MARK MOLINA | Staff Writer
AUSTIN — The weather delayed the final day of the UIL state track and field meet by six hours.
But when the weather finally calmed down, it seemed that La Feria senior 300-meter hurdler Joseph Lunn did the same.
“Before the rain I felt nervous, but after it came I told myself that it’s my senior year and I just have to go out there and have fun,” Lunn said. “Before the race, I was talking and joking with the other competitors, but then I got in my blocks and I told myself it was time to get serious.”
He did just that and more, capturing the gold medal in the Class 4A 300 hurdles with a time of 39.34 Saturday night at the University of Texas’ Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.
After Lunn slowed during the final turn, he finished the final 100 meters strong and edged out Bushland High School’s sophomore Remington Crossnoe (39.42) and Tyler Chapel Hill’s Austin Railsback (39.49).
Even when he fell behind, the clutch senior knew he had it in him.
“When the gun went off, all I did was run and run,” Lunn said. “I started falling behind but I told myself I need to get this done.
“My coaches have pushed me all season to make sure I had a good kick, so I knew I could work that and I would be able to work the last hundred.”
While the weather may have pushed Lunn, it may have done the opposite for La Feria’s 800-meter runner and 2015 state silver medalist Carlos Rodriguez, who was set to run minutes before the rain delayed the race a little after noon.
When it was time to go, he finished in fourth with a time of 1:56.34.
“The weather had a big impact because I came out at noon and I was ready,” Rodriguez said. “I was pumped up but the meet was delayed twice and it just really impacted the way I ran the race. Late in the race, I didn’t have anything left.
“I ran my race but my competitors beat me to it.”
Just like at regionals, sophomore teammate Reyes Rodriguez finished in fifth.
“My team could’ve been better, but I have until next year,” Reyes said. “I was nervous this year, so next year I’ll try not to be so nervous.”
In other 4A races, Port Isabel sophomore Natalie Garza finished the girls 400-meter dash in fourth place with a time of 58.23, while Rio Hondo senior Mike Zuniga officially closed his high school career with a sixth-place finish in the boys discus throw.
BREAK WHAT’S YOURS: Harlingen senior Christopher Rosales set two goals heading into the boys 6A 400-meter dash: set a new PR and finish at least sixth.
Well, one out of two isn’t bad.
Rosales finished in seventh despite having the worst qualifying time in the event, but his 48.22 time was good enough to break his own Harlingen High School record of 48.34 set earlier this season.
“It was amazing because it was my first time making the state meet and my first year in (the 400) as well,” Rosales said. “I came in with the ninth best time, but I just wanted to PR or get sixth place. I got seventh, but I am happy to do it against a talented field like that.”
Over in the 100-meter dash, Los Fresnos’ Christian Perales, who was also had the ninth-best qualifying time, finished eighth with a 10.97.
“I only experienced (the competition) once and it was at the Carl Lewis invitational,” Perales said. “The best of the best were there, too. It’s a great experience, but now I’m going off to college and I’m going to work my tail off, and hopefully qualify for the NCAA finals.”
Perales will attend Division II Angelo State in the fall.