The key to Kenny Gallegos’ success? Yoga.
The Mesa Vista junior does yoga at practice, at home, and whenever he gets a chance. Gallegos said that it helps him keep his muscles loose during long races.
“I’ve been trying to get everyone to do it,” Gallegos said.
Gallegos’ training led to a win over strong opponents in the 800-meter race, a highlight of the district 5-2A track and field championships. At the meet in Questa on May 3, the Escalante boys won first place, with Questa second and Peñasco third. The Questa girls won first, with Peñasco second and Mora third.
“Overall, we’ve really come around, we’ve come alive the last few track meets,” said Escalante coach Isaac Royston. “We went to the bigger track meets, so you’re seeing 5A, 4A, 3A teams, they’re really pushing you. That really increased our times.”
The top two finishers in each event qualify for the state championships, along with anyone who passes a certain predetermined qualifying standard during the year.
The McCurdy girls track team has a close bond. The quartet of Aubrey Cordova, Avery Knight, Kaylee Martinez and Marisol Serna run multiple relay races together, as well as cross country, and are just as tight off the track. They all bought the same style of sunglasses. They practically finish each other’s sentences.
“We’re all close friends, so close,” Serna and Knight said practically at the same time when asked.
“It’s like a little friend group having a sport,” Serna said.
Knight added, “It’s really nice for teamwork and to be able to be close with each other and have those relays to do together.”
The four won first place in both the 4×800-meter relay and the sprint medley relay. Both times, it was Knight who came from behind and brought McCurdy to the front of the pack.
Knight also finished second in the 1600 meters, Cordova was second in the 200 and Serna was second in the 3200.
They say that in individual races, even though there can be only one winner, they are just as happy if it is a teammate.
McCurdy’s boys were led by Jeremaya Roybal’s victories in both the 100 and 200 meters. Their 4×400 relay team finished second, and their sprint medley relay team won when Justin Knight came from behind to win on the final leg.
“I was really impressed with how our kids did today,” said McCurdy coach Cecilia Brown. “They worked really hard this week, and they deserved it.”
A year ago, the team (with Allison Cantrell in place of Serna) finished fourth in the 4×800 relay, and this year they are looking to improve. They want first place, and think they can get it. The 4×800 team enters the state meet ranked second.
Serna also finished second in the 3200 meters, just one second behind Peñasco’s Rochelle Lopez. Knight will be racing individually at state for the first time.
“I feel like we all have gotten better this year,” Knight said.
While McCurdy’s team still remains small (only two girls competed in any of the field events), they love seeing growth from previous years.
Escalante’s Felice Baca won first place in both the girls 100 and 200 meter races, and led a 4×200 team to a first-place finish. Ashley Gilmore finished first in the 100-meter hurdles and second in the 300 hurdles. She was second in the high jump, winning a tiebreak over teammate Hannah Lopez. Lopez also finished second in the 400 meters.
Rebecca Lopez finished second in the 800 meters to qualify, and the Escalante 4×100 team was also second.
Escalante’s boys were led by Jayden Salazar’s second-place finishes in both the 100 and 200 races. Braylon Emery won first in the 400, Julio Lujan was second, and Luka Torrez was third.
Eighth-grader Khalil Ibrahim finished second in the 3200 meters as one of two entires, qualifying for state. Escalante’s boys finished first in the 4×100 and second in the 4×200. Torrez finished second in the high jump and Lujan was second in the long jump.
Damon Emery led Escalante in throwing events with a first-place finish in the javelin and second place in the discus and shot put. Teammate Ramon Martinez won the discus throw.
Escalante did not run 4×400 relays, as they had already qualified under the state standards; their teams both rank third entering the state meet.
“Did well, happy,” Royston said. “But I’ll be happier next week if we can do something over there.”
Andres Valdez was a leader for Mesa Vista with a win in the long jump, anchoring a victorious 4×200 relay team, and coming up just short with a third-place finish in the 100 meters. Ezequiel Nevarez won in the 1600-meter race, and was second behind Gallegos in the 800.
Valdez and Gallegos will both be competing as individuals at state for the first time after being part of relay teams last year that did not place.
“Me, and Ezequiel, and Jonathan (Martinez) have been putting in a lot of work,” Gallegos said. “A lot of 400s, a lot of 800s, a lot of 900s. It’s been a lot of work.
Camryn Johnson led Mesa Vista’s girls with a win in the shot put. And the 4×400-meter relay team surprised with a first-place finish to qualify for state.
The Peñasco boys won the 4×800-meter relay, and lead the state in time entering the state meet.