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Thursday, March 6, 2008

Flores at Helm of Girls Track for 24th Season

By Harold Smith
Mountain View Telegraph
    John Flores will commence his 24th season as head coach of the Manzano High girls track and field team when the Lady Monarchs compete in the Albuquerque Public Schools Kick-Off Meet at Wilson Stadium on Saturday.
    The job remains a challenge for the man who guided Manzano to state championships in 1995 and 2001. For the last one, the Monarchs tied with Eldorado for the blue trophy.
    Manzano placed fourth at last year's Class 5A championships. That's equivalent to a state semifinals appearance in basketball.
    Former Manzano standout Isis Wilson earned a gold medal in the 200-meter dash. Monarch Monquisha Coleman won the long jump, Lauren Jaramillo tied for second in the pole vault, and Flores' 800 relay squad also stood atop the awards podium.
    "We'd like to be in the top 10 again," said Flores, who currently has 30 athletes on the roster. "And we can— if we get commitments from some of the kids that haven't come out yet, and if we can stay healthy."
    Manzano's seniors include Megan Baldonado (high jump, triple jump and 300 hurdles), Jo Lonesome (sprinter), Alexis Martinez (distance) and Hiba El-Yassin (throws).
    Coleman, a junior, is back. She also garnered the silver medal in the 100 dash and was fourth in the 200 in 2007. Freshman Rachel Bean and sophomore Natalie Gomez will lead a strong distance corps.
    "The ones that did come out have a good attitude," Flores said. "And they're working hard."
    Wilson moved to Texas since last school year. Jaramillo graduated.
   
Manzano boys
    The Monarchs also will open the season at the APS Kick-Off Meet on Saturday. The boys events will be held at Milne Stadium.
    Last year, the Monarchs finished in eighth place at the state meet. Nick Jones, who has since graduated, won the 5A title in the javelin.
    "We're young and inexperienced," said Manzano fifth-year coach Harvey Carreathers. "That's the story on us this year. But hopefully, we can get it together and place in the top 10 again."
    Returning seniors include thrower Matt Miller, Matt Stoltzfus in the 400 and distance runners Ryan Haack, Mitchell Maier, Kevin Taft and Chris Quintana.
    Some of the juniors with potential are Alex Nolan (400), Nick Linden (jumps and sprints), Sam Gardner (sprints) and Colton Gibney (sprints). Sophomore Michael Montoya, coming off a bronze-medal performance at the state cross-country meet in November, should head a deep track-distance squad.
    "We don't worry about the early meets," Carreathers said. "We consider them training meets for city, District (5-5A) and state."
   
East Mountain
    The Timberwolves boys and girls have a new track and field coach in Therese Dorwart.
    Dorwart, a former assistant principal at Eldorado High, also teaches physical education at EMHS and was a T'Wolves assistant cross country coach. David Salazar will be her assistant.
    Dorwart, a former Duke City Dasher, previously coached middle-school track and swimming in Sierra Vista, Ariz.
    "I like the camaraderie in track and field," she said. "That's what I like about it."
    Aaron Caton, who subsequently graduated, collected all of the East Mountain boys' points at last season's state Class 2A championships. Caton won the gold medal in the 100 dash and was second in the 200 to enable his team to place 10th.
    The Lady Timberwolves— with 2007 discus-champion Alexx Sniegowski earning all of their points— placed 16th at the state competition last year. Sniegowski also has since graduated.
    But don't classify it as a rebuilding year, Dorwart said.
    "We did lose a few key seniors, a couple who took state," she said. "But we always just try to improve every year."
    For 2008, the East Mountain senior boys include thrower Tyler Culver and Colton Sniegowski, who is expected to compete in the discus and open 400. Sniegowski is Alexx's brother.
    The EMHS girls have one senior distance runner, Samantha Wilvert.
    The boys also will have sprinter Luis Contreras and distance men Matt Broomfield, Sam Cordova and Dillon Waldbauer. The girls also have milers and 2-milers at the top of their roster with Georgia Kaufman and Elora Overbey.
    The Timberwolves, lacking a track of their own, continue to use Manzano's practice facility a couple times a week.
    "We have our first meet on Saturday in Anthony at Gadsden High School," Dorwart said. "We're going where it's warm."
    Former EMHS athletic director and track coach Phil Keller moved out of state following the 2006-07 school year.