By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
Strong performances by local athletes made it a good day for Brownsville at Saturday’s 62nd annual Sams Relays at Sams Memorial Stadium.
The Rivera boys won a team championship, while St. Joseph Academy hurdler Gaby Garza and Pace thrower Gertrudis Ruiz-Balli were among the double-winners.
“It feels great to be with my teammates,” said Rivera’s Aron Gutierrez, who took second in the 100 meters and ran on two high-placing relays. “Winning this with them is amazing. Running with them is fun. We’ve been practicing hard to be where we are now, so this feels pretty good.”
It’s the second straight weekend for the Raiders to win a team championship. They finished with the most points at the Bobby Morrow Relays on Feb. 10.
“For the past three years Rivera has been considered the underdog (in track),” said Jonathan Herrera, who finished third in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters for the Raiders. “All of sudden we’ve come out and won a team championship twice, and now people are thinking about us (as contenders). We’re just going to be working hard every week and trying to represent Rivera and Brownsville to see how far we can go.”
Rivera won with 77 points to edge runner-up Corpus Christi Carroll with 77.5. Weslaco East was third with 73. San Benito and Edinburg North finished fourth and fifth with 67.5 and 65 points, respectively.
Sparked by Briana Robles, who won the 800 meters (2 minutes. 21.33 seconds), 1,600 meters (5:11.19) and 3,200 meters (11:20.87), La Joya Palmview captured the girls team championship with 131 points. Weslaco High was second with 105 points and followed by Edinburg Vela (67), Hanna (52) and Los Fresnos (44).
Meanwhile, Garza won both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles in 14.70 seconds and 45.37 seconds, respectively. She already held the Sams Relays record for the girls 100 hurdles (set a year ago), and Saturday she eclipsed the 300 hurdles meet record of 45.66 that was set in 2013 by Edinburg Economedes’ Leigha Brown.
She ran the hurdles at meets on back-to-back days in San Benito and Pharr last weekend so now has won her events at three outings.
“It feels great to have won three meets already, but I know I can do so much better,” Garza said. “I’ve been practicing really hard, so I know I can shave off a second or two in both events. I’m just ready to keep going and keep pushing. I’m still motivated to run, so I’m just excited for what is ahead.”
Ruiz-Balli, a recent Texas A&M-Kingsville signee for the shot put and discus, won her events last weekend and repeated the feat at the Sams Relays.
On Saturday, the Pace standout won the discus with a throw of 131 feet, 11 inches and placed first in the shot put with a toss of 34-6 1/2.
“I’m working hard everyday and I feel my mentality is better,” Ruiz-Balli said. “I feel comfortable with my workouts and everything. I’m glad because I’m making progress toward my goals. I think I can improve (and qualifying for the state meet).
“I’m glad, but I’m not satisfied (with my distances),” Ruiz-Balli added. “I just want to improve more and more.”
Weslaco High’s Eleanor Arndt was named the meet’s female top scorer with 42 points, which included wins in the 200 meters (26.53) and 400 meters (59.72) along with capturing first in the long jump (17-10 3/4) and taking second in the high jump (5-2).
Lopez’s Jose Echavarria was named the meet’s top point producer for the boys. He had 22.5 points while winning the long jump (21-6 1/2) and taking second place in the triple jump (41-1).
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess
62nd Annual Sams Relays
Sams Stadium
Brownsville – 2/18/2017
Girls High Jump Finals
1, Solis, Jovanni, Rowe, 5-02. 2, Arndt, Eleanor, Weslaco, J5-02. 3, Guerrero,
Juliana, Harlingen, 5-00. 4, Flores, Alyssa, Weslaco East, 4-10. 5, Ramirez,
Sophia, Ed Vela, J4-10. 6, Leyva, Amber, Harlingen, J4-10.
Girls Pole Vault
1, Salinas, Sydney, Weslaco, 9-00. 2, Prazelini, Tanya, Los Fresnos, 8-06. 3,
Villarreal, Abriana, Palmview, 8-00. 3, Quintana, Aissa, Ed Vela, 8-00. 5,
Sanchez, Paulina, Rowe, 7-06. 6, Perez, Ava, Weslaco, J7-06.
