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AUSTIN — Located within the confines of Willacy County, Lasara could easily be overlooked, with a population just over 1,000. The town’s high school reported an enrollment of just 96 during this year’s UIL realignment.
Lasara High, however, stole the spotlight during Saturday’s final day of the UIL’s state track and field championships, with the Lions’ Xiomara Rodriguez striking gold in the Class 1A discus throw at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
“It’s not common to see small Valley schools here at the state meet,” Rodriguez said. “It’s good that I get to represent my small school and small town. You don’t see it often. You see the big schools with the big throwers. To come from a small school and do it, it’s awesome.”
Rodriguez, a sophomore, opened the meet with a throw of 127 feet, 5 inches to take control of first, beating her personal best of 121-00 set during last year’s state meet where she finished second. Not satisfied with the lead, Rodriguez kept aiming for more, recording a mark of 128-10 during her fifth attempt to break her PR again, while securing the gold. Rodriguez finished with the event’s top three throws, recording marks of 126-10, 127-05 and 128-10. Sterling City’s Payton Conner was the next closest competitor, finishing second with 123-05. May’s Amanda Harrell took the bronze with a mark of 123-05.
“With my first throw, it was just about setting a mark,” Rodriguez said. “I always get nervous if I don’t set a mark on my first throw. It just messes with me. If I open with a mark that’s far, it’s awesome. But I was trying to reach for more. I’m always trying to reach for more. It feels amazing because I worked so hard to try and reach my goals.”
The Valley’s small school dominance continued during the morning’s events, with San Isidro senior Jaime Mendoza picking up the silver in the 1A boys long jump. Sitting in fourth through four jumps, Mendoza leaped into second with a mark of 21 feet, 6.25 inches. He capped off the event with a personal best 22-0.75, finishing just 1.75 inches behind gold medalist Dustin Bryant (22-2.5).
“I wasn’t worried (after scratching),” Mendoza said. “I just trusted in me and kept my cool. All I could do is try the best that I can and not worry about the scratches. It felt amazing. Then my last jump, it was just different. I had never been there. It felt good to PR.”
The second-place finish marks an improvement for Mendoza from last year’s state meet where he finished seventh in the same event.
“It’s always good to be state champion, but the only thing finishing second makes me want to do is work more for it,” Mendoza said. “It feels pretty good to win the silver though for San Isidro. I don’t think anybody else in my school has ever done that.”
Mendoza also competed in the 1A boys triple jump, finishing in eighth with a mark of 42-3.75. Henrietta Midway’s Christian Coker took the gold with a jump of 45-01.
Lasara senior Selissa Gonzales brought the Valley’s medal count to nine — and Lasara’s to two — as of press time Saturday, taking home the bronze in the 1A girls 800-meter run. Gonzales recorded a personal best time of 2 minutes, 22.99 seconds. Earth Springlake’s Taytum Goodman finished first in 2:17.26.
Gonzales also ran the 1A girls 400-meter dash, coming in fifth with a time of 1:01.45. Happy’s Emily Barry won the gold in 58.90.
Harlingen High’s Jazmine Thompson was the Valley’s lone competitor during the Class 6A field events, throwing in the shot put and the discus.
Thompson set a personal best during the event, finishing seventh with a throw of 41-10. Garland Sachse’s Favor Anyanwu took first with a throw of 45-01.5. Midland Lee’s Leah Acosta (44-03.75) and Lewisville Marcus’ Emma Sralla (43-07.75) claimed the silver and bronze, respectively.
The Cardinals’ sophomore added a ninth place in the 6A girls discus throw, recording a throw of 128-11. Lewisville Marcus’ Sralla arned gold with a throw of 174-03.
Edinburg North’s San Juanita Leal, a sophomore, and PSJA North’s Hector Solis, a senior, each competed in their respective division’s 3,200-meter run during the morning’s events.
Leal captured fifth during the 6A girls 3,200-meter run, clocking in at 10 minutes, 51.71 seconds. Lewisville’s Natalie Cook on the event in 9:48.25. Meanwhile, Solis finished eighth during the 6A boys 3,200-meter run, finishing in 9:13.88. Austin Vandegrift’s Kevin Sanchez took the gold in 8:57.85.
San Isidro senior Mia Alvarado was the Valley’s last athlete to run during the afternoon session, finishing in 17.29 seconds for eighth in the 1A girls 100-meter hurdles.
Leal and Solis closed out the meet for the Valley, both running in their respective division’s 1,600-meter run.
Leal narrowly missed out on a spot at the podium, finishing fourth in the 6A girls 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:53.85, just .26 seconds behind third and .35 seconds behind second. Lewisville Flower Mound swept the podium with Natalie Cook (4:40.29), Samantha Humphries (4:53.50) and Nicole Humphries (4:53.59) coming in first, second and third, respectively.
Solis clocked in at 4:12.81 during the 6A boys 1,600-meter run, finishing seventh.
