By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
It’s a busy time for track & field as East Rio Grande Valley teams get ready for district meets this week.
Los Fresnos’ Leo Aguilar Memorial Stadium will be the site of the District 32-6A meet Wednesday and Thursday, and the District 32-5A meet takes place Thursday and Saturday at Donna’s Bennie LaPrade Stadium. Also, the District 32-4A meet is on tap Tuesday and Thursday at La Feria.
Pace’s athletics remained in 32-5A this school year along with Porter while other city schools moved up to 32-6A.
Vikings coach Mario Cisneros said the track competition in his current district is every bit as difficult, or even harder, than it is in 32-6A.
“It’s a very tough district,” the Pace boys coach said of 32-5A track. “It’s even tougher than the one before (against the current 32-6A schools). Schools such as PSJA Southwest have an army (of athletes) up and down their roster. They’re good in all the sports.”
The Vikings believe they have some athletes capable of advancing out of district to the regional meet, and possibly go beyond.
For the boys, Cisneros said those athletes include Efrain Gutierrez in the 800 meters, Juan Jesus Mendez in the discus and Simei Tovar in the distance races.
Sergio Sandoval, the Pace girls coach, said the ones with the best chance to do well at district for the Lady Vikings are Maria Avila in the high jump and 100 hurdles, Gertrudis Ruiz-Balliin the discus and Hope Ngo in the distance races.
“I feel pretty good about those girls’ chances, and maybe with our mile relay, too,” Sandoval said.
Sandoval said the top two finishers in each event at the 32-5A meet directly qualify for the 5A regional meet May 1 and 2 at Alamo Stadium in San Antonio.
It will be a little different at the Class 6A level as the top four finishers at the 32-6A meet advance to an area meet next week between Districts 32-6A and 31-6A at Weslaco, where the top four finishers there will move on to the 6A regional meet, also on the same dates at Alamo Stadium.
READY AT RIVERA
Heading the list of competitors from Rivera competing at the 32-6A meet in Los Fresnos is discus thrower Angel Espinoza, who holds the top mark for his event in the Valley bests this season with a throw of 182 feet, 5 inches. That throw also ranks third in the state, Raiders coach Omar Gonzlaez said.
“Angel should make some noise,” Gonzalez said.
Also for the Raiders are past regional qualifiers Sammy Orive in the triple jump and once-injured Edward Velasquez in the hurdlers along with distance runners Christian Machuca, Jonathan Herrera and Anthony Garza, all three from Rivera’s cross country team that went to state in November 2014. Besides the 3,200, Machuca and Herrera are expected to run the 1,600, while Garza could compete in the 800 as well.
Gonzalez said hurdler Emmanuel Guerrero is a dark horse to advance after barely missing out on going to the regional meet last season.
“We’re blessed with some talent, and we’ve got some good kids,” Gonzalez said. “We’re hoping we can get six or seven boys to regionals.”
The Lady Raiders’ best chances at district appear to be in the relays, particularly the 400 and 1,600 relays. Runners on those relays include Kathleen Gonzalez, April Chapa, Kassie Garcia, April Gonzalez, Brandy Endsley and Jennifer Lopez.
JALEAH & CO.
The Los Fresnos Lady Falcons won the 32-5A title last year and are poised to do so in 32-6A this season behind the efforts of multi-event standout Jaleah Calvillo.
At district, Calvillo, a University of California-Davis signee, is expected to compete in the high jump, triple jump and long jump along with running the 100 hurdles and a leg on a relay.
“We’re coming along,” Lady Falcons coach JohvonneHoward said. “I think we’ll be competitive in the relays.
“We won district last year, and last week our junior varsity and freshmen won district titles, so we’re building for the future,” she added.
Other girls who figure to factor into the Lady Falcons’ quest for success at district are Alondra Escobar in the jumps, Valeria Granados in the discus and shot put, and Sandy Estrada and Andrea Rodriguez in the relays.
The Los Fresnos boys are expected to be led at district by Pete Perez in the triple jump and Christian Peralez in the 100. Each has recorded a Valley-best effort this season in his event. The Falcons also expect to do well in the relays.
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.