NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — The track and field season kicked into high gear as the calendar flipped to April to mark the start of district meets. The first medals of the week were handed out in McAllen at the District 30-6A competition.
Mission High’s boys, who enter the meet as major contenders for the team championship, quickly started racking up medals in field events.
Sebastian Gonzalez had a breakout performance Wednesday for the Eagles, earning gold medals in the triple and long jumps. He said that he previously had trouble sticking with his landings, but his performance improved when he cleaned that part of his jumps.
The junior picked a good day to earn his first win in either event, taking both with personal record leaps.
“I feel humbled, honestly,” Gonzalez said. “This is my first time ever doing this, placing first, so it’s a big accomplishment for me, and I’m just striving for more. I don’t want to get off track. I need to work on the little things, as well, because obviously those things matter.”
Mission’s Gonzalez had to fend off tough competition in both events, namely La Joya Palmview jumper Alexis Gonzalez.
In the triple jump, Sebastian won by just an inch to secure 10 points for his Eagles. The gold jump was a personal best 42 feet, 3.25 inches, while Alexis’s best jump measured 42-2.25.
In the long jump, Sebastian held off both Alexis and Juarez-Lincoln freshman Kenneth Gonzalez with his jump of 22-03.
Miguel Farias and Anthony Ramon finished one-two for the Eagles in the pole vault with identical 13-06 jumps. Farias placed first on a judgment.
CLOSE RESULTS IN GIRLS JUMPS
McAllen Rowe’s Jackelyn Alanis took second in the high jump and long jump, but she didn’t take a back seat in triple jump.
Alanis, who jumped 35-03, explained why the 2-inch win over McAllen High’s Aniah Chaleff-Reyna was so satisfying.
“My season has been a little rough, but I always push myself even though some days are bad,” Alanis said. “I do outside sports, so it’s really hard to come out here in track, and my legs are really tired. I overcome it, because I tell myself, ‘This could be the last time I jump.’ I like competing, so if anyone comes to beat me, I’m coming back for you.”
Bulldogs senior Melody Magee (17-06) won the long jump competition, edging the Rowe duo of Alanis (17-02) and Jovanni Solis (17-01) by less than half a foot. She was happy to win her first district title, and a longtime goal is still within reach.
“I’m really proud of it, because I worked really hard the entire season to get the school record, which is 17-07. So I’m a little disappointed, but I’m still really happy,” Magee said before crediting her fellow podium finishers. “I was a little nervous. They’re amazing jumpers, and they’re always great competitors, but I really wanted to PR and reach the school record.”
McAllen High’s Hannah Kelly won gold in the high jump.
A LEG HEALED, A LEG UP
McAllen Memorial’s Kathia Nitsch is five weeks removed from a knee procedure to address a nagging injury that kept her off the volleyball court this season. She was surgical in the shot put circle on Wednesday to earn first with a throw of 35-11.5, ahead of Rowe’s Jacqueline Mendoza (33-03) and Memorial’s Alice Ojeaga (33-02)
She improved on her district throw (34-02) and finish (third) from a year ago. Unable to train while recovering from her operation, Nitsch focused on keeping her strength up, and it paid off Wednesday.
“I really didn’t expect to win it, because I haven’t been here all season,” Nitsch said. “It’s awesome to do it for my team. I wasn’t able to practice, so I was just lifting and doing all the things I can do. I’m almost at 100 percent. It feels 10 times better than before. Getting in shape is the main concern now.”
She also ran relays with her team during the evening preliminaries.
In girls discus, Rowe swept the top two spots, with Lorena Rios gold at 130-11 and Jacqueline Mendoza silver. La Joya High’s Iris Alanis rounded out the podium.
McAllen High’s Raul ‘Tito’ Cantu won the discus toss over Juarez-Lincoln’s Bryan Lira by just 3 inches. Cantu was worried he didn’t have his best stuff after a bumpy beginning, but he turned it on to add a gold next to the silver he earned in shot put.
