BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

AUSTIN — Alexandria Cruz found herself in an unfamiliar position. While the Edinburg High senior spent much of her final track season atop the podium, the final day of the UIL State Track and Field Championships at Mike A. Myes Stadium saw the decorated distance runner on the ground, exhausted and needing assistance to stand.

Cruz came to not only medal in the Class 6A girls 800-meter and 1600-meter runs. She came to improve her time and better her own school and Valley records. But there would be no celebration. Cruz would place a disappointing eighth in the 800 with a time of 2 minutes, 15.34 seconds, more than five seconds slower than her gold-medal run at regionals earlier this month in San Antonio. Where Cruz usually looks smooth and crisp in her runs, Saturday found her looking sluggish.

“My legs feel heavy,” she said. “It could have been the distance (traveling), but I tried to put that away and just warmed up like I usually do. I was really tired. My body was drained. Physically, it was just like somebody was just holding me back. It felt like someone was pushing on me and my legs. I didn’t’ feel the same as usual.”

While Cruz is accustomed to running near the front, she ran no higher than sixth place. After crossing the finish line, she collected a cup of water from an official, and stopped to sit down on the track before marching back to her coach — the opposite direction of the medal stand.

“I’m kind of upset that I didn’t medal or break my record,” she said. “I’m just really upset.”

With roughly two hours of downtime between her two events, Cruz tried to erase her bad run in the 800 and focus on the next race.

“I just told myself ‘You either put it together or have a bad race. Just go out there and prove people wrong,’” she said. “‘I know there were a lot of people from the Valley here, and I could hear them cheering so I didn’t want to let them down.”

Though she finished sixth in the 1600 with a time of 4:56.57, two seconds shy of her own Valley record, her second appearance on the track was decidedly better than her debut. Cruz led roughly 150 meters, and ran a steady pace from start to finish.

“I’ve put in a lot of hard work over these past four years,” she said. “This is my first state meet ever, and I tried so hard to get here. Why waste it and throw it away and not finish strong? I wanted to leave it all on the track and that’s’ what I feel like I did in the mile.”

Cruz’s high school career ends where her collegiate career will begin. Mike A. Myers Stadium is home base for the University of Texas, where she’ll run cross country and track next fall.

“It was a good experience,” she said of her time at state. “It was a learning experience. Knowing that I’ll be competing at the collegiate level next year, I’m going to have to have more confidence. I know I have confidence, but I know if I train with more of the elite girls during the summer, I’ll gain more confidence and the ability to run with more people.”

FINAL CHASE

Yariel Matute wanted something to chase all season, a competitor to push him to be his best. As the La Joya Juarez-Lincoln senior entered the Class 6A boys 400-meter dash, he had plenty to chase. His seed time of 48.94 was slowest among the nine competitors. As a means of focusing his efforts, he set his sights on something other than gold.

“I wanted to chase the Valley record,” he said. “It’s 47.29.”

Although Matute finished eighth with a new personal best of 48.05, he felt as if he left some speed on the track.

“I thought I had it in me, but I fell short,” he said. “I felt strong, but I couldn’t finish. That race was tough. I know I have a 47 in me, maybe a the college level, I’ll hit it.”

The Valley record in the boys 400 was set in 2008 by Mishak Rivas. Matute ends his high school racing career with the seventh-best time in Valley-track history.

Although Matute fell short of besting history, he did accomplish his secondary goal.

“I didn’t’ get last,” he said with a laugh. “As long as I didn’t get last, I was going to be fine.”

Matute passed Christian McStravick of Strake Jesuit during the race’s final 150 meters. Matute says he doesn’t know yet where he’ll attend college, but says UTPA would be a good program for him.

“I want to continue to represent the Valley,” he said.

VALLEY ROUNDUP

Natalie Alaniz of Edinburg North placed eighth in the Class 6A girls discus with a throw of 111 feet. The Weslaco girls 4×400-meter relay team placed eighth in Class 6A competition with a time of 3:58.03. The Lady Panthers set a new Valley record in the event at regionals earlier this month in San Antonio with a time of 3:50.07. Cierra Pena of Harlingen South won bronze in the Class 6A girls long jump with an attempt of 19-08 – setting a new Valley record. Carlos Rodriguez of La Feria won the silver medal in the Class 4A boys 800-meter run with a time of 1:56.40

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BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

AUSTIN — As Valery Tobias paraded onto the track Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium to make her debut at the UIL State Track and Field Championships, she surveyed the stands and saw the swarm of fans in the bleachers. The crowd of nearly 12,000 was by far the most she’s ever competed in front of.

