EDINBURG — The Edinburg Economedes Jaguars field one of District 31-6A’s smallest girls track and field teams. With only eight members on the roster, most girls compete in five events during meets.
Going into this week’s District 31-6A track and field championships, the already shorthanded Jaguars suffered another blow, with Incarnate Word commit Dianett Garcia limited due to a foot injury suffered during the Rio Grande Valley Coaches Association’s Meet of Champions two weeks ago.
The Jaguars didn’t let their depleted roster slow them down, tallying 147 points to claim their second consecutive District 31-6A team title Wednesday at Richard R. Flores Stadium.
Edinburg Vela came in second with 125 points, followed by Edinburg High with 114.
“All the things we’ve been through this year, it just makes it that much more of a blessing and even more exciting,” Edinburg Economedes head coach Brenda Lozano said. “The fact that these girls pulled through. Some of them went from one event to the next back-to-back. … It was just amazing. We’re just excited for these eight girls being able to do what they did.”
An injured Garcia played a key role in helping the Jaguars capture the district crown, coming in first during the 400-meter run with a time of 58.48. Garcia added a silver medal in the 800-meter run.
“After the Meet of Champions, it was kind of scary,” Lozano said. “We didn’t know if she was going to come back. We didn’t know how we were going to recover without her. We gave her a week of and then worked her little by little to get her to where she’s at today. We’re just so excited. She didn’t get to do the high jump, which is where her love is. But this right here, it makes it that much sweeter.”
DISTANCE DOMINATORS
Edinburg North’s San Juanita Leal and PSJA North’s Hector Solis dominated the distance running events, each taking the triple crown with first place finishes in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs.
Both won the 3,200-meter runs during Day 1 of the meet Monday. Leal topped Economedes’ Garcia during the 800-meter run for first place, clocking in at 2 minutes, 17.91 seconds. She followed it up with a dominant showing in the 1,600-meter run, finishing roughly 100-meters ahead of the next-closest competitor.
Solis held off Economedes’ Dalys Hernandez late push during the 800-meter run to secure his second individual district title of the meet, finishing with a time of 1:57.45.
During the 1,600-meter run, Solis defeated longtime rival Rogelio Aguirre of Mission High for the gold, recording a time of 4:17.51.
“I don’t think when I run,” Solis said. “I try clear my mind and be flexible like water. I try to be really smooth with it. But during the 1,600 something just irked me in my shoulders. It was all those times I was denied the gold in the mile or any events by Rogelio, even in cross-country. Those memories just started flashing and I just had to put it all on the table when it mattered.”
The University of Texas commit entered this week’s district meet with an individual district title in track missing from his resume. Solis put that behind him, finishing with three gold medals around his neck.
“I’ve come a long way from my freshman year where I barely qualified for the mile,” Solis said. “This was one of the bread-and-butter events of my career. We worked so hard for it. … It’s an experience I don’t think many can say they have. It whole heartedly shows the whole work that’s been put in.”
COMEBACK SABERCATS
The Edinburg Vela SaberCats trailed PSJA North in the boys team standings heading into the final race of the evening, needing just eight points to surpass the Raiders for the district crown.
The SaberCats’ 4×400-meter relay team delivered, finishing second in the event to secure the eight points and back-to-back District 31-6A crowns.
Edinburg Vela finished with 114 points to top PSJA North, which finished second with 112. Edinburg Economedes, which took first in the 4×400-meter relay, claimed third in the team standings with 108 points.
