By MARK MOLINA | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
The Class 5A and 6A area track & field meets were held Thursday and when the meets were all said and done, several Metro-area athletes qualified for their respective Region IV meets.
Starting in Class 5A, the Brownsville Veterans Memorial boys and girls had multiple first-place finishes.
Senior Max Carmona won the 800-meter run in 1 minute, 57.51 seconds, while teammate Andres Bodden won the discus throw with a throw of 165 feet.
Bodden also qualified took second in the shot put with a 53-06 behind Sharlyland Pioneer’s Johnny Howell (57-08).
The boys 400-meter relay team of Cristian Chapa, Carlos Galindo, Mauricio Garza and Abel Martinez took first with a time of 42.97. The 800-meter relay team of Galindo, Eric Sosa, Boddu Carrasco and Martinez also qualified with a third-place finish, clocking in with a 1:31.07. Sharyland Pioneer (1:30.47) finished first, followed by Roma (1:30.96) in second. Lopez’s team finished fourth (1:31.57).
Brownsville Veterans also advanced in the mile relay with a fourth-place finish (3:25.06).
Galindo placed fourth in the 200-meter dash (22.78).
Another first-place finisher from the 5A meet was Lopez’s Jose Echavarria, who won the long jump with a distance of 20-05, ahead of Mission Veterans Memorial’s Landry Gilpin (20-04) and Brownsville Veterans’ Michael Garza (20-03.75).
Other qualifiers for the boys were Lopez’s Leo Ramos with a second-place finish in the 100-meter dash (11.42) and Joey Zarate with a third-place finish in the triple jump (42-07.50).
Porter’s Matthew Sandoval placed fourth in the 100-meter dash (11.46) and Sherard Anabwani finished fourth in the 400-meter run (52.53).
Pace’s Jose Quintero placed fourth in the discus (144-11).
And for the girls, the Lady Chargers 800-meter relay team of Alexa Chavez, Carolina Davila, Alondra Toledo and Mariana Tostado finished first with a mark of 1:47.18.
Davila finished third in the 100-meter dash (12.97), while Valeria Ruiz finished third in the 300 hurdles (48.67) and fourth in the 100-meter hurdles (17.03). Chavez placed fourth in the 200-meter dash.
The Lady Chargers also finished fourth in the mile relay (4:12.43).
Porter’s Estrella Medelin was fourth in the triple jump (35-01.00).
In Class 6A, Los Fresnos’ Luisa Cruz took home gold in the girls 100- and 200-meter dashes. In the 100, Cruz clocked in with a time of 12.35.
In the 200, she recorded a 25.29, edging out Hanna’s Jacqueline Mora (25.69).
Also capturing gold from Los Fresnos was Brianna Alex with a first-place finish in the 100 hurdles (15.41) ahead of Hanna’s Natasha Zeron (16.71) and Rebekah Schlatter (16.77).
Schlatter also qualified in the triple jump (35-02.50) behind Weslaco High’s Eleanor Arndt (36-08.25 and Edinburg Economedes’ Monique Rodriguez (36-03.75).
The Hanna 400-meter relay team of Valeria Badiola, Marina Garcia, Aniel Aguero and Mora picked up a big win, posting a 49.28 to beat Weslaco High (49.66).
Hanna’s girls also qualified their 800-meter relay team, thanks to a third-place finish (1:44.47) behind Weslaco High (1:43.23) and Los Fresnos (1:44.00), and their mile relay team after a fourth-place finish (4:08.45).
Rivera’s Andrea de la Rosa also was a multiple-gold winner as she won the 1600 (5:26.79) and 3200 (11:42.43).
For the boys, Rivera’s 1600-meter relay team of Hector Hernandez, Danny Limon, Jesus Lucio and Julian Tavares placed first with a time of 3:23.70. The Raiders also qualified their 800-meter relay team (1:29.36) which finished behind PSJA (1:29.24) and Weslaco High (1:29.36) and their 400-meter relay team, which finished fourth (43.31).
Other qualifiers included Rivera’s Ruben Chapa with a third-place finish in the boys 800-meter run (2:00.96) and Quintae Smith finished fourth in the 100-meter dash (11.11).
Hanna’s Leo Pena placed fourth in the 3200 (9:39.01).
Los Fresnos’ Carlos Mercado placed fourth in the high jump (5-11).
For the girls, Hanna’s Aniel Aguero finished third in the girls 400 (59.21).
Los Fresnos’ Ashley Muniz placed fourth in the discus (118-07).
The Region IV meets for 5A and 6A will be held at San Antonio’s Alamo Stadium this Friday and Saturday.