It’s been four long years since the Harlingen South track and field program last visited the UIL state meet. But for Marcus Ramirez (pole vault), Sky Tatum (discus) and Andrew Ott (shot put) the moment couldn’t have come at better time.
Ramirez and Tatum are seniors with one last opportunity to make a name for themselves while Ott is a junior who has thrown the shot put so many times he could have thrown his way to Austin 50 feet at a time.
But as Harlingen South track coach Ralph De La Rosa said, it’s who they are that makes this trio of athletes memorable.
“I think it’s how self-determined they are,” De La Rosa said. “They are their own worst enemies and their own best coaches, and they really know what they are doing. These guys love being out on the track and they love the idea of being able to get better. You won’t find a more competitive group than these guys.
“Marcus is quiet and stoic, Sky is kick-back and cool when he gets in the (discus) ring and then you have Ott who sets the tone. People say you have to have a switch, well he’s (Ott) got a bunch of switches and he gets himself amped up.”
Before this year, the last time Harlingen South made the 300-mile trek to Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin was four years ago with Marco Castro.
Last season, Ramirez was destined to go to state and could have made it if it weren’t for a string of unfortunate events that included two broken poles.
“I really wanted to go to state really badly, but everything was kind of derailed when I broke two poles,” said Ramirez. “I have to use different poles for different heights and the biggest pole that was for the higher jump d at the bottom footing; and the second one broke in the same way. Usually they break in the middle, but I don’t know exactly what happened and that’s the reason I didn’t go to state last year.”
Ramirez did try using another pole, but was unable to adjust to it in time.
“I feel really ecstatic about going to state this year,” he added. “For me, going to state as a senior means it’s my last chance, but it also means that it’s my last meet to try and break that record that we have here in the Valley and at my school.”
The record is held by South alum Jared Ede, who hit a leap of 16-21/2 in 2005.
Ramirez finished first at the District 32-6A meet, second at the area meet and second at regionals. Earlier this month he also signed a letter of intent to UT-San Antonio.
Then there is senior Sky Tatum, who has been nothing short of spectacular this season in the discus throw. After spending the last few years falling short at district, this year he placed first in District 32-6A, first in area and first in regionals.
What’s been his motivation? “I just Hate losing,” exclaimed Tatum.
“I think he just made up his mind,” said De La Rosa of Tatum. “I think his body just caught up with what he was trying to do. He had been injured a bunch and he had always been trying to get healthy, and this year he was just healthy and got a ton stronger.”
Finally, for Andrew Ott it isn’t a matter of throwing the shot put because he’s certainly done plenty of that. Rather it’s a matter of how far the talented junior will throw.
Ott has been spectacular this season and as Coach De La Rosa said of him: “Once you think he has throw the furthest he can, he just keeps topping his own personal best.”
This season Ott switched his throwing technique and has seen the change pay off considerably. He began by throwing in the high 40s, but with the change he has been able to consistently start throwing in the low 50s before peaking again at regionals with a 54-foot toss.
“This season has been sort of a godsend because in between my sophomore and junior season I actually threw so much that I broke my scaphoid in my wrist and I was casted from Nov. 7 to Jan. 16,” said Ott.
“State has been something that I have been dreaming about since freshman year when I first picked up a shot put. At the time I was only throwing 30 feet, but I kept telling myself that I wanted to hit that last line (referring to the marks on the field) and that I wanted to be the best of the best in the region and state. I want to be the best in the country. Now that I have gotten here, I really want to make this a memorable season at state and make the (medal) podium.”