But the Edinburg IDEA Quest freshman had bigger things to ponder than the number of eyes watching her participate in the Class 3A 800-meter run.

“I was focused on the race more than anything,” Tobias said. “I was just seeing myself running through the race. I guess when they fired the (starting) gun, I didn’t feel anything anymore.”

By race’s end, her feelings returned in the form of jubilation. Tobias won the silver medal with a time of 2 minutes, 15.21 seconds, setting a new personal record in the process. Her previous PR was 2:18.14.

“I was so proud of myself,” she said. “I was so thankful to those athletes and my competitors. They made me better.”

Tobias entered the event tied for the best seed time with Chloe Zeisman of Holiday (2:19.12). During the race’s first 400 meters, the IDEA distance runner held firm in fourth place.

“The first 200, I was running against the wind,” she said. “In the second 200, I wanted to use the wind with me. I wanted to go. I was just holding with that front group as fast as I could. I felt like I wanted to move. I needed to make a stand.”

Tobias would remain in fourth the majority of the race. She says the second and final lap was about positioning herself in order to make a move when the time was right. During the race’s final 200-meters, the top-three runners began to pull away before Tobias found the speed she needed.

“Halfway through the second turn, I started my kick there.” she said. “I told myself, ‘I can do this.’ So at the end I was trying to run as fast as I could, like it was my last race ever. It was all about who wanted it the most. I was just running for my life.”

Tobias passed Bret Leight Nance (Blanco) and Zeisman on the outside during the race’s final 100 meters, securing a podium finish.

“She did everything the way we planned to,” coach Robbie Cruz said. “I wish she would have kicked in a little bit sooner. 10 meters sooner, and she would have gotten (first). She usually gathers herself and then kicks in, but she did good.”

Tobias later competed in the 3A 400-meter dash, placing sixth with a time of 59.31, less than one second away from her personal best of 58.43. Tobias, a cross country athlete, isn’t accustomed to middle-distance races and say she viewed the 400 as a race she does, “for fun.”

“I’m going to look back on this as an experience,” Tobias said. “I really enjoyed all this. It was a better experience for me to learn more about myself and the other competitors. When I was in junior high, I used to cry before races. Now, it’s just like any race, just with the word, ‘state’ in front of it. I think it taught me how to control my thoughts mentally.”

As if coming within .53 seconds of gold as a freshman isn’t remarkable enough, consider the conditions with which Blazers track team practice. The school’s gym is merely a trailer full of hand-me-down weights. Since the team doesn’t have it’s own track, they use the one at UTPA. When they aren’t able to run on borrowed turf, they simply run laps around the school and its surrounding neighborhoods. The Blazers team is small, just 13 strong, because the budget allows for 15 jerseys.

Despite the less than ideal facilities, Tobias and teammate Jillian Terry competed on the state’s highest level. Terry competed in the 3A girls high jump, but failed to medal.

“The kids are putting in the hard work with this program,” Cruz said. “They didn’t see themselves making it to state. We had all three relay teams advance to regionals. The kids are working hard, and we’re excited about next year. I hope to bring more back (to state).”

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BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE and MARK MOLINA
STAFF WRITERS

AUSTIN — Edinburg Vela’s Reagan Olguin won bronze in the Class 5A boys 800-meter run during the second day of the UIL State Track and Field Championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium with a time of 1 minutes, 54.54 seconds. Despite the podium finish, he left disappointed.

“I didn’t go as fast as I wanted to,” Olguin said. “I went faster at regionals, I guess I just didn’t kick as hard on that last lap. It was a good race though, everyone ran well.”

Olguin set a regional meet record earlier this month in San Antonio with a gold-medal run of 1:53.12. Though his state-time was slightly slower than his previous race, Olguin says the Friday’s contest didn’t necessarily feel that way.

“The first lap had a real quick pace to it,” he said. “It was faster than what I wanted it to be. I was just trying to keep up. It threw me off my game plan a bit.”

