at the Rio Rancho Invitational on Friday. The host Rams were first in a nine-team field with 184 points.
       The Lady Pintos placed sixth at the Rio Rancho meet with 38 points. The Lady Rams took the team title with 119.
       Moriarty's Jason Tidwell and Jayci Manning were respective victors in the boys 300 hurdles and girls 200 dash.
   

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