BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
MORE: View results from the first day of the 2016 District 31-6A Championships
PHARR — William Littelton is in his second month as coach of the PSJA North boys team, but the Raiders are already well-crafted in the image of their teacher.
North collected a trio of gold medals during the field event finals of the District 31-6A championships on Thursday at PSJA Stadium, the most of any boys team. Their first-day haul sets up the Raiders to contend for a district title during Saturday’s track finals.
The team’s podium-topping trifecta includes Raudel Alvarez, Ciro Hernandez and Michael Garza. Alvarez won the triple jump with a distance of 43 feet, 11.5 inches, while Hernandez brought home gold in the long jump (21-10.75).
But it was Garza who endured the longest afternoon in his quest for victory. The senior competed against Weslaco High’s Jon Zapata in a pole vault contest that ended in a jump off, the event’s equivalent to sudden death. It took 17 jumps before Garza cleared the bar at 13-06 and was declared district champion.
“I was getting a little tired,” Garza said. “But I was just trying to stay focused on what I had to do. It was so close between us two that I just had keep my mind in the moment.”
The top four finishers in each event automatically qualify for the area meet on April 21 and 23.
North will enter Saturday sitting third in the overall standings with 37 team points. Only 10 points separate first through fifth. PSJA Memorial holds the top spot with 43 points after a consistent afternoon in which the Wolverines scored in each of Thursday’s seven final events. No other team — boys or girls — matched Memorial’s feat.
Memorial’s only gold came from Michael Gonzalez, who set a new PSJA ISD record and Valley’s best in the discuss with a throw of 178-00.
While the boys competition could come down to the mile relay, the final event of the meet, the girls will in all likelihood be dominated by Weslaco High. The Lady Panthers earned three gold medals and hold a 19-point lead over Edinburg Economedes that will likely balloon during Saturday’s competition.
Cierra Gonzalez overcame inconsistencies in the discus to claim first on her final throw with a new personal record of 128-02. Gonzalez won despite committing a foot foul and throwing no better than 119-01 on her four prior throws.
“I’ve just been going over my technique and adding some new things to get me ready,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve learned to be patient as I throw. The disc is always going to come out fast, but I don’t always have to be fast as I throw it. I’m just learning to take my time and focus.”
Sydney Salinas set a new district record during the pole vault, clearing the bar at 11-07, beating the previous record by one inch. Sophomore Eleanor Arndt won the long jump with a mark of 17-05.75 and won silver in the high jump with a height of 5-00.