Girls Long Jump
1, Arndt, Eleanor, Weslaco, 17-10.75. 2, Tamez, Mirna, Palmview, 17-09.50. 3,
Solis, Jovanni, Rowe, 16-04.25. 4, Lopez, Carla, Lopez, 15-09.50. 5, Mora,
Jacqueline, Hanna, 15-08.50. 6, Calvillo, Kristyn, Ed Vela, 15-03.
Girls Triple Jump
1, Solis, Jovanni, Rowe, 34-06.50. 2, Lopez, Carla, Lopez, 34-01.25. 3,
Guerrero, Juliana, Harlingen, 33-09.25. 4, Tamez, Mirna, Palmview, 33-06.50.
5, Schlatter, Rebekah, Hanna, 33-03.50. 6, Ibarra, Crystal, San Benito,
J33-03.50.
Girls Shot Put
1, Ruiz-Balli, Gertrudis, Pace, 37-06. 2, Granados, Valeria, Los Fresnos,
35-03. 3, Zamora, Emily, Ed Vela, 33-09.50. 4, Zamorano, Estrella, Ed Vela,
32-10.50. 5, Martinez, Karina, Raymondville, 30-06. 6, Munoz, Landry, Weslaco
East, 30-05.50.
Girls Discus Throw
1, Ruiz-Balli, Gertrudis, Pace, 131-11. 2, Gonzalez, Ciera, Weslaco, 118-04.
3, Granados, Valeria, Los Fresnos, 114-05.50. 4, Zamora, Emily, Ed Vela,
107-09. 5, Mendoza, Jackie, Rowe, 102-01. 6, Cavazos, Victoria, Ed Vela,
101-04.
Boys High Jump
1, Rosas, Devin, Harlingen, 6-00. 2, Limon, Stephen, Sharyland, 5-10. 3,
Mercado, Carlos, Los Fresnos, 5-08. 4, Losoya, Oscar, Rivera, J5-08. 5,
Larsen, Spencer, Ed Vela, J5-08. 6, Molina, George, Ed North, J5-08.
Boys Pole Vault
1, Olguin, Ryland, Ed Vela, 12-06. 2, McNabb, Luke, Harlingen, 12-00. 3,
Solis, Adrian, Sharyland, 11-06. 3, Esquivel, Gary, Harlingen, 11-06. 5,
Esquivel, Jimmy, Sharyland, J11-06. 5, Larsen, Nicholas, Ed Vela, J11-06.
Boys Long Jump
1, Eschavaria, Jose, Lopez, 21-06.25. 2, Harper, Tyrone, San Benito, 21-02. 3,
Estrada, Carlos, San Benito, J21-02. 4, Martinez, Damian, Monte Alto,
21-01.75. 5, Martinez, Abel, Veterans, 20-08.50. 6, Gutierrez, Aron, Rivera,
20-07.
Boys Triple Jump
1, Gutierrez III, Daniel, Raymondville, 41-02. 2, Eschavaria, Jose, Lopez,
41-01. 3, Joseph, Elijah, CC Carroll, 40-11.75. 4, Martinez, Damian, Monte
Alto, 40-10. 5, Carmona, Max, Veterans, 40-06.25. 6, Cruz, Adrian, Ed Vela,
40-04.50.
Boys Shot Put
1, Cortina, Gaston, Ed North, 54-06.50. 2, Clemons, Zac, Sharyland, 47-04.50.
3, Castillo, Adriel, Los Fresnos, 46-02.25. 4, Davis, Darvin, CC Carroll,
45-00. 5, Bulos, Sebastian, Ed North, 44-04. 6, Arevalo, Edgar, Edinburg,
43-03.
Boys Discus Throw
1, Bodden, Andres, Veterans, 149-08. 2, Trevino, Jesse, Weslaco East, 141-02.
3, Cortina, Gaston, Ed North, 139-00.50. 4, Bulos, Sebastian, Ed North,
136-00.50. 5, Mendez, Juan, Pace, 128-02. 6, Luna, Jessie, Lopez, 127-03.50.
