AUSTIN — La Feria’s Julian Dominguez had high expectations heading into his junior season last year. The Lions’ distance runner was fresh off a state track meet appearance as a sophomore in the Class 4A 800-meter run, winning district, area and regional titles along the way.

Before Dominguez could get off and running, however, adversity struck.

Just five races into his junior campaign, Dominguez shut it down for the year, dealing with a nagging left leg injury.

“When I first went to the doctors, they told me it was probably just liquid in my leg from straining something,” Dominguez said. “I thought I’d be good after a break. So I took a break and then tried to come back. I even made a comeback video with my friends to hype me up. It was still bad, though. I couldn’t even plant my foot.”

With the pain still lingering, Dominguez and his family sought a second opinion on the injury. An MRI scan from a second doctor revealed something none of them could have imagined.

“We ended up finding out I had a tumor in my leg,” Dominguez said. “That is why every time I planted it hurt. My leg was even swollen at points last year, but I thought it was just a strain. They think it is non-cancerous, but they told me not to run cross country because just planting it was going to hurt. I told myself I could call it quits and get surgery, but it wouldn’t be for six months. I didn’t want to wait six months because that would be my season. I wanted to run because I felt like I had it in me.”

Dominguez opted out of surgery heading into this season, battling through the pain during cross country season to help the Lions capture a second-place finish at the state meet.

He continued to push through during track season, capturing district, area and regional titles en route to his triumphant return to the UIL state track and field championships Thursday at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

“I’m grateful that I got to be here even though it was a hard season,” Dominguez said. “A year ago I wasn’t here. A couple of months ago, I couldn’t even imagine being here. I just wanted to leave it all out there today. I got love for this sport. It is a love-hate thing. Sometimes I hate it and sometimes I love it, even the pain and the hard races. It is a beautiful sport. I just have to thank God for this and that I am still running.”

Dominguez’s return to the state meet featured the senior distance runner competing in two events, the most of any RGV athlete during Day 1 of the meet.

He opened the day by running in the Class 4A 800-meter run, the event for which he had previously qualified as a sophomore. Dominguez finished seventh with a time of 1 minute, 56.06 seconds.

Dominguez wrapped up his career at La Feria with a seventh-place finish in the Class 4A boys 1,600-meter run, clocking in at 4:30.14.

“This was about something bigger than me,” Dominguez said. “I knew I had to push through because nobody was going to do it for me. I trusted in the training I had. I know we’re all going to have bad races. I had some today, but I told myself whatever happens, happens. My coach told me to run without regrets. I don’t want to have regrets. I may have had a bad race, but I can’t do anything about it. I still had fun, though, having the lead for a little bit during my races.”

Dominguez was one of five athletes to compete during Day 1 of the state meet.

Lyford’s Oscar Martinez joined Dominguez in competing during the evening’s running events, taking the track during the Class 3A 200-meter dash. The McPherson football signee closed out his career with eighth in the race in a time of 22.80.

Lyford’s Oscar Martinez competes in the 3A boys 200 meter dash during UIL state track and field championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium on Thursday, May 11, 2023, in Austin. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])

La Feria got things kicked off for the Valley during the morning’s running events, with a pair of distance runners taking the track during the Class 4A boys and girls 3,200-meter runs.

Junior Liana Navarro, who was appearing in her third straight state track meet, finished fifth in the girls race with a season-best time of 11:11.54.

Anthony Morales also competed for the Lions during Day 1 of the meet, running the boys 3,200-meter run. The freshman finished seventh with a time of 9:32.16.

Left to right, La Feria’s Liana Navarro and Anthony Morales. (Delcia Lopez | The Monitor)

“It was kind of crazy coming out here as a freshman,” Morales said. “When I woke up I was asking myself if this was really real. When I got to the UT stadium, it started to set in. I just took today in and it was glorious.”

Brownsville IDEA Frontier’s Ashley Olvera was the Valley’s only other athlete during the morning’s events, competing in the Class 3A high jump.

The senior jumper tied her personal-best mark of 5 feet, 2 inches for a fourth straight meet, finishing tied for sixth with Trinity’s Mariah Lewis.

Brownsville IDEA Frontier’s Ashley Olvera. (Courtesy Photo)

The 2023 UIL track and field state championships continue at 9 a.m. today with Class 2A and 5A field events. The 3,200-meter run for both classes are scheduled for 9:30 a.m., with all other running events scheduled to follow at 5 p.m.

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Lasara’s Xiomara Rodriguez recalls walking into Mike A. Myers Stadium to compete in the UIL state track and field meet for the first time.

The Lions’ thrower describes it as a nerve-racking moment in comparison to competing at Lasara, a Class 1A school with an enrollment of 96.

“Here at Lasara, it is like home,” Rodriguez said. “You’re surrounded by pretty much just family members watching you. You feel like you’re on air. At Mike A. Myers I was really nervous. I only had my coach there. I was surrounded by girls that are out chasing the same thing as me.”

The nerve-wracking experience three years ago hasn’t affected Rodriguez.

The junior thrower has made Mike A. Myers Stadium her second home as she is set to return for a third straight year to compete at the state meet.