“It feels great, because I didn’t think I was going to do well. I started off slow, but I finished strong,” Cantu said before explaining why strong competition is important to improvement. “It’s great, because you get yourself ready for the area and regional meet. It only gets better from here.”
PACE SET IN DISTANCE RACES
McAllen Memorial’s Evan and Trevor Williams came in first and second in the 3200-meter run. The twins came in within a second of each other: Evan won in 9 minutes, 48.29 seconds, and Trevor finished with a 9:48.70.
“It’s great to start off good to show what you have and to show that you’re there to compete,” Evan said. “There’s a lot of tough competitors in the postseason, and you have to show them that this is your place. This is your house.”
Palmview’s Brianna Robles won the 3,200 meter run with a time of 11:07.60. The win marked four straight district titles for the senior, who earned eighth in the event at the state meet last season.
Robles also earned eighth in the 1,600 race at state and today will try to record another district four-peat as she competes in the event at the 30-6A running finals.
VALLEY HS TRACK AND FIELD RESULTS
District 30-6A Championship
April 4-5
At McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium
Girls 3200 Meter Run Varsity
1, Brianna Robles, La Joya Palmview, 11:07.60; 2, Alanah Moreno, McAllen High; 3, Macy Henderson, McAllen Memorial, 12:23.58; 4, Paulina Maldonado, McAllen High, 12:36.45; 5, Janie Delgado, McAllen Rowe, 12:51.49; 6, Jazmine Sustaita, Mission High, 12:53.06; 7, Holly Hu Jenkinson, McAllen Memorial, 13:19.24; 8, Katy Slusher, McAllen Memorial, 13:25.07
Girls High Jump Varsity
1, Kelly, Hannah, McAllen High, 5-02. 2, Jackelyn Alaniz, McAllen Rowe, 5-00; 3, Ana Calderon, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 4-08; 4, Cynder Magallon, La Joya Palmview, 4-08; 5, Valeria Garcia, McAllen Memorial, 4-06; 5, Katarina Moseley, McAllen High, 4-06;; 5, Cynthia Gutierrez, Mission High, 4-06; 8, Lujan Desiree, J4-06
Girls Pole Vault Varsity
1, Sarah Solis, McAllen High, 9-06; 2, Peyton Kuhn, McAllen High, 8-06; 3, Madison Helmcap, McAllen High, 8-00; 4, Vail Cecilia, McAllen Memorial, 7-06; 5, Kysta Ramirez, McAllen Memorial, J7-06
Girls Long Jump Varsity
1, Melody Magee, McAllen High, 17-06; 2, Jackelyn Alaniz, McAllen Rowe, 17-02; 3, Jovannis Solis, McAllen Rowe, 17-01.5; 4, Cynthia Gutierrez, Mission High, 16-08.5; 5, Aniah Chaleff-Reyna, McAllen High, 16-06; 6, Sarah Solis, McAllen High, 16-01; 7, Ximena Zuniga, McAllen Memorial, 15-10; 8, Daisy Rodriguez, La Joya Palmview, 15-02
Girls Triple Jump Varsity
1, Jackelyn Alaniz, McAllen Rowe, 35-03; 2, Aniah Chaleff-Reyna, McAllen High, 35-01; 3, Jovanni Solis, McAllen Rowe, 34-08.25; 4, Daisy Villarreal, La Joya High, 32-08.75; 5, Andrea Munguia, McAllen Memorial, 32-07.5; 6, Melody Magee, McAllen High, 32-06.5; 7, Jennifer Prado, McAllen Memorial, 32-01; 8, Bailey Villalon, La Joya Palmview, 31-10
Girls Shot Put Varsity
1, Kathia Nitsch, McAllen Memorial, 35-11.5; 2, Jacqueline Mendoza, McAllen Rowe, 33-03.5; 3, Alice Ojeaga, McAllen Memorial, 32-02.5; 4, Isela Gaona, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 32-02; 5, Brittney Garza, Mission High, 31-10; 6, Diana Bustos, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 31-09.50; 7, Scarlett Berman, McAllen Rowe, 31-07.5; 8, Lorena Rios, McAllen Rowe, 29-11