62nd Annual Sams Relays
Sams Stadium
Brownsville – 2/18/2017
Girls 100 Meter Dash Finals
1, Mora, Jacqueline, Hanna, 12.44. 2, Guzman, Bryssa, Weslaco East, 12.83. 3,
Garcia, Marina, Hanna, 12.87. 4, Tamez, Mirna, Palmview, 12.92. 5, Martinez,
Yazmine, Harlingen, 12.93. 6, Trevino, Stephanie, Monte Alto, 13.06.
Girls 200 Meter Dash
1, Arndt, Eleanor, Weslaco, 26.53. 2, Bernal, Alejandra, San Benito, 26.98. 3,
Guzman, Bryssa, Weslaco East, 27.17. 4, Prazelini, Tanya, Los Fresnos, 27.37.
5, Ramirez, Sophia, Ed Vela, 27.94. 6, Juarez, Sara, Weslaco East, 28.28.
Girls 400 Meter Dash
1, Arndt, Eleanor, Weslaco, 59.72. 2, Cruz, Adriana, Edinburg, 1:03.32. 3,
Diaz, Marielena, Weslaco East, 1:04.02. 4, Vilano, Avery, Hanna, 1:04.17. 5,
Marroquin, Melohdee, Edinburg, 1:04.90. 6, Valle, Angie, San Benito, 1:06.00.
Girls 800 Meter Run
1, Robles, Brianna, Palmview, 2:21.33. 2, Villalon, Bailey, Palmview, 2:23.91.
3, Sifuentes, Nadia, Hanna, 2:25.41. 4, Garza, Aaliyah, Weslaco, 2:25.74. 5,
Perez, Lilliana, Ed Vela, 2:26.47. 6, Arce, Marissa, Edinburg, 2:26.94.
Girls 1600 Meter Run
1, Robles, Brianna, Palmview, 5:11.19. 2, Villalon, Bailey, Palmview, 5:30.53.
3, Diaz, Valeria, Sharyland, 5:30.86. 4, Sanchez, Vianney, Edinburg, 5:33.95.
5, Sifuentes, Nadia, Hanna, 5:34.72. 6, Rodriguez, Lauren, San Benito,
5:39.19.
Girls 100 Meter Hurdles
1, Garza, Gaby, St. Joseph A, 14.70. 2, Solis, Gabriella, Ed Vela, 16.22. 3,
Garcia, Renee, Ed Vela, 16.84. 4, Alex, Brianna, Los Fresnos, 16.94. 5,
Taylor, Angel, Ed North, 17.45. 6, Castillo, Devany, San Benito, 17.57.
Girls 300 Meter Hurdles
1, Garza, Gaby, St. Joseph A, 45.37. 2, Cano, Brittany, Palmview, 49.44. 3,
Camarillo, Lorna, Los Fresnos, 50.17. 4, Sanchez, Desiree, Harlingen, 50.18.
5, Larsen, Hannah, Ed Vela, 50.83. 6, Ruiz, Valeria, Veterans, 50.88.
Girls 4×100 Meter Relay
1, Palmview 50.99. 2, Weslaco 51.64. 3, Rowe 51.90. 4, Ed Vela 52.21. 5, Los
Fresnos 52.64. 6, Edinburg 53.04.
Girls 4×200 Meter Relay
1, Hanna 1:47.24. 2, Palmview 1:47.51. 3, Weslaco 1:49.97. 4, Ed Vela 1:50.29.
5, San Benito 1:50.39. 6, Los Fresnos 1:50.72.
Girls 4×400 Meter Relay
1, Palmview (Cano, Brittany , Sanchez, Oma , Gomez, Yoko , Villalon, Bailey ),
4:06.65. 2, Weslaco (Perez, Ava , Garza, Aaliyah , Sanchez, Lisamarie , Arndt,
Eleanor ), 4:15.40. 3, Harlingen (Kattan, Kirsten , Munivez, Julissa ,
Martinez, Yazmine , Guerrero, Juliana ), 4:16.10. 4, Ed Vela (Garcia, Soledad
, Perez, Lilliana , Rivera, Thalia , Muhammad, Jaida ), 4:18.66. 5, Sharyland
(Pina, Kassandra , Guevara, Sofia , Jimenez, Renata , Meza, Ana ), 4:21.69. 6,
Los Fresnos (Cisneros, Vannessa , Prazelini, Tanya , Korab, Janna , Castaneda,
Nori ), 4:22.50.