Lasara’s Xiomara Rodriguez competes in the Class 1A discus throw during the UIL track and field state championships May 14, 2022 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. (Edward Ornelas | Special to The Monitor)

“It feels pretty good getting back, honestly,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve been confident in my ability throughout the year. I’ve gotten more confident in my abilities from my freshman year to achieve the goals that I want.”

Rodriguez has found success at the state meet during each of her appearances. As a freshman, she nabbed a silver medal in the discus throw. She followed it up by winning the gold in the same event last year.

In the shot put, Rodriguez has just one appearance to her name, qualifying as a freshman, when she finished seventh.

The junior thrower enters as a favorite to win both events this season. Rodriguez’s personal bests of 37 feet, 6.25 inches in the discus throw and 144-9 in the shot put won her the Region IV-1A title and put her atop the Class 1A rankings according to Athletic.net.

The nerves haven’t faded for the Lasara product as she prepares for her third state meet. Her confidence, however, is on another level.

“I’m still as nervous as my first year, but my confidence level has increased a lot more since my freshman year,” Rodriguez said. “I feel really good about going for gold in both events, but I don’t want to go in overconfident. The game plan is to go in relaxed and focus on what I’ve been working on for weeks now.”

Rodriguez is joined by four additional RGV girls throwers at this year’s state meet, including two other regional champions.

PSJA Southwest’s Marcela Trevino and Rio Grande City’s Serina Ramirez each captured Region IV-5A titles to advance to state. Trevino won the discus throw with a personal-best mark of 147-10, and Ramirez took gold in the shot put with a PR of 46-2.

Harlingen High’s Jazmine Thompson and PSJA North’s Jaylah Martinez also earned state bids in throwing events. Thompson, a junior, finished second in the Region IV-6A discus and shot put to earn state bids in both for a second straight year.

Martinez captured silver in the Region IV-5A discus throw with a throw of 130-10, giving the RGV five girls throwers at the state meet.

Top, left to right, Rio Grande City’s Serina Ramirez, PSJA North’s Jaylah Martinez, Harlingen High‘s Jazmine Thompson and Lasara’s Xiomara Rodriguez. Front, PSJA Southwest‘s Marcela Trevino. The five athletes are set to represent the RGV at the 2023 UIL state track and field championships. (Delcia Lopez | The Monitor)

“It is an honor to be there with this group and have this level of competition,” Rodriguez said. “It is amazing and empowering to compete with other girls beside me who have the same goals and mindset as I do, especially being a woman because people say it is a man’s sport. Being a woman, it is a little harder and more challenging, but it is about letting that go and just being who we are.”

The list of throwing qualifiers doesn’t end there, with three boys also nabbing state berths.

Sharyland ISD is home to two of those athletes, with Sharyland High’s Chukwubueze Ikondu and Pioneer’s Evan Thompson both winning Region IV-5A titles to qualify for state.

Ikondu, the Region IV-5A discus champ, has been on a tear during championship season, improving his mark by nearly 30 feet each time out. During the regional meet, the Rattlers’ senior recorded a personal-best mark of 193-2, ranking No. 2 in Class 5A heading into state.

Thompson added to the district’s hardware, bringing home the Region IV-5A shot put title with a mark of 60-1.5. He enters the state meet ranked second in Class 5A in the event with a personal-best throw of 60-10 according to Athletic.net.

The Sharyland ISD duo is joined by Edinburg Vela’s Kristopher Perez. The sophomore thrower finished third in the Region IV-5A shot put with a personal best mark of 54-7.25. The mark earned him the wild-card bid in the event, giving the Valley a total of eight throwers at the meet.

Left to right, Sharyland Pioneer‘s Evan Thompson, Sharyland High‘s Chukwubueze Ikondu and Edinburg Vela’s Kristopher Perez. The trio is set to represent the RGV at the 2023 UIL state track and field championships. (Delcia Lopez | The Monitor)

“We’ve always been pretty good at throwing in the Valley for quite a while,” Thompson said after the Region IV-5A meet. “Now we’re kind of sprouting and getting better year by year. We’re just constantly improving. It means a lot to see the Valley’s throwers improving all at once.”

The Valley also will be represented by a trio of jumpers during this weekend’s state meet, with each set to make their first appearance at the event.

Brownsville Veterans’ Gerry Gomez and Edinburg Vela’s Jacob Trevino earned silver medals in the triple jump and long jump, respectively, during the Region IV-5A meet, and Brownsville IDEA Frontier’s Ashley Olvera finished second in the high jump at the Region IV-3A meet.

Left to right, Brownsville Veterans’ Gerry Gomez, Brownsville IDEA Frontier’s Ashley Olvera and Edinburg Vela’s Jacob Trevino all qualified for state in jumping events.

The 2023 UIL state track and field championships begin with Class 3A and 4A events today at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. The meet continues Friday with Class 2A and 5A events, followed by Class 1A and 6A events Saturday.

For a full list of the RGV’s state qualifiers, visit www.RGVSports.com.

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There isn’t much McAllen Memorial’s Ayden Granados hasn’t accomplished during his four-year track career with the Mustangs.

The senior distance runner has won back-to-back District 31-5A titles in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs, also adding consecutive Area 31/32-5A and Region IV-5A championships in the 1,600 and 3,200.

Granados also holds the Valley record in the mile run, clocking in at 4 minutes, 9.42 seconds during 95th annual Texas Clyde Littlefield Relays on April 1.