Olguin ran much of the race near the front of the nine-pack of competitors and hovered between second and fifth place. In the final 125 meters, Olguin says he upped his pace.

“I knew I was in third,” he said. “I was just trying to catch second, but he was just too far away from me.”

Olguin was the second Vela athlete to medal Friday. The first was Brendon Rivera during the 5A boys high jump with a gold-medal attempt of 6-09. The SaberCats were also represented by two relays teams. The 4×200 relay placed ninth (1:32.82) and the 4×400 came in sixth (3:19.60.)

Other Upper-Valley athletes which competed but did not medal included Mission Veterans’ Zoe Alaniz, who placed fourth in the shot put wheelchair division with a throw of 13 feet, 7.5 inches. Alaniz’s mark was 2.5 inches off the third-place throw.

McAllen Memorial’s Anthony Esparza placed fourth in the Class 6A shot put (55-03.75). Victor Pedraza of PSJA Southwest placed seventh in the Class 5A 1600-meter run (4:25.93).

PERSONAL-BEST POLANCO

Lyford senior Thalia Polanco made her debut at the UIL state track and field meet in dramatic fashion.

In front of a large crowd and in the rain, Polanco took home the silver medal in the 3200-meter run with a personal-best time of 11:21.40 Friday morning at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

She bested her 12:02.03 qualifying time from the Region IV-3A meet.

Holliday High School’s Cryslan Tucker finished in first with a time of 11:14.73, while Polanco came in more than 18 seconds ahead of bronze medalist Chandra Westbrook.

While Polanco felt good about her medal chances in the days coming in, her performance Friday was more than just satisfying to her.

“When I looked up (at the scoreboard), I was actually surprised; I didn’t really think I’d be able to run that time,” Polanco said. “I was hoping to run in the rain today because they say it’s fun, so I went out there and just had some fun.”

Someone who wasn’t shocked, was Lyford girls head track coach Marissa Chapa, who has coached Polanco since middle school.

“I’m proud of her,” Chapa said. “Thalia ran a smart race and ran really well. The last couple of days you could see that she just wanted more and was determined. I’m expecting big things from her on Saturday.”

Polanco participates in the 1600-meter run today at 2:45 p.m. and comes in with a regional time of 5:28.95, but after Friday’s performance, Polanco is just hoping she can post another PR time.

“I am certainly more confident coming into my next race and hopefully I can do well again, but it’s still anyone’s race.

MAKING THE BEST OF IT

For Rio Hondo junior Michael Zuniga, the state meet was all about making the best of his opportunities.

After Friday, Zuniga walked away from his first ever state tournament with a second-place finish in the shot put with a throw of 54-10.

Ethan Reed of Little Cypress-Mauriceville took home the gold with a mark of 57-07.05.

While Zuniga enjoyed the atmosphere, he feels like he benefited from the exposure.

“It was crazy day for being my first day at state; it was definitely a learning experience for me. I was just trying to do the best I can possibly do coming in,” Zuniga said.

Zuniga also competed in the discus throw and set a mark of 157-02, which was good for a fourth-place finish.

While not originally qualifying for the event, Zuniga was selected by the UIL to be the ninth participant in the field.

“I knew I had one of the furthest throws in the state, so it wasn’t much of a surprise to place fourth today; I knew I what I could do,” Zuniga said. “Today made me want to come out and win both events next year, so I’ll start preparing today.”

Also competing in shot put today was San Benito junior John Belmares, who became his program’s first state qualifier in 18 years.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t Belmares’ day as he finished ninth overall with a throw of 49-08.7.

“I felt good about making state, but I can’t say I gave it all I got, but that’s just competition,” Belmares said. “It makes me feel good that I made it this far, so I just have to work harder next year.”

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BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

AUSTIN — “It only takes one throw.”

That’s the mantra by which discus thrower Nora Monie defined her senior season at Sharyland Pioneer. Those five words were made prophetic when her final attempt won her the Class 5A championship during the second day of the UIL state track and field meet Friday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

Monie’s gold-medal throw measured 141 feet, 8 inches. The senior entered the final round trailing Makayla Bonner of Carrolton Creekview (133-11) by 8 inches. As a steady drizzle fell on athletes and spectators alike, Monie prepared for her final shot at first.

