BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
MORE: Valley distance runners show well on the first day of regionals
Complete results from Region IV field event finals
SAN ANTONIO — A year ago, Mike Gonzalez left Alamo Stadium dispirited and defeated. A then-junior competing in the Class 6A boys discus, a trip to state was snatched away when an opponent eclipsed Gonzalez on their final throw.
Upon returning to the scene of the crime Friday at the Region IV Track and Field Meet, Gonzalez demonstrated that he was not only a year older, but a year better.
After a shaky-opening round of throws wherein Gonzalez appeared rattled while throwing well short of his season’s best mark, the senior rebounded during the finals, easily taking gold with a distance of 167 feet, 7 inches and solidifying his trip to the UIL state meet May 12-14 in Austin.
“I was really nervous coming in here today,” Gonzalez said. “At first I was just focusing on trying to throw as hard as I can, and I stopped using my technique. That only made things worse.”
To automatically qualify for state, an athlete must finish in the top two in their respective event at regionals.
“We’ll be going up against a lot of good throwers in the state,” Memorial throwing coach Marc Evans said. “Those guys are throwing around 190. Mike’s hit those throws in practice. I know, and he knows, that he can reach those distances. We’re not going to be there just to be along for the ride. We’re looking to medal.”
Other Valley athletes to automatically qualify for state in throwing events include La Joya Juarez-Lincoln senior Karen Guerra, who took first in the 6A girls discus (129-10), Edinburg North’s Gaston Cortina, winning silver in the 6A boys shot (55-00 1/4).
In Class 5A, Donna High’s Yvette Tamez took gold in the 5A girls discus with a throw of 124-03, and PSJA Southwest freshman Diego Trevino, placing second in the 5A boys shot with a new personal best of 52-05.
CONTROVERSIAL CALL
I’Dasha Sorrell’s regional championship in the 5A girls triple jump came under a cloud of controversy. Though the Donna North senior won the event on her first attempt with a distance of 36-06 1/4, several coaches threatened to protest the results, thinking Sorrel’s gold-medal mark should have been penalized as a foot foul.
But the protest never occurred, and the junior athlete is making her first trip to the state meet.
“I hadn’t jumped past 35-feet since (February),” Sorrell said. “So it was really good to come out here and do so well at the beginning. I’ve been just trying to focus on all three phases of my jumping, and just trying to get the most consistent jumps I can.”
McGOWEN WATCH
Joshua McGowen’s quest to advance to state in five events inched closer to fruition, Friday. The McAllen High senior won the regional championship in the 6A boys triple jump with a distance of 47-10 1/4 before placing second in the long jump in 22-07.
McGowen will attempt to complete the sweep today during the finals for the 100-meter dash, 110 and 300 hurdles. McGowen holds the fastest preliminary time in all three events.
ON TO STATE
Other Valley athletes who will compete at the state meet after automatically qualifying on Friday include McAllen Memorial’s Michael Boltie (6A boys pole vault), Valley View’s Robert Rosales (5A boys high jump) and Mission Veterans Memorial’s Luis Trujillo (5A boys pole vault).