Only one thing is left to add to Granados’ extensive resume: a state title.

Granados will get his chance to add state gold this week, set to compete in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs at the 2023 UIL state track and field championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

“You have to have a reason to run, a reason why you’re doing it,” Granados said. “That is something I’ve shared since middle school. As a freshman my coach (Jesse Trejo) asked me what records I want, and I said all of them. He followed it up by asking how bad I would want a state title and I said I’d do anything I could to get it. This is it. I’m putting my life on the line for the state title, and I’ll do anything I possibly can for it.”

Granados enters this year’s meet as one of the top contenders in both races, holding the top time in the 1,600 in Class 5A and the No. 3 mark in the 3,200 according to Athletic.net.

He also is riding a nine-race win streak in the mile run, including a victory over some of the state’s top competitors at the 95th Annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

The mark set during the event moved him to No. 1 in Valley history in the event, passing several RGV legends.

McAllen Memorial’s Ayden Grandos (1) reacts at the finish line as he competes in the 5A 1600 meter run during the Region IV 5A/6a track and field championships at Heroes Stadium on Saturday, April 29, 2023, in San Antonio. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) Joel Martinez

“Ayden, in the 1,600, he is No. 1 (in the Valley) and look at who he beat for it,” RGV track and field historian Carlos Vela said. “He beat Basilio Garcia from Weslaco (High), who ran for Baylor. He beat Todd Harbour, who coached at Baylor University and ran for Port Isabel. This kid is just so humble, too.”

The Oklahoma state signee came close to earning a pair of gold medals during last year’s state meet. Granados came within 1.14 seconds of the first in the Class 5A 3,200-meter run, finishing in 9:08.91 behind only Grapevine’s Walker St. John (9:07.78).

He also added a silver medal in the Class 5A boys 1,600-meter run, clocking in at 4:11.75. Austin McCallum’s Chris Riley won the event with a time of 4:08.56.

With just two races left as a Mustang, Granados isn’t ready to let off the gas yet, hoping for his best marks of his career Friday.

“It is one of those things where I’m feeling really good going in, but I’m also kind of sad,” Granados said. “I came into the program as a freshman ready to break records and give it everything I could. In a way, I feel like I accomplished my goal. These are my last two races and I’m proud to be going back to state to do it. It is a little heartbreaking, but I know in the end this is all for a reason. As my coach says, it is hard to let go but it is time to let the next generations have their shining moment.”

Granados is just one of 16 RGV athletes set to represent the RGV during this week’s running events at the state meet, including seven other regional champions.

Harlingen High’s Faith Franklin enters the state meet with the most state berths of any Valley athlete, qualifying in three events at the Class 6A level.

The Cardinals’ sprinter won regional titles in the 200- and 400-meter dash, while adding a second-place finish in the 100-meter dash.

Harlingen High Faith Frankilin reacts as she crosses the finish as she competes in the 6A 100 meter dash during the Region IV 5A/6a track and field championships at Heroes Stadium on Saturday, April 29, 2023, in San Antonio. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) Joel Martinez

Edinburg North’s Keyshawn Garcia and San Juanita Leal join Franklin in representing the RGV at the 6A level, each capturing a pair of regional titles to secure berths at the state meet.

Leal repeated as champion in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs, while Garcia captured the titles in the 400- and 800-meter runs, earning him the first state bids of his career.

Weslaco East’s Gael Romo joined Granados with a pair of regional titles at the Class 5A level, blazing past the competition for first in the 100- and 200-meter dash. The UTRGV signee set personal bests in both events, including a time of 10.37 seconds in the 100, the second fastest mark in Valley history.

La Villa’s Kaycei Salazar was the RGV’s lone sub-5A athlete to capture multiple regional championships, running away with the Region IV-2A titles in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. The Cardinals sophomore enters the state meet with the top time in Class 2A in both events.

Mission Veterans Carla Guerrero and La Feria’s Julian Dominguez rounded out the Valley’s regional champions, winning the Region IV-5A girls and Region IV-4A boys 800-meter titles, respectively.

The 2023 UIL State Track and Field Championships begin with the Class 3A and 4A events Thursday at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. The meet continue with Class 2A and 5A on Friday, with Class 1A and 6A wrapping things up Saturday.

For a full list of the Valley’s state qualifying runners, visit www.RGVSports.com.

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Sharyland Pioneer’s Ryan Servantes has established himself as one of the Valley’s top distance runners during his four-year career with the Diamondbacks.

The senior has one state cross country and three regional track appearances under his belt. He also holds school records in the 5,000-meter run in cross country and the 800- and 1,600-meter run in track.

In the classroom, Servantes has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout his four years.

His work in the classroom and on the track garnered him academic and athletic opportunities to Lamar University, earning the school’s presidential scholarship and a spot on the cross country and track and field teams.

Servantes is taking both opportunities, officially joining the school after signing his national letter of intent during a ceremony May 2 at the Sharyland Pioneer Gym.

Lamar University is an NCAA Division I program in Beaumont which competes in the Southland Conference.

“I am excited and grateful I have this opportunity to do what I want and what I love at the same time,” Servantes said. “Everything aligned perfectly for me. I know all my hard work on the track and in the classroom has paid off.”