Girls Discus Throw Varsity
1, Lorena Rios, McAllen Rowe, 130-11; 2, Jacqueline Mendoza, McAllen Rowe, 108-07; 3, Iris Alanis, La Joya High, 96-03; 4, Audrey Gonzalez, McAllen High, 93-08; 5, Yolanda Hernandez, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 93-08; 6, Valeria Trevino, McAllen Memorial, 91-01; 7, Brianna Campos, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 88-10; 8, Ashley Sanchez, McAllen Memorial, 87-01
Boys 3200 Meter Run Varsity
1, Evan Williams, McAllen Memorial, 9:48.29; 2, Trevor Williams, McAllen Memorial, 9:48.70; 3, Marco Castro, Mission High, 9:57.12; 4, Jose Calvillo, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 10:00.50; 5, Hunter Herrera, McAllen High, 10:08.50; 6, Christian Garza, McAllen Memorial, 10:15.79; 7, Chris Mendoza, McAllen Rowe, 10:15.82; 8, Augustus Martiello, Mission High, 10:15.83
Boys High Jump Varsity
1, Luis Flores, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 6-00; 2, Adan Torres, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, J6-00; 3, Ethan Plummer, McAllen Memorial, 5-10; 4, Elian Reyna, McAllen Memorial, J5-10; 5, Edwardo Torres, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 5-08; 6, Jackson Helmcamp, McAllen High, 5-06; 6, Marco Rosales, McAllen Memorial, 5-06; 6, Leonardo Lerma, McAllen High, 5-06
Boys Pole Vault Varsity
1, Miguel Farias, Mission High, 13-06; 2, Anthony Ramon, Mission High, J13-06; 3, Michael Pequeno, McAllen Memorial, 13-00; 4, Josiah Martinez, McAllen High, J13-00; 5, Gavin Britton, McAllen High, 10-06
Boys Long Jump Varsity
1, Sebastian Gonzalez, Mission High, 22-03; 2, Alexis Gonzalez, La Joya Palmview, 21-04; 3, Kenneth Gonzalez, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 20-10.5; 4, Sean Skaugen, McAllen Memorial, 20-09.50; 5, Alex Cordova, Mission High, 20-06; 6, Elias Gutierrez, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 20-04; 7, Bryan Argil, McAllen High, 19-10; 8, Jose Marquez, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 19-06.5
Boys Triple Jump Varsity
1, Sebastian Gonzalez, Mission High, 42-03.25; 2, Alexis Gonzalez, La Joya Palmview, 42-02.25; 3, Zacary Garcia, McAllen High, 41-06.5; 4, Elias Gutierrez, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 41-06; 5, Luis Rodriguez, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 40-11; 6, Sean Skaugen, McAllen Memorial, 40-05; 7, Campbell Speights, McAllen Memorial, 40-01.75; 8, Jorge Pena, McAllen Rowe, 40-01.25
Boys Shot Put Varsity
1, Alex Rodriguez, La Joya High, 53-04; 2, Raul Cantu, McAllen High, 52-07; 3, Bryan Lira, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 47-00; 4, Zachary Clemons, Mission High, 46-00; 5, Benjamin Arellano, McAllen High, 42-01.5; 6, Axel Hernandez, McAllen Memorial, 41-01.5; 7, Adam Benavidez, La Joya Palmview, 40-09.75; 8, Daniel Domian, McAllen Memorial, 40-07.50
Boys Discus Throw Varsity
1, Raul Cantu, 140-09; 2, Bryan Lira, 140-03; 3, Ricardo Garcia, McAllen Memorial, 139-00; 4, Daniel Domian, McAllen Memorial, 138-06 5, Jonas Ortiz, McAllen Rowe, 131-02; 6, Jose Calderon, McAllen High, 130-10; 7, Adam Benavidez, La Joya Palmview, 129-08; 8, Alex Rodriguez, La Joya High, 125-10