JJHS Track Team is Committed
By John Earp
The Jal Junior High Track Team had their first meet this past Tuesday at the Little Demon Relays in Dexter.
Head Coach Victor Soliz says this team is “still trying to find out exactly where everybody belongs. I’m new with them and track and they’re new with me and so I love the effort, you know I love the attitude, it’s good.”
Regarding how his team is manifesting this season, he says, “The speed is better than what I had anticipated. We got four kids, Kai Porras, Roy Peugh, Damian Maes, Miguel Ramirez, and Luis Vidana. They’re our long distance boys, and I’m very pleased with them. When you have a long-distance team, it helps get points. We also don’t have very many hurdlers, and when you don’t have hurdlers, it hurts you on points.” Coach Soliz says the young kids are just lacking in confidence in attempting the hurdles, and they won’t have it until they try it.
Soliz says he has 10 kids participating in the team’s throwing events. “Coach Ross and Coach Satterwhite are doing a good job with them. That’s another area where we’ve got to get more points, is in the field events. The vaulters, the kids are loving that. Landon Edwards and Emiliano Zavala are doing well in the high jump. Somehow, we’ve got to get some of our kids to buy into the triple jump,” Soliz said.
Soliz says he is impressed with the level of commitment his student-athletes have shown thus far this season, showing up early in the morning for weight training, even the day after coming home late Tuesday night after the meet in Dexter. He tells his athletes that that is the kind of commitment and good work ethic they will need to have in their adult life and career someday.
Edwin Lucero came in 4th in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:04.27. Miguel Rodriguez came in 3rd in the 800-meter run finals, with a time of 2:44.20. Kai Porras came in 7th in the 800-meter run finals with a time of 2:54.88. Damian Maes came in 6th in the 800-meter run finals with a time of 2:55.18. Kai Porras came in 7th in the 1600-meter run finals, with a time of 6:30.00.
In the Division 1 Boys 4×200 Meter Relay Finals, the Panthers came in 1st, with a time of 1:50.44. In the Division 1 Boys 4×400 Meter Relay Finals, the Panthers came in 3rd with a time of 4:25.61. In the high jump, Landon Edwards came in 3rd with a mark of 4-6. Emmy Zavala came in 4th place with a mark of 4-6 as well. Kai Porras came in 6th in the Division 1 Boys Triple Jump Finals with a mark of 28-2.5. Landon Edwards came in 1st in the Division 1 Boys Pole Vault Finals, with a mark of 7-6. Santiago Trevizo came in 3rd with a mark of 7-0. Roy Peugh came in 5th place in the pole vault with a mark of 6-0. Jayten Butts came in 5th in the Boys Discus Finals with a mark of 82-0. Jayden Walker came in 3rd in the Boys Shot Put Finals, with a mark of 34-0. Jayten Butts came in 4th in the shot put with a mark of 32-4.
In the Division 1 Girls 400-meter dash finals, Miranda Lujan came in 1st place with a mark of 1:12.88. Whitley Little came in 5th in the same event with a time of 1:18.80. In the Division 1 Girls 800 Meter Run Finals, Ayerim Veliz came in 5th with a mark of 3:29.78. Veliz also came in 5th in the Division 1 Girls 1600 Meter Run Finals, with a time of 8:12.00. Claire Seifts came in 3rd place in the Division 1 Girls 100 Meter Hurdles Finals with a time of 20.93. Seifts came in 3rd in the 300-meter hurdles finals as well, with a time of 1:02.78. Jolea Nash came in 5th in the 300-meter hurdles finals with a time of 1:04.52. In the Girls 4×100 Meter Relay Finals, the Panthers came in 3rd place with a time of 59.27. The girls came in 2nd place in the 4×200 with a time of 2:03.35. In the 4×400, the girls came in 2nd place with a time of 5:31.44. In the girls long jump, Kaedyn Lujan came in 4th place with a mark of 13-3, while Aaliyah Navarette came in 5th with a mark of 13-3. Alyssa Cervantes came in 1st place in the girls’ pole vault with a mark of 7-0. Addilyn Fabela came in 2nd place with a mark of 5-6. Bianca Gallegos came in 5th in the discus, with a throw of 51-9. Grettle Portillo came in 3rd in girls shot put with a mark of 20-1.