Servantes was one of 15 incoming freshman out of 137 applicants to earn the school’s presidential scholarship, a full-ride academic based award. To qualify for the award, he had to maintain at least a 3.9 GPA, be ranked in the top 10% at his school and score between 1330-1600 or 29-36 in the SAT or ACT, respectively.

The Diamondbacks senior was already being actively recruited by Lamar University before learning he would be receiving the academic scholarship.

While he has a spot secured on the team, Servantes won’t be awarded any money from the athletics department after receiving the presidential award, with the money originally set aside for him to be used for other student athletes.

“Going into high school I really didn’t care about academics,” Servantes said. “I just wanted to come in and compete and run and be an athlete. I didn’t think I could be that smart kid. I thought those AP classes were for smart kids, so I was just here to be an athlete. It took my parents and my brother pushing me to challenge myself a little bit. My competitive nature in athletics transitioned well into academics. That competitive spirit shone through, and I tried hard in every single class I took.”

Servantes joins the Cardinals fresh off the best season of his four-year career. In cross country, he finished third during the District 31-5A with a program best time of 15 minutes, 31.3 seconds.

He continued his stellar senior season all the way to the Class 5A state meet, coming in 19th out of 151 competitors. His finish was the second highest among RGV athletes during the race.

Track season brought more success for Servantes, earning nine top three finishes in the 800-meter run out of 11 possible races. His best performance came during the Area 31/32-5A meet, taking the gold with a personal best time of 1:55.41 to advance to regionals for a third straight year.

“I think my entire journey was a rollercoaster, full of highs and lows,” Servantes said. “I dealt with injuries but also had a lot of accomplishments. That all made me mentally tough and kept me going. The COVID year, I would be out there running by myself, not knowing when the season was going to start. I didn’t have a coach talking to me telling me what workouts to do. That is when I knew I had the dedication and mindset to continue this for another four years after high school.”

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When Noe Mendoza Jr. created the UTRGV boxing club, he did so with the intention of bringing attention to the sport he loved in the RGV while giving local athletes a chance to showcase their talents.

The club’s growth, however, has exceeded expectations beyond what anyone imagined.

In just less than three years, the UTRGV boxing club has evolved into a perennial powerhouse among collegiate boxing programs, crowning four national champions since its inception.

The program’s national success has been almost instant, with Mendoza and Henry “Mac” McFarland claiming national titles during the club’s first year.

Mendoza defeated Air Force’s Zackary Phillips by split decision during the 2021 USA Summer Boxing Festival to claim the 141-pound division title, and McFarland defeated Washington’s Jesse Greening by first-round referee stoppage to win the 201-plus weight division crown.

Omar Cortez, the club’s president, became UTRGV boxing’s third national champion during the 2022 United State Intercollegiate Boxing Association’s national tournament, capturing the 154-pound novice title.

Last month, the club produced its fourth national champion, with club vice president Alejandro Huerta defeating Cornell’s MarQuon Frederick for the 168-pound belt.

“It was a great feeling the moment I had my hands lifted,” Huerta said. “There was a bunch of months, weeks, days and hours of hard work. I would miss time with my family and events just to train. After training at UTRGV, I would still go do work on my own because the only option for me was to win. When I won the belt, I felt great. But this belt isn’t just mine. It is the coaches’ and the teammates’. I have the belt in my room, but it doesn’t feel like it is just mine.”

The club’s success extends outside of the ring as well, earning all-academic program honors during the 2022 season.

Cortez also was one of four recipients of the Ira Mitzner Memorial Scholarship, awarded to student-athletes who show a dedication to boxing and the classroom.

“Honestly, it is a lot,” Cortez said. “Being the club president, I have to lead by example and that is what I did. I tried to lead by example by taking on the best challengers I could face, while staying on my academics. Winning that scholarship, I’m trying to set the foundation where we could be able to fight but also show we’re smart as well. That is what pushes me a lot. Our coaches and teammates, we all help each other not just in the ring, but outside of it as well.”

UTRGV boxing’s rising tide has set high standards for the program, which is looking to add more national champions.

While founder and former club president Noe Mendoza is set to move on to the next chapter of his life, pursuing his law degree next fall, the club hopes to continue to grow what he helped build.

“My mission from the start of this was to inspire the next group of leaders,” Mendoza said. “When I graduated, I knew I couldn’t compete anymore. Everything we’re trying to do now, we’re trying to make history. We have a small trophy case at the UREC, and they’re going to continue building that trophy case and building our history.”

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BROWNSVILLE — The Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers kept Edinburg Vela at bay for three innings, holding the SaberCats to just two hits and one run.

During the fourth, however, the SaberCats roared to life, scoring six runs to help take down the Chargers 7-3 during Game 1 of a best-of-three Class 5A bi-district matchup Friday at Chargers Stadium in Brownsville.

“I think the big thing tonight was watching these young men grow,” Edinburg Vela head coach Jaime Perez said. “Game after game. Out after out. Inning after inning. I’ve watched these guys continue to grow as a club. Then our freshman pitcher (Santiago Montes), man, he’s growing up before our eyes big time.”

The Chargers entered the fourth inning holding a 3-1 lead. An RBI by Edinburg Vela sophomore Diego Rodríguez cut the SaberCats’ deficit to one with no outs.