“I wasn’t thinking about my footwook,” Monie said. “I wasn’t thinking about anything else. I just let the disc fly… I didn’t really look when I let it go. I was just like, “You better get your foot in the (throwing) ring.’ I didn’t want to scratch.”

The event was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., but was delayed 90 minutes due to heavy rains and lightning. Several attempts were made to dry the throwing pit, all in vain. Every competitor threw in standing water.

“It affected everyone,” Monie said. “I haven’t practiced in the rain, but I’ve practiced in mud. When I was warming up earlier, there was a lot of water in the ring. But once your feet are soaking wet, it doesn’t make a difference. If your feet are we and the ring is a swimming pool, you’re fine.”

After Nora’s go-ahead throw to take the lead, Bonner was given a final chance to reclaim first, but her final attempt of 119-05 was well short.

“I didn’t watch her throw,” Monie said. “I just watched the (throwing lines). I didn’t want to watch because I didn’t want to make her nervous.”

Friday’s medal is Monie’s second in as many days. She won bronze in the shot put on Thursday with a throw of 41-4.75. Though Monie hoped to break her personal best of 145-02 in the discus, she’s happy with her performance despite the soggy conditions.

“I still did the best I could given the weather,” she said.

Coach Larry Howell fought back tears after the win.

“The ones I coach are like my kids,” he said.

Brittany Vielma of PSJA Southwest also competed in the event and placed eighth with an attempt of 116-09.

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BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

Edinburg High’s Alexandria Cruz will make her first trek to the UIL state track meet this weekend at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. The senior runner will compete in the Class 6A 800-meter and 1600-meter run.

Once exclusively a distance runner, Cruz took up the 800 this season to better her chances of advancing to the state level. She won gold in the event at regionals on May 2 in San Antonio with a time of 2 minutes, 10.79 seconds. But with the added success comes the added pressure of running a middle and long-distance race with little down time.

“I’ll only have about two hours between races on Saturday,” Cruz said. “After the 800 I’ll have my cool-off time, which is 35 to 40 minutes. Then I’ve got my stretches for the mile, which is about an hour or so. Those two hours isn’t as long as it sounds. The time goes by pretty fast.”

Cruz set a new Valley record in the 1600 in San Antonio with a second-place time of 4:45.14. The previous record of 4:54.58 was set by Sonia Sepulveda, also an Edinburg High alum, in 1991. Cruz’s best time in the 800 of 2:10.79 is the third best in Valley history. The Valley record is 2:08.50 and was set by Maggie Salinas of PSJA High in 1981.

Though this is Cruz’s first trip to the state meet, it will not be her first time running at Mike A. Myers Stadium. She has participated twice in the Texas Relays in Austin, and will run for the University of Texas beginning this fall. The Longhorns use the stadium as their home track.

“I’m not really going with any pressures or nerves right now,” Cruz said. “I’m more excited than I am nervous. Knowing that I’ve competed there, it makes me feel more excited.”

OTHER STATE FINALISTS
Sharyland Pioneer’s Nora Monie will have two chances to win gold at state when she competes in the Class 5A girls shot put and discus throw. Monie, a senior who will attend the University of Houston in the fall, enters the discus with the best seed mark of 136 feet, 8 inches, and has the second-best seed mark in the shot (44-03).

Edinburg Vela high jumper Brendon Rivera will compete for a state title in Class 5A at 1 p.m. on Friday. Rivera’s seed mark of 6-10 is the best among his competitors. The senior holds the Valley’s best mark in the high jump with an effort of 7-02.

La Joya Juraez-Lincoln senior Yariel Matute represents the Huskies in the Class 6A 400-meter run at 7:45 on Saturday. Matute placed second in the event at regionals with a time of 48.94, the Valley’s fastest time on the season.

Roma senior Kassy Rocha will compete in the Class 5A girls triple jump after placing second at regionals (36-06.75).

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BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

DONNA — Vince Castillo wanted to take things slow this year. He got his wish, albeit due to different circumstances.

The Donna High senior track star, and back-to-back UIL champion in the 300-meter hurdles had the season mapped out: coast through the races prior to the district meet, achieve peak form in time for the state meet and a shot at a third-straight gold medal.

