BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
Despite competing in their first season as a program, athletes from Mission Juan Diego Academy graced the podium on five occasions during the TAPPS State Meet on Saturday at Baylor University in Waco.
Members of the Lions track and field team collected a total of one gold, one silver and three bronze medals. The lone first place finish came from the girls 1600-meter relay team, who won the Class 1A title with a time of 4 minutes, 33.70 seconds, beating second place by 10 seconds.
Juan Diego track coach Raymond Kellman says second leg Shelsea Ramirez was the catalyst for the unit’s substantive win.
“Extraordinary effort, she really ran away with it,” Kellman said. “She ran exceptionally well both (in Waco) and in the regional meet. She’s gotten her teammates out to a lead and the last two legs have been able to extend the leads they’ve been given.
Kellman says Ramirez is a recent addition to the relay team, filling an absence in solid fashion. Ramirez’s signature individual events are the 100 and 200 dash.
Three other relays earned medals, including the girls 400 relay (third in 54.26), boys 400 relay (third in 47.38) and the boys 1600 relay (second in 3:46.64). The 1600 relay team benefited from the performance of Mauricio Marcos, who volunteered for the event when the team needed a body.
“Once he came in, things came together pretty quickly,” Kellman said. “I know Mauricio from soccer as well, and he does whatever you ask him to do. Knowing him and the kind of athlete he is, when he said he would (run the relay), I knew he’d give whatever he has. He usually does the 300 hurdles, so he’s not a speed burner, but he holds the lead when you give it to him.”
Juan Diego’s lone individual medal came from Erickson Hunter, placing third in the girls 200 dash with a time of 28.00.