Moments later, junior AJ Reyes delivered a line drive to left field, bringing in two runs to give Vela its first lead.

Our Lady of the Lake signee Jake Dufner kept the scoring party going, hitting a shot deep into center field moments later to bring in three more runs and make it 7-3.

“I think we showed a lot of discipline at the plate during the fourth,” Perez said. “They were nibbling a little bit. They were throwing some breaking balls early in the count, then they tried to come back with some fastballs. We lost some guys after getting hit by a pitch, but the way this team is built, it is next man up. They came up huge for us today.”

The Chargers jumped on several errors by the SaberCats early, scoring one run during each of the first three innings to take a 3-1 lead.

After a six-run barrage by the SaberCats, Brownsville Veterans mounted its comeback attempt during the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases with just one out.

The SaberCats responded with back-to-back outs to leave the tying runs stranded.

Brownsville Veterans had one last chance for the comeback during the bottom of the seventh, but three quick outs by the SaberCats sealed the Chargers’ fate.

“The biggest difference after the start is that the kids calmed down,” Perez said. “We don’t have a lot of playoff experience in this group. We have maybe three of our guys with experience. I think the lights were a little big early, but we got them in here and calmed them down. Sometimes as a coach you start barking a little bit, and that can make things worse. I told my staff we can’t bark too much, and we had to give them some confidence. It could be tough on them, mentally especially. With the lights and the big crowd, I think the kids handled the situation well.”

The victory gives the SaberCats a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series. The series continues with Game 2 at 2 p.m. today at Edinburg Economedes. Game 3 is set to follow 30 minutes after Game 2 if necessary.

“Brownsville Vets last year lost to Sharyland in Game 1 then went to Sharyland and beat them twice,” Perez said. “That is what we told our kids tonight. That is a successful program over there, and they win a lot of games. We have to do our part and control how they attack us. We’re going to have to take some blows. It is a heavyweight fight. We just have to stay on our feet and stay together, and I think we’ll be OK.”

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Weslaco East’s Gael Romo didn’t make the permanent switch to track and field until last season. Prior to that, the senior sprinter had spent nearly 10 years dedicated to basketball before stepping away.

The move has paid dividends for Romo, emerging as one of the top runners not only in the Valley but in the state after refocusing his attention to track and field.

He took the next step in his track and field career Wednesday, signing his National Letter of Intent to run for UTRGV next fall during a ceremony at the Weslaco East gym.

UTRGV is an NCAA Division I program in Edinburg that competes in the Western Athletic Conference.

“I had gotten offers from bigger schools, but I like the Valley a lot,” Romo said during an interview April 25. “I think a lot of people overlook the Valley because it is on the tip of Texas. I feel like the impact I can have is to show that we’re up there with those bigger cities. That is why I chose to stay at UTRGV. I saw what the Valley can do, so I said instead of going to another team where you’re just another guy, I told myself to go to UTRGV and help try to put the whole Valley on the map. That is the whole goal. There is change coming to the Valley.”

Romo’s journey to sprinting stardom hasn’t come without any obstacles. The senior sprinter dealt with numerous mental and physical battles to get where he is today.

To read about Romo’s path to stardom click here.

Nothing could stop him from reaching his potential, however, advancing all the way to the Region IV-5A finals in the 100-meter dash after committing to the sport last season.

This year, Romo has taken it to another level, winning 20 of 21 races in the 100 and 200 combined. His lone loss came during the 95th annual Clyde Littlefield Relays, an event that features top athletes from across the nation.

Against local and regional competition, Romo has established himself as the best, winning 10 gold medals in as many tries in both events, including District 32-5A, area 31/32-5A and Region IV-5A crowns in each.

“My hunger of winning every race came from finishing second last year several times,” Romo said. “I was second in district and second in area. Just a lot of second. My offseason coming into this year was about getting first. I’d work out two-a-days and just pushed myself, and it paid off.”

Romo still has two races left in his high school career, as he is set to compete in both events at the UIL state track and field championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium on May 12 in Austin.

He enters the state meet ranked No. 4 in Class 5A in the 100 and No. 7 in the 200. Romo isn’t afraid of being the underdog, however, setting his sights on the gold in both events.

“I think I’m the most competitive person ever,” Romo said. “On the track, if the guy is next to me, I’m going to try to beat him. Same in the classroom, if someone has a higher grade than me, I’m going to try to beat him. I’ve always been competitive. I don’t want to lose. It has always been my nature. I’ve heard a lot of trash talk on the track every meet. I’ve gotten used to that. I let my results do the talking for me and, so far, I’ve been undefeated.”

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SAN ANTONIO — Harlingen High’s Faith Franklin found herself in tears just moments before her first final of the day during Saturday’s regional meet.

A nagging hamstring injury during the regional meet led to some doubts heading into the finals.

After letting her emotions out, however, Franklin delivered the top performance of any RGV athlete at the regional meet, earning state bids in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes during the Region IV-5A/6A track and field championships at Heroes Stadium in San Antonio.

“I’ve had problems with my hamstring on and off for, like, a month now. I was actually crying before my first race, literally right before the 100, with my trainers. I was able to push through, and now I’m getting ready to prepare for state.”