And while Castillo is in Austin this weekend to do just that, the path was anything but easy. He tweaked his right hamstring during a race at Judson in March, which meant nearly a month of no track activity – a precautionary move to avoid further injury.

“Sometimes injuries do happen and you have to figure out a strategy of how you’re going to make the season happen,” Castillo said. “Me and my coaches and trainers, we put one together and it’s paid off very well. Since then I’ve taken my races very slowly, good enough to just (advance to the next meet) and bye more time each week. That’s what we did.”

Castillo says he feels “100 percent” heading into Friday’s race. But at the district meet earlier this season in Donna, Castillo felt unusually anxious before the starting gun.

“I was nervous,” he said. “I was more nervous about how I would feel, not about the race. The race is the same. It’s always the same. It was more about how I would feel during the race.”

Indeed, the race is always the same for Castillo, at least in terms of the results. To witness him ascend the 36-cenimeter hurdles it to experience a premier talent. Earlier this season at the Winter Relays at PSJA Stadium, coaches and athletes alike paused their race-day routine to watch Castillo cruise to an easy win in 40.33 seconds. With a margin of victory at nearly three seconds, the meet served as a mere practice session.

Castillo made it look easy once more at regionals on May 2 in San Antonio when he placed first in 37.92. Though the margin between Castillo and third place was less than one second, the numbers didn’t pass the eye test. Near race’s end, Castillo slowed his pace and stutter stepped to make for better jumps while the competition tried in vain to perfectly hit their marks in stride. The race resembled a bunch of junkyard cars toiling to keep pace with a corvette on a Sunday stroll.

Castillo is one of 28 hurdlers in UIL history to win multiple titles in the 300, a feat unmatched by other Texas hurdling standouts Robert Griffin III and Jamaal Charles. Should Castillo win a third-straight crown, he will become just the sixth Texas athlete to do so. Castillo’s three-peat would carry more significance, however. No Class 5A hurdler has won three straight, and those who already have ran at times slower than Vince’s gold-medal run from last year (37.01).

But with class realignment and the addition of Class 6A, Castillo’s competition has changed.

“I think it’s good that it’s changed because new athletes come up every year,” Castillo said. “If you’re at the state level in the state of Texas, you’re one of the best. I want to go up there and prove that I am still the state champ and win again.”

Castillo enters the race with the sixth-fastest seed time, and it less than a second off the fastest time (36.95).

“Right now, my competitors are just names on paper and times on paper,” Castillo said. “Everyone is really close. I think who ever runs the cleanest race and who wants it more. Who every performs the best will win. This is the closest competition race I’ve ever been in. I know the top athletes are going to come out to run. I think I should be good.”

With the hamstring injury, Castillo and his coaches are still making up for lost time, even on the eve of a run at history.

“We’re still about four weeks behind schedule,” coach Hugo Cervantes said. “Normally (Vince) runs seven meets before the district competition. This year he’s only run seven races. We’re still trying to coach his steps and adjust his jumps based on that.”

The injury concerns forced Castillo to withdraw from the 110-meter hurdles, which he qualified for at regionals. Castillo says he’s more comfortable with the 300 anyway.

Although another gold medal would be nice, Castillo is aiming for history in more ways than one. During his final race as a Redskin, he’ll look to set the all-time Valley record in the 300. The current record of 36.46 was set by Randy Bermea of Harlingen High. Castillo owns the second-fastest time of 36.71.

“Even if I get second at state but break the Valley record, that’ll just be another victory for me,” Castillo said. “This is what I’ve worked hard for. This is what I want.”

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BY JON R. LAFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

The Weslaco High Lady Panthers won’t take to the track until the final race of this weekend’s UIL state track meet in Austin. The members of the 4×400-meter relay team aren’t scheduled to compete until 9:15 p.m. on Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

The prolonged downtime will be put to good use, according to coach Pablo Almaguer. The team will stop in San Antonio on Thursday for a final practice session before taking Friday off in order to cheer on Valley-athletes from Class 5A.

“For all of these girls, it’s the first time they’ve been to the state meet,” Almaguer said. “So we want them to get adjusted to the crowd and the atmosphere. It’s going to be a long day.”

The added wait will also benefit team-anchor, Angela Villarreal, a senior who suffered a foot injury at the regional meet earlier this month in San Antonio. Villarreal has put in time in the pool instead of the track in order to recovery, meaning alternate Jerin Pena has received the bulk of the anchor work during practices.

