ELSA — Vanessa Cerda and Jesse Contreras were eager to return their return to competition for Edcouch-Elsa the moment their track and field season was interrupted last fall.
Despite travel restrictions, a winter freeze and a condensed 2021 season, however, the senior duo has maximized their limited opportunities.
Now, Cerda and Contreras — two of the Rio Grande Valley’s elite mid-distance runners and throwers — are set to lead a large Yellow Jackets contingent into the Region IV-5A meet Friday in San Antonio aiming to bring Edcouch-Elsa back to the state championships.
“It was tough because I knew I had a real chance at being able to make it,” Cerda said. “It feels good to be going back because we missed out on a whole year, especially because it’s my last year. I wanted to come back strong and hopefully make it to state.”
“It feels great to finally see all of our hard work paying off,” Contreras said. “We put in a lot of hard work last season and over the summer, and it’s great to finally be rewarded for it and not be let down.”
As a sophomore, Cerda finished second at regionals and sixth at the state championships in the 800 meter run, but was deprived of those opportunities last year despite a strong start to her junior season.
She medaled in each of her five solo competitive races in the 800 and 400 meter dash before the 2020 track and field season was cut short throughout Texas and beyond.
But Cerda has been on a tear throughout the spring as one of the Jackets’ experienced leaders and headlines a group of 17 regional qualifiers from Edcouch-Elsa, in a variety of events.
“I just try to do my best and give my 100% in everything I do so that they have a good role model to look up to,” she said. “It does motivate me. I’m one of the only seniors on the team. I know they look up to me and that they’re all going to be there, so that does really motivate me to my best and lead this team.”
Cerda leads a deep group of Jackets’ runners who punched their tickets to the regional meet with stellar showings at last Thursday’s area meet in Mercedes.
Freshman Rebecca Davila set a new personal record in the 3200 meter run with a time of 12 minutes and 22.4 seconds while junior Arely Vasquez also claimed a PR in the 200 meter dash with a time of 26.45 seconds to each advance.
Senior Teresa Gallegos marked a season-best time of 5 minutes, 33.73 seconds in the 1600 meter run to advance too, but none secured their spots at the regional meet as comfortably as Cerda.
Cerda won area titles in both the 400 and 800 clocking in with times of 1:00.18 and 2 minutes, 20.64 seconds, respectively.
Those times each ranked sixth among Region IV-5A competitors throughout this season, giving Cerda a realistic chance to advance the state meet in multiple events by setting PRs at regionals Friday.
“I’m feeling pretty confident because I’m still in the mix,” she said. “Anything can happen that day, so I’m confident knowing that I do have that chance of making it to state.”
Contreras, meanwhile, will be looking to book his first trip to the state meet as Edcouch-Elsa’s biggest star amid a number of regional qualifiers in field events.
He leads a list of six Yellow Jackets who have qualified for regionals in six events, which includes the pole vaulting trio of sophomores Jenifer Cruz, Haley Guzman and Daniel Hinojosa.
They join freshman Kaely Trantham — who took second place in the shot put after a PR throw of 36 feet, 9.25 inches — and senior Luis Hernandez, whose PR leap of 21 feet, 8 inches earned first place in the long jump at the area meet.
Contreras, however, has been following in the footsteps of his older sister, Mackenzie, who left a legacy as one of Edcouch-Elsa’s most decorated throwers.
“My sister definitely had a lot to do with it. She tried it and I saw her compete, so I tried it and ended up liking it,” he said. “We always compete with each other and we’re always telling each other stuff to motivate each other and get better.
“I’ve been working since junior high telling myself that one day, I’m going to be up there. I definitely put my mind to it to make it happen.”
Contreras has lived up to his family’s reputation in the Rio Grande Valley’s track circuit this season, dominating every meet which he’s competed in thus far.
The senior thrower has taken first place in 15 of 16 events this year, including an eight-meet winning streak in shot put.
He set PRs in both shot put and discus with throws of 54 feet, 11 inches and 152 feet, 2 inches during the Jacket Invitational in February, one of four meets hosted by Edcouch-Elsa this season due to travel restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those throws have earned him the top ranking throughout Region IV-5A in shot put and second in discus, making him a favorite to not only advance to the state meet but compete for dual regional championships too.
“After not being able to do this last year to now going in as a dual area champ feels great,” Contreras said. “I peaked earlier in the season and had to rebuild from there, but now it’s definitely going back up at the right time. All I’m focussing on going in there is bettering myself and hopefully making it to state.”
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @ByAndyMcCulloch