Franklin opened the meet with a blistering performance in the Region IV-6A 100, finishing second with a time of 11.71 seconds. Her mark was just .08 seconds behind Round Rock Cedar Ridge’s Kelly Ufodiama (11.63).

Her performance in the 100 seemed to spark confidence in Franklin heading into her next event, and she put on a show during the 400. The junior sprinter flew to the title in 54.26 seconds, setting a Region IV-6A record.

Franklin wrapped up her day with a photo finish in the 200. Her 24.29 seconds was .03 seconds faster than Converse Judson’s Alexis Jessie, earning Franklin her second regional title of the day and third state berth.

“I’m happy to be able to make it to state,” Franklin said. “My freshman year, I was barely able to make it to the finals at regionals. My sophomore year, I got third in both of my events. This year, I am finally going to make it to state. I still have a lot to take care of. I have tough competition. I’m just going to go out there and give the best I can give, and see who wins.”

Franklin’s three state berths were the most earned by any RGV athlete during the Region IV-5A/6A track and field championships. She wasn’t the only athlete to earn multiple bids Saturday, however, joined by several others.

Edinburg North’s Keyshawn Garcia used last-second bursts to take the gold in both the Region IV-6A 400 and 800, winning both events by less than half a second.

Garcia (1:53.52) edged Austin Bowie’s Evan MacGregor (1:53.58) for first in the 800. His next race was even closer, beating San Antonio Sotomayor’s Elijah Hernandez by .03 seconds for the 400 crown.

“The last 100, I was trapped in a box,” Garcia said. “I knew I had to get out of there, so I knew it was time to make a move. I didn’t care if I tripped up or not, I was getting out of there and coming in front. Now it is time to come back on Monday and work hard in practice to prepare for state.”

Weslaco East’s Gael Romo also earned a pair of golds Saturday, coming in first in the Region IV-5A 100 and 200.

Romo set personal bests in both events, clocking in at 10.37 seconds in the 100 and 21.28 seconds in the 200.

Edinburg North’s San Juanita Leal and McAllen Memorial’s Ayden Granados each added to their medal count during the 1,600, with Leal capturing the Region IV-6A girls title and Granados the Region IV-5A boys.

Leal cruised to a comfortable victory, clocking in at 4:51.93, nearly 10 seconds faster than the next competitor, and Granados won his race in 4:17.85.

Both competitors took home the gold in their respective class’ 3,200 Friday, sending each to state in both events for a second consecutive year.

Mission Veterans’ Carla Guerrero was the only other athlete to capture a regional title Saturday, taking home the gold in the Region IV-5A 800.

The UT Arlington signee finished in 2:18.07 to secure first place, improving on her eighth-place finish from last season.

“I was just thanking God as I crossed the finish line,” Guerrero said. “I was crying as I went into the last 100. I started telling myself I couldn’t lose this and pushed it until the finish line.”

A total of nine Valley athletes punched tickets to the UIL state track and field championships Saturday, bringing the RGV’s total at the 5A and 6A level to 17.

McAllen Memorial’s Alicia Ziegler and La Joya Palmview’s Michael Hernandez both earned bids with second-place finishes in the Region IV-5A 100- and 110-meter hurdles, respectively. The top two finishers from each final advance to state. McAllen High’s Yaneli Rocha also qualified for state, coming in second in the Region IV-5A 800.

The RGV also sends a relay team to the state meet, with McAllen Rowe’s boys 4×400 relay team coming in second in Region IV-5A.

The 2023 UIL state track and field championships are set for May 11-13 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

For full results from the regional meets across the state featuring RGV athletes, visit RGVSports.com.

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SAN ANTONIO — Sharyland High’s Chukwubueze Ikondu set a goal for himself of 180 feet in the discus throw heading into the 2023 campaign.

During last week’s area 31/32-5A track and field championships, Ikondu came up just short of the mark by an inch, recording a throw of 179 feet, 11 inches.

Ikondu wasted no time securing his goal and then some during Friday’s Region IV-5A track and field championships at Heroes Stadium in San Antonio.

On his first throw of the day, Ikondu recorded a mark of 193-2 to claim the Region IV-5A discus crown and secure a spot at the Class 5A state track and field championships in two weeks.

“The first throw just sealed it,” Ikondu said. “This morning I was praying to God that if it was his will, to let me break the regional record. It didn’t happen, but God gave me that 190. It feels good. I’m speechless. I just want to thank God, my coaches and my family for supporting me throughout this whole journey. As I said before, though, thanks to God because he sent my disc out.”

Ikondu had a good feeling heading into Friday’s regional meet, telling his coaches at breakfast he was coming for the regional record of 199-0 set by Beeville Jones’ Derek Randall in 2002.

The Rattlers’ senior fell just short, hitting the 193 mark on his first three throws. Still, Ikondu leaves the regional meet with the school record, breaking the previous mark of 188-5 set by Richard Cervantes in 2014.

Ikondu isn’t done yet, however, already setting his sights on his next goals: hitting the 200 mark and bringing home the gold.

“Coming from a small town and being that kind of underdog rising, that is what God has given me and I am so grateful,” Ikondu said. “The next goal is 200. There is nothing else. It is about the next mark. Hopefully, with God’s grace, we seal that and a gold, and maybe even break Stephen Saenz’s record.”