“We’re really confident that Angela is going to be able to run Saturday night,” Almaguer said. “But we have to prepare for anything. We feel like we’re a strong group and we feel comfortable with our alternate.

Pena was the anchor on the 4×400 relay team which won bronze at the regional meet a season ago. This year, Weslaco’s relay rotation has featured freshman Eleanor Arndt, Alyssa Deleon, Stephanie Sauceda and Villarreal exclusively.

Aside from Villarreal’s setback, the Lady Panthers travel to Austin on a record-breaking tear. The team broke the Valley record in the 4×400 relay twice in San Antonio, running a time of 3 minutes, 55.02 seconds during preliminaries before following up with a 3:50.07 during the finals. The previous record (3:55.35) was set by PJSA High in 1991.

“We feel one person didn’t take us to the state meet,” Almaguer said. “It took all four girls, and we truly believe as a group, that we can shave off a little bit of time. We feel confident enough with the workouts we’ve done this year. We’ve got rest, bodies are rested and we feel we’re going to run faster at the state meet, regardless of who’s on the team. It’s a total team effort. We believe each girl can take off a second here or there. We can still run well and represent the Valley.”

The Lady Panthers will begin the race in the first lane and enter the event with the seventh-fastest seed time among the nine teams competing.

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BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

In a perfect world, McAllen Memorial’s Anthony Esparza would be competing in two events at the UIL state track meet this week at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

Unfortunately for Esparza, a senior thrower, reality is as uneven as the discus field he threw on May 1 in San Antonio during a regional track meet. Esparza failed to place in the top eight in that event while competing on a field that bent slightly uphill and tilted to the left.

“I knew my form was good,” Esparza said. “It’s just some days are good and others are bad. I just went out there and did my best.”

Despite his less-than-ideal showing in the discus, Esparza will compete for a state championship in the Class 6A shot put after placing second in regionals with a try of 54 feet, 2 inches.

“I’ve always been a better shot put thrower,” he said. “I’ve been more attached to shot put because I’ve been doing it longer. I was kind of disappointed with how discus turned out.”

Esparza says it’s easier to remain consistent in the shot because of the nature of the sport. Where discus throwers have to account for the wind, the shot is based on more elementary elements.

“It’s technique and strength,” Esparza said. “If you have the muscle to throw it out there, you’ll have a more consistent throw and hit your marks consistently. You get the really big throws from the technique.”

Esparza’s personal best attempt is 54-10.75. His season-best throw of 54-09 is third-best among Valley athletes.

“I’m aiming for 60 (feet),” Esparza said. “I’ve hit a few 59s in practice, not too consistently, but every now and then. I know it’s going to take a high 59 to get on the podium. That’s really what I’m aiming for. I’m looking to (break my personal record).”

Fellow Valley-thrower John Belmares of San Benito compete alongside Esparza the seven other state-qualifiers. To advance to state, an athlete or relay team must finish in the top two in their event at regionals.

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BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — The Edinburg Economedes Jaguars threw the ball 93 times last year. For some, even that paltry number was too much.

“If I threw the football six times a game, I’d have some coaches tell me that I was (messing up) the system,” coach Gabe Pena said. “We do tweak the offense some when we throw, but we do believe in running the football.”

Econ relied on a revolving door of backs a season ago. On average, more than six Jaguars carried the ball on a game-to-game basis, including a 35-13 rout over Brownsville Hanna last August when nine athletes took turns in the backfield.

“Our kids believe in the system,” Pena said. “We know we got them hooked when they come up to us and say, ‘Coach, don’t mess with the bread and butter.’”

Despite his limited number of attempts, outgoing senior quarterback David Garcia was effective when the ball was in his hands, throwing for 842 yards on 43 completions, including eight touchdowns. With Garcia graduating, former tailback Jesse Gonzalez is getting snaps during spring practice to prepare himself for his new role. Last year, Gonzalez rushed 66 times for 295 yards and six touchdowns.

Filling in-part for Gonzalez will be current junior Charlie Vela, who Pena says will be the team’s “go-to” back in the fall. Vela gained 392 yards on the ground last year on 53 carries (7.4 yards per attempt). Vela pulled a right hamstring earlier last month at an area track meet in Weslaco, and watches spring training in street clothes.

