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Thursday, April 10, 2008

Prom Distracts Manzano at Meet

By Harold Smith
Mountain View Telegraph
    A "Black-Tie Affair" was the priority for the Manzano High girls track and field team.
    The Monarchs' senior prom, which had a black-tie theme, was held Saturday night at the Albuquerque Convention Center. In many ways, the annual right of passage took precedence over the Manzano girls' participation in the Albuquerque Invitational at Milne Stadium earlier the same day.
    The Lady Monarchs even pulled out of the meet-ending 1,600-meter relay.
    "The kids were running behind (in getting ready for the dance), so we didn't run the 4-by-(400)," said Manzano girls coach John Flores, who noted the meet was behind schedule as well.
    The Monarchs scored 20 points for 11th place overall at the meet. Cibola, one of 19 scoring squads, won with 74.
    Manzano's Monquisha Coleman was her team's leader with a winning long jump of 18 feet, 6 inches. She was the 2007 Class 5A state titlist in the event at 17-9.
    "I think I'm more dedicated this year," said Coleman, a 5-foot-10 junior. "I'm not playing club soccer this year so I have more time.
    "I want to win the 100 and 200 (dashes), make it to state and place in both relays (the 400 and 800)," Coleman continued. "For the 100, I want to break 12 (seconds), and I want to break the school record in the long jump. (Saturday) was my PR (personal record)."
    Also Saturday, Monarch Melissa Daugherty grabbed the silver medal in the 300 hurdles (50.16). Danielle Carver was fourth in the triple jump (31-5).
    "I'm pleased with the kids' attitudes," Flores said. "Everyone would like to have more (participation) numbers, but I'm pleased with the kids we do have."
    Manzano's Megan Baldonado competed in the high and long jumps, 100 hurdles and javelin at Milne. She hails from Tijeras.
    "I could've done better," said Baldonado, a 5-10 senior who turned 18 on March 31. "But I'd probably say I did best in the high jump. That's one of my main events ... Track is an individual sport, but at the same time it's a team sport."
    The boys' Albuquerque invite events were held at Wilson Stadium on Saturday. Cibola won with 85 points, and the Monarchs placed 14th with six.
    Matt Stoltzfus of Tijeras paced Manzano with a third-place finish in the open 400 (50.49).
   
Estancia
    Lady Bear Brittany Falconer won the pole vault with a clearance of 9-6 at the Fort Sumner Qualifier on Saturday.
    "She's doing very well," EHS girls coach Laci Lockwood said of the reigning Class 2A state champion who only came out this season about two weeks ago. "(The state) qualifying (mark) is 7-6, and she tied the state record (at 9-6), although it's unofficial because it wasn't at the state meet. It looks like she's going to have an exciting year."
    The Bears placed second with 57 points. The host Vixens were first with 142 among 16 scoring teams.
    "We're going to have to make some calls to try to get (Falconer) in the (Marilyn) Sepulveda meet," Lockwood said.
    The Sepulveda annually invites— at a minimum— the top eight boys and girls athletes in each event, regardless of class. The prestigious event will be held Monday at 3 p.m. at the University of New Mexico's track stadium.
    Estancia earned three silvers at Fort Sumner: Kaiya Coburn (100 hurdles), Erin Thomas (200 dash) and the Bears' 800 relay team.
    "We could be real strong," Lockwood said.
    The Estancia boys were fifth. The host Foxes were first with 90 points, and the Bears had 48.
    EHS was led by David Ortiz's bronze-medal performances in the long and high jumps and the Bears' runner-up finish in the 1,600 relay.
   
Moriarty
    Taylor Allcorn took first in the long jump (20-81/2) and triple jump (43-9) to lead the Pintos boys to a second-place finish at the Piedra Vista-hosted San Juan County Invitational at Farmington's Hutchison Stadium on Saturday.
    Moriarty's 1,600-meter medley and 800 relay teams also took first at the meet in which eight teams scored.
    "We qualified (for state) in the 4-by-2 (800) and 4-by-4 (1,600) relays," Pintos coach Joe Bailey said. "Taylor Allcorn qualified in the long jump. He hadn't done that yet. And he re-upped in the triple."
    Aztec won the team title with 127 points. Moriarty had 83.
    Meanwhile, Lady Pinto Jayci Manning earned the gold medal in the long jump (16-51/4), and the Moriarty girls were first in the 1,600 medley and 800 relays. Manning made the state cut in the long jump.
    The host Panthers won with 127 points. Moriarty placed third with 72.
    The Pintos will host the seven-team Moriarty Invitational Friday. The expected visitors include Clovis, Rio Rancho, Roswell High, Roswell Goddard, Grants and Estancia.
    "It's a good field," Bailey said.
    Moriarty's possible Sepulveda invitees include Allcorn, Manning, Angel Laue and Madeline McKenzie.
    The Mustangs boys finished in a three-way tie for second place with Cloudcroft and Capitan at the Rose Relays in Tularosa on Saturday.
    Mountainair's Vincent Zamora was the gold medalist in the 200 dash (24.6).
    The Mustangs, Bears and Tigers earned 55 points apiece, Mountainair coach Kevin Reese said. Carrizozo, the 'Stangs' District 7-1A mate, was the team victor, but Reese didn't have the winner's score.
    "Hopefully, I'll have Reuben (Torrez) back (from an injury respite), and we'll get a relay qualified," Reese said. "But 'Zozo is tough. We're going to have to qualify for state by times (vice placements in district). (The Grizzlies) were first in all four relays at Tularosa."
    The Mountainair girls scored 11 points. Lady 'Stangs coach Tammy Zamora did not have her team's overall finish.
    "We placed (in the top six) in three relays, the 4-by-(100), 4-by-(200) and the medley," Zamora said.
   
East Mountain
    The Timberwolves have been idle since March 29.