Ikondu’s record-setting performance highlighted a big day by the Valley’s throwers at the regional meet, with six athletes punching their tickets to state in the events. The top two finishers from each final advance to the state meet.

Sharyland Pioneer’s Evan Thompson captured the Region IV-5A shot put title with a mark of 60-1.5. The victory secured the first regional championship of his career and his second straight state berth.

“We’ve always been pretty good at throwing in the Valley for a while,” Thompson said. “We’re kind of sprouting now and getting better. I feel blessed. God is good. It is a great feeling to get to go back. My goal for state now is to hit 65 feet and win state. I’ve been looking at that the whole year. God willing, I can hit that mark and take home the gold medal.”

On the girls side, Harlingen High’s Jazmine Thompson set the tone for the day, earning state meet bids in the shot put and discus with a pair of second-place finishes in Region IV-6A.

PSJA Southwest’s Marcela Trevino and PSJA North’s Jaylah Martinez followed it up by taking home the gold and silver, respectively, in the Region IV-5A discus, advancing both to the state meet.

Trevino won the regional title with a personal-best mark of 147-10, with Martinez coming in second with a throw of 130-10.

Rio Grande City’s Serina Ramirez rounded out the day for the RGV’s throwers, capturing the Region IV-5A shot put crown, giving the Valley four regional champions in the throwing events. Ramirez’s victory also gave the RGV a clean sweep of the Region IV-5A throwing events.

“Honestly, the Valley is very overlooked,” Ramirez said. “We have so much talent down here. It is just so great that us four regional champs can go up there and represent the Valley and our little cities. I’m just super grateful we have this opportunity to go up there and show them we are great in the Valley.”

Throwers weren’t the only ones to earn state berths Friday. Brownsville Veterans’ Gerry Gomez finished second in the Region IV-5A triple jump to secure his first state bid. His mark of 46-1.75 finished less than three inches behind Boerne Champion’s Joshua Hierholzer (46-4).

Edinburg Vela’s Jacob Trevino joins Gomez in qualifying in a jumping event, finishing second in the long jump with a mark of 22-05.5.

The Valley’s distance runners also delivered big performances during the only running final of the day, with three of the eight available state bids in the 3,200-meter run earned by RGV runners.

McAllen Memorial’s Ayden Granados and Edinburg North’s San Juanita Leal both repeated as regional champs in the event, with Granados coming in first in the 5A boys division with a time of 9 minutes, 13.96 seconds and Leal winning the 6A girls race with a mark of 10:31.54.

McAllen High sophomore Dana Rojas Vazquez was the third RGV distance runner to earn a spot at state, coming in second in the 5A girls run with a time of 11:06.82.

Day 1 of the Region IV-5A/6A championships also featured the prelims for both classifications’ running events.

Weslaco East’s Gael Romo was one of the top performers of the day, earning the top seed in the boys 5A 100 and 200 heading into today’s finals.

Harlingen High’s Faith Franklin also shined during the prelims, securing a spot in the finals in the 100, 200 and 400.

The Region IV-5A/6A track and field championships continue with the running finals beginning at 12:30 p.m. at Heroes Stadium in San Antonio.

For full results from Friday’s Region IV-5A/6A field event finals and running event prelims, visit RGVSports.com.

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WESLACO — Track and field was never in the plans for Weslaco East’s Gael Romo. The senior had dedicated nearly 10 years of his life to basketball before making the permanent switch to sprinting as a junior.

In less than two years Romo has established himself as one of the top sprinters not only in the RGV, but in the state, holding top-10 marks in Class 5A in the 100- and 200-meter dash heading into this weekend’s Region IV-5A/6A track and field championships at Heroes Stadium in San Antonio.

Romo’s rise hasn’t come without struggle. Before getting to where he is now, he had to climb out of what he described as the “darkest moments” of his life.

Basketball was always Plan A for Romo. He was born into a basketball family with both his father and brother playing the sport.

Romo seemed destined to follow in their footsteps, beginning his career on the hardwood during the first grade. From countless hours in the gym working with trainers and numerous miles spent on the road competing with AAU teams, Romo was on the path to potential basketball stardom.

Romo’s hard work led to him earning a spot on the Wildcats’ varsity roster as a freshman. Though he didn’t see much playing time, Romo seemed headed in the right direction.

“I’ve known Gael since he was little,” Weslaco East head coach Zeke Rodriguez said. “He always played against my son in basketball at the Boys and Girls Club. He was always a really spunky kid and played with a lot of confidence. He was always very fast, as we all know. When I first got the job, I was coming off of my heart attack and (Gael) was hopeful I would have an opportunity to coach him. The job opened up at East, and it was almost kind of a godsend. As soon as I got in there, he told me whatever I wanted him to do he would do.”

As a sophomore, Romo’s high school basketball career seemed to be taking off. He took over as the team’s starting point guard midway through the season, helping Weslaco East capture its first playoff berth in four years.

His career was on an upward trajectory heading into his junior year.

Then, something changed.

“After making the playoffs for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was on the right track,” Romo said. “We played against a tough McHi team in the first round that went to the Elite Eight and only lost by, like, six points. I realized I was on the right track and then I got a snap back to reality.”

Romo began struggling on the court, no longer producing at the level he was accustomed to. His struggles sent him to the bench, seeing fewer and fewer minutes.