“I’m just watching and trying to learn the plays,” Vela said. “I’m ready for the responsibilities, though. I’m used to it.”

The Jaguars were also used to making the postseason, after doing so during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. A third-straight playoff appearance eluded the team last year as they finished fifth in District 31-6A with a 2-4 record. Pena partly credits a young defensive squad, as well as a 34-14 loss to PSJA Memorial.

“Turnovers were a big problem for us last year,” Pena said. “And that was uncharacteristic of us. Not all year long, but the game that kept us out of the (playoffs) against PSJA Memorial, we had eight turnovers. That’s almost unheard of. I’d never had a game like that. We didn’t deserve it.”

FOLLOW THE LEADER

According to some members of the Jaguars, one element missing from the team a season ago that caused them to miss the playoffs was leadership.

“During practices, people would mess around big time,” Vela said. “Coaches wouldn’t control it, or at least they decided not to. I would say we had too much confidence. We were up against PSJA North, but they just passed us. That’s probably just overconfidence.”

Junior defensive lineman Alexis Alvarez, one of a handful of upperclassmen on the defensive side of the ball, still seems upset about how the team’s immaturity affected play on the field.

“We just didn’t have that central motivation,” Alvarez said. “We didn’t have a captain to always pick us up. We just slacked off. It always felt like we were joking around in practices sometimes. The coaches can only do so much. Once they turn their back, it’s on us.”

TEAM IN THE MIRROR

Economedes will play the McAllen Memorial Mustangs for a fifth-straight season this fall. The most recent bout between the programs ended with a 69-38 Mustangs win. Both sides have won two games.

“I want to keep (Memorial) coach (Bill) Littleton on my schedule as a non-district opponent,” Pena said. “That’s my measuring stick for where my program is. He’s been very successful year-in and year-out. I look at him as a barometer of where we are from the freshman team on up to varsity.”

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BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — Natalie Alaniz travels to Austin this week with math and momentum on her side. The Edinburg North senior will compete in the Class 6A girls discus throw at the UIL state track meet this week at Mike A. Meyers Stadium. Alaniz won a silver medal in the event at the regional meet earlier this month in San Antonio.

Helping prepare for her first-ever trek to state is coach Briana Chapa, a physics teacher who is in her first year as a throwing coach. Chapa, who also coaches powerlifting, has immersed and instructed herself in throwing through YouTube videos and academic papers which breakdown the mechanics of proper technique.

“It’s pretty easy to find stuff like that online,” Chapa said. “Just Google, ‘throwing studies’ and put a .pdf at the end, and all kinds of stuff comes up.”

Chapa’s scientific acumen has transitioned to Alaniz’s approach. The magic number for Alaniz is 45, as in 45 degrees — the ideal angle the discus should be with the ground when it leaves the athlete’s hand. But Chapa tries to limit the math jargon and use easy to understand coaching terms.

“When I try to correct Natalie, I don’t say, ‘Hey, increase your angle by such and such percentage,’” Chapa said. “I say, “Raise your arm higher or lower, watch your hand.’”

Alaniz entered regionals with the hope of setting a new personal best, which she did on her very first throw of 122 feet. Alaniz remained in front for much of the afternoon until Brianna Jordan of Northside Brennan threw a 123-07 on her final attempt. Alaniz had just one try to reclaim gold.

“I knew I had to stay calm if I wanted to beat her,” she said. “I just threw it and the judges were like, ‘123 point…’ and that’s when everyone got really nervous.”

Alaniz fell three inches short of first, throwing a 123-04. Though she settled for second, she still broke her personal best twice during the course of one event. Alaniz has hopes of breaking her personal record once more in Austin and is aiming for 130 feet.

“I didn’t picture myself going to state,” Alaniz said. “I just did everything that I can do, and I guess everybody there choked. I saw a lot of girls that throw far, and I was like, ‘Why aren’t they throwing good? Why are they scared?’”

Alaniz enters state with the lowest seed mark, but is optimistic about her chances nonetheless.

“I know that I’m not the favorite,” she said. “But throwing is weird. You have good days and bad days. Anything can happen. I’m just hoping I can hit a personal best and let everything take care of itself from there.”

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