Medals hard to come by for area competitors

AUSTIN — Unlike Port Isabel’s Sidney “Trey” Mock’s gold-medal day, other area athletes didn’t fare quite so well on Friday.

Santa Maria’s Kristen Aleman started Day 2 of the UIL state track & field meet with the girls Class 2A 3200-meter run. Unfortunately, the freshman finished in 8th place with a time of 12:14.10. Sundown’s Andrea Sanchez won first place with a time of 11:30.21.

However, today Aleman gets another opportunity at redemption when she participates in the 1600-meter run at 2:45 p.m.

Shortly after Aleman, La Feria’s Class 4A 3200-meter duo of Tina Sierra and Dariana Vasquez hit the track at 8:40 a.m.

Unfortunately, the pair didn’t medal. However, Sierra finished the race in 5th place with a time of 11:21.17 while Vasquez finished 8th with a time of 11:46.47. Alvarado’s Emily Garcia took the top spot with a time of 10:55.22.

While the race was the only one for the freshman Vasquez, Sierra will hit the track two more times today. The senior competes in the 800-meter run at 6:20 p.m. and the 1600 at 8:45 p.m.

On the boys side Friday, Port Isabel’s Joseph Ian Torres came in seventh in the Class 4A shot put. The senior threw a 49.11 while Graham’s Hunter Dooley took gold with a throw of 54.2.

ON TAP FOR DAY 3: La Feria will compete in six events today while Port Isabel, Santa Maria and Santa Rosa will each take part in one event.

La Feria’s Julian Trevino starts the day off by participating in the triple jump at 10 a.m. before Sierra goes on at 6:20 p.m.

Shortly after Sierra, Reyes Rodriguez competes in the 800-meter run. The junior will also compete in the 400-meter dash at 7:45 p.m.

Another athlete competing in the 400 is Port Isabel’s Natalie Garza. The junior will participate in the girls 400, which will begin just before Rodriguez’s race.

La Feria’s final event will be the boys 4×400-meter relay, which begins at 9:15 p.m.

Meanwhile, Santa Rosa’s Alex Ayala will compete in the boys 300-meter hurdles. The junior is set to take the stage at 8:15 p.m.