SANTA ROSA — The track & field season continues to wind down in the Rio Grande Valley, and athletes from District 32-3A and 31-3A competed Friday with the goal of making it to the regional tournament next week.
Lyford’s Carlos Martinez is a back-to-back area winner in the shot put and set a personal record with his throw.
“It feels great to go to regionals again,” he said. “A lot of competition now, so it really pushed me to do my best and pull out that 45. I had a lot left in the tank.”
Martinez said he dealt with some injuries and that powerlifting chewed into his track & field season, but he is ready for the regional meet.
“I am right there,” he said. “I will just keep working, hopefully break the 50s and be able to represent Lyford at state.”
Brownsville IDEA Frontier’s Ashley Olvera won the girls high jump by tying her personal record, clearing 5 feet. She had the victory in hand before attempting to tie her best jump.
“I worked hard for it,” she said. “I am glad that I had my coaches helping me every day at practice. I think I can do better, and I am happy to represent my school. Hopefully I can get 5-2 at regionals.”
Santa Rosa’s Adrian Zamora cleared 5-10 in the high jump for his gold medal.
“It has been something that I have been working on for a while,” he said. “It feels good. I was trying to go for the school record, but it is all good. Going back to regionals is good.”
Zamora said he performed poorly at the regional meet last year and did not clear 5-4. The junior said that experience should help this year.
Two of the top distance runners in the Class 3A area are Weslaco IDEA Pike’s Alexander Gutierrez and Pharr IDEA’s Jesus Cotero. In the 3,200, Cotero finished first and Gutierrez finished second.
“All summer I trained cross country for this moment,” Cotero said. “Every day I wake up at 6 in the morning to train. I knew I was going to get first for all of the hard work I put in.”
Cotero and Gutierrez admitted they could have run harder Friday, but the wind was strong and they will need fresh legs for a tough meet at the regional meet next week.
Gutierrez excels at the 1,600.
“I just got to get work done at regionals,” he said. “I should be at a 9:50 right now in the two-mile, but I injured my leg earlier in the season. I have had good runs in the mile, but not the two-mile.”
Lyford boasts one of the best boys 400 relay teams in the Valley. Mark Marroquin, Justin Vela and Osmar Martinez were without Oscar Martinez on Friday but will have him back next week for the regional.
“We are ready for regionals,” Marroquin said. “I think we still can improve with Oscar coming back, but we will be ready.”