He began hearing people around campus talk. Romo also began to battle with his own inner thoughts.

“It changed everything for me,” Romo said. “In my mind, I felt nobody was working harder than me. It just didn’t translate to the court what I was working on. I’m not blaming the coach or anything. I understand I just couldn’t produce. It put me in a rough spot mentally.”

The culmination of outside noise and dealing with his own inner demons led Romo down a dark path. His academic and social life also began to take a toll.

He also began using drugs to cope with it all, Romo said, nearly overdosing at one point. Shortly after, he began contemplating suicide, a moment Romo describes as the “lowest” of his life.

“I started struggling really badly with my mental health,” Romo said. “I had loved the sport for 10, almost 11 years, and it felt like I had just gotten it taken away from me. It put me in a rough situation. My grades started to drop. I started getting into problems with my family and friends. It really took a toll on me. There were points where I really contemplated suicide. I’d just see the negative in every single thing. Then, I don’t know, I just found peace again.”

In his darkest moments, Romo found light. Sitting alone in his room during what he described as a “week-long self-quarantine,” he had a coming-to-God moment, thinking of how much worse things could be.

He thought about his mom, who had been dealing with her own personal struggles. He thought about himself and what he wanted to be. Then he just let go.

“I just realized things could be a lot worse for me,” Romo said. “The things we complain about, like being a bench warmer, it doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. There are people out there without jobs or other real issues. I was alone in my room, like a quarantine, and just found God again. I finally accepted it was time to move on to the next chapter of my life. It was about me growing up and realizing that the sport had become toxic for me. I may have loved this for such a long time, but I knew it was time to let go.”

Romo officially quit basketball at the end of the 2022 campaign. After walking away, Romo felt a weight lifted off his shoulders, figuratively and literally, running his then-fastest time in the 100-meter dash the ensuing meet.

That is when he realized he could do something with the sport. Romo began focusing on correcting his form and cutting down his time, watching YouTube and TikTok videos for instructional advice.

The then-junior saw his time drop significantly, advancing all the way to the Region IV-5A finals. His season ended there with a fifth place.

“Gael dealt with some issues when he was with us,” Rodriguez said. “It is always tough going from being a starter then going to the bench. He definitely had a little more to give us, but with what he gave us on the court, he helped us establish a tradition on the court. We talked, and he knew it was going to be hard for him to walk away because it was the sport he loved. I said to him that sometimes God puts things in front of us that are going to be the best for us. He helped us and now he’s helping that track program.”

All things seemed to be going good for Romo before another obstacle presented itself. Going into this season, he felt an uncomfortable pain in his back. He tried to run through it during the offseason, but he could feel something was wrong.

Romo went to see specialists, where he was informed he had what he described as a crooked back. Appointments with chiropractors didn’t seem to help with the pain, leading Romo to believe his track career was over before it even started.

Romo didn’t sink back to what he once did. Instead, he embraced the battle with a new resilient mindset. Eventually, he began responding to the treatments, getting back to where he was, and then some, right as track season began.

“It was another tough moment realizing I was getting slower than last year,” Romo said. “The situation that had happened where I was contemplating suicide, it ended up helping me out this summer. I realized I was in a similar spot to what I was then, but this time I knew how to handle it. I was more mature and resilient mentally. I just kept my head down and kept grinding.”

Since then, Romo has been blazing a new path on the track. The senior opened the season with a hand-timed mark of 10.2 seconds in the 100 at the Bobby Morrow Relays in San Benito.

He’s reeled off 10 straight wins in the 100 and 200 against Valley opponents, including capturing the District 32-5A and Area 31/32-5A titles in both events.

Romo also set the second-fastest time in Valley history in the 100 this season, with his mark of 10.52 seconds ranking only behind Harlingen High’s Jose Garcia.

He enters this weekend’s Region IV-5A track and field championships as a favorite to win the 100 and 200, holding the top time in the region in both events, according to Athletic.net.

“You just wanted him to succeed,” Weslaco East track and field head coach Tom Owens said. “I didn’t know the whole story and I still don’t know the whole story, but you see a kid struggling like that and you just want to do your best to make him successful because he gave up a lot. Basketball was his love. He came out after last year with a competitive fire and wants to do more and more. How many kids ask for that?”

Romo couldn’t picture being where he is now when he reflects on where he was almost a year ago. Running helped him go from his darkest moment to an NCAA Division I athlete, signing to run collegiately at UTRGV next fall earlier this month.

While he has enjoyed winning gold medals and rising to the top, Romo finds true motivation in another place. The gold medals will fade and eventually his track career will end, he said.

Instead, he focuses on inspiring the next generation of RGV athletes, showing them that anything is possible. He shares his own story of his battle with depression and suicidal ideations in hopes of reaching out to those who are in a similar boat and showing them there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“I contemplated suicide and everything,” Romo said. “Now, I am honestly grateful for those days because now I can see the bigger picture. I can see the highs that came from the lows. I never pictured this then. I’ve seen myself happy and confident, but also at the very bottom. I just want to tell anyone going through it to look for their own peace and stick to yourself. If you’re in a rough situation, try to find some help and talk to people you really trust. Life takes bad days and good days, but it isn’t the end.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, text TALK to 741741 or visit https://988lifeline.org/.

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