Boys 100 Meter Dash
1, Thompson, Darian, CC Carroll, 10.98. 2, Gutierrez, Aron, Rivera, 11.29. 3,
Smith, Quintae, Rivera, 11.37. 4, Lopez, Alex, Edinburg, 11.50. 5, Cardenas,
Christopher, Hanna, 11.59. 6, Capetillo, Marcus A, Raymondville, 11.70.
Boys 200 Meter Dash
1, DeLeon, Romeo, Sharyland, 23.24. 2, Alcorta, Sergio, CC Carroll, 23.46. 3,
Vaughn, Dominique, CC Carroll, 23.53. 4, Ortegon, Tomas, Porter, 23.55. 5,
Lopez, Marc, San Benito, 23.83. 5, Joseph, Elijah, CC Carroll, 23.83.
Boys 400 Meter Dash
1, Pope, Issac, San Benito, 51.42. 2, Ybarra, Derick, Weslaco East, 51.45. 3,
Garza, Angel, Sharyland, 53.46. 4, Ureno, Jerry, Rivera, 53.89. 5, Sanchez,
Johnny, Ed Vela, 54.10. 6, Tavares, Julian, Rivera, 55.44.
Boys 800 Meter Run
1, del Toro, Reynaldo, San Benito, 1:58.17. 2, Chapa, Ruben, Rivera, 1:59.34.
3, Ramirez, Luis, Weslaco East, 1:59.80. 4, Hill, Christopher, Ed Vela,
2:01.29. 5, Benavides, Art, Harlingen, 2:02.35. 6, Alvarado, Leo, Weslaco
East, 2:03.28.
Boys 1600 Meter Run
1, Pena, Tristen, Ed North, 4:29.08. 2, Doria, Josh, Ed North, 4:29.79. 3,
Herrera, Jonathan, Rivera, 4:36.13. 4, Pena, Leo, Hanna, 4:37.27. 5, Ramos,
Edward, Harlingen, 4:37.61. 6, Escovar, Fernando, Harlingen, 4:41.42.
Boys 110 Meter Hurdles
1, Vargas, Juan Carlos, Weslaco East, 15.85. 2, Renterria, Roel, Harlingen,
16.01. 3, Carretero, Alfonso, Veterans, 16.02. 4, Ortiz, Diego, Sharyland,
16.15. 5, Caballero, Jordan, Ed Vela, 16.19. 6, Ramirez, Robert, Los Fresnos,
16.24.
Boys 300 Meter Hurdles
1, Renterria, Roel, Harlingen, 41.80. 2, Ortiz, Diego, Sharyland, 42.21. 3,
Guerra, Justin, Ed North, 42.36. 4, Jones, Marc, CC Carroll, 42.76. 5,
Aguilar, Isaac, Harlingen, 43.39. 6, Ortiz, Angel, Rivera, 43.80.
Boys 4×100 Meter Relay
1, CC Carroll 43.64. 2, Rivera 43.96. 3, Veterans 44.30. 4, Weslaco East
44.38. 5, Hanna 44.83. 6, Raymondville 45.24.
Boys 4×200 Meter Relay
1, San Benito 1:32.48. 2, Lopez 1:33.16. 3, Weslaco East 1:33.31. 4, Rivera
1:34.04. 5, Edinburg 1:35.23. 6, Ed Vela 1:35.39.
Boys 4×400 Meter Relay
1, Weslaco East (Alvarado, Leo , Ybarra, Derick , Ramirez, Luis , Villarreal,
Sebastian ), 3:28.56. 2, CC Carroll (Alcorta, Sergio , Thompson, Darian ,
Roberson, Jaedon , Bradley, Jerel ), 3:30.97. 3, San Benito (Pope, Issac , del
Toro, Reynaldo , Retta, Eric , Guzman, Jediah ), 3:31.09. 4, Rivera (Tavares,
Julian , Ureno, Jerry , Lucio, Jesus , Gutierrez, Aron ), 3:34.18. 5,
Sharyland (Garza, Angel , Zuniga, Juan , Escalera, Luis , Longoria, Edgar ),
3:35.07. 6, Lopez (Camacho, Jorge , Eschavaria, Jose , Gallegos, Osvaldo ,
Saldania, Daniel ), 3:35.90.