HENRY MILLER | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
WESLACO — For Eleanor Arndt, the script has already been written. Friday and Saturday, the Weslaco senior will be competing in three events at the UIL Region IV-6A track and field championships.
In two Fridays, she hopes to be at the state meet.
On the Friday in between, she turns 18.
“That’s a birthday present I’m hoping for,” said Arndt, who qualified with her team once as a freshman but has qualified for regionals all four years in high school. “To make it to state in my final year. That would be awesome.”
Arndt, considered one of the favorites to leap to a top-two finish and advance to the state meet, will lead a group of teammates that includes Ciera Gonzalez in the discus and three relay teams from a Panthers squad that won the 31/32-6A area championship as a team. Not only will Arndt jump, but she is also scheduled to compete in the 800- and 1,600-meter relays.
Arndt qualified for regionals in five events, including the triple jump and the 400 run. She also qualified for five events as a freshman, sophomore and junior.
“When we get to this stage, we look at the numbers and put together what we think is the best combination for us to do the best,” Weslaco girls track coach Pablo Almaguer said. “This gives her the opportunity to focus on the long jump, which we think she can advance in, as well as the two relays. Plus, she’s always looking out for the team and knows that five events can be difficult.”
Arndt agreed that removing those two events from her schedule gives her more time to focus and prepare. She said that she’s approaching the regional meet with a different mindset compared to past years.
“When I was younger, I would get very sensitive and emotional, but track has made me tougher,” said Arndt, whose personal record jump of 18 feet, 5.25 inches, came at the McAllen Relays. She jumped 17-3 to win the 31/32-6A area meet. “We also worked a lot more in the weight room this past year, and that has made a difference.”
“She goes all out on a weekly basis, and if she’s at the top of her game, things will fall in place for her,” said Almaguer, who has coached the team for 15 years. “She’s confident, seeded very well and has a chance to win it. And her mindset is about getting to the next round, even if she gets second at regionals.”
Three years ago, Gonzalez was pulled aside by her track coach and asked to consider throwing the discus. She had tried it in middle school but didn’t think anything more of it. Now, she’s getting ready for her third trip to regionals.
“It’s crazy to say this, but there are a lot who can throw as far as I can, but with all that around me, I think it will be a good competition day for me,” the senior thrower said. “I got kind of nervous my sophomore year, going in there as a young buck and then putting too much pressure on myself. Then, as a junior, my knee was injured pretty much the whole year, and it affected me in the fact I started doubting myself.”
Her personal record is 137-3.75 at the Meet of Champions preliminaries. She finished second at the area meet area with a 134-8.
“She understands the discus more this year, and she is throwing it year-round,” Almaguer said. “She has matured and grown and has so much knowledge. She wants to do good all the time, and her work ethic shows it.”
Almaguer said the Panthers’ 800 and 1,600 relays also have a shot to carry their batons to the state meet. The 800 is made up of senior Chantel Barrera, junior Lisamarie Sanchez, sophomore Jenna Martinez and freshman Amity Ebarb, who anchors the team. The 1,600 is sophomore Victoria Nguyen, Arndt, Sanchez and Ebarb.
“The 4-by-200 is a young group, and they have the second-fastest time in the Valley all time,” Almaguer said. “They’ve been impressive and amazing to watch this year. The 4-by-400 hasn’t lost a relay this year, but I don’t think they’ve run their best yet.
“If we do our best in that event, something special can happen there. No matter what, though, if we keep working hard, good things will happen.”