After two long and eventful weekends of track and field at the University of New Mexico, the state championships, that ran from May 4-5 and 11-12, have concluded.
Schools from all over the state claimed team titles across the six classes, but what makes the sport so intriguing is the individual aspect.
While many teams may not score a ton of overall points, a few athletes can still represent their school with individual accolades and performances.
There were several athletes from Northern New Mexico who collected plenty of hardware.
For the girls, Mesa Vista High School’s Abrianna Griego finished first in the Class 2A 200 and 400-meter dashes.
She was also set to compete in the 800, but Mesa Vista head coach Trey Drinkard decided it would be better for her to sit out.
“I knew she was going to win the 400,” he said. “No disrespect to the other runners, but I wasn’t sure that she would have enough recovery time (if she ran the 800). She was expected to win the 400, so for me it was as much of a relief as joy.”
Trojan sprinter Frankie Ortiz fell short on some expectations, but he still was victorious in the 100.
“I might have got run out of town if he didn’t win one event,” Drinkard said about the senior. “His leadership will be missed and his attitude and effort were great.”
Drinkard said that, overall, “The whole team was enjoyable to coach and this was my favorite season of my coaching career.”
Escalante High School’s Andres Blea collected five medals in Class 3A, with his first-place effort coming in the long jump (20 feet, 2.75 inches).
Blea’s time of 40.77 seconds broke the state record in the 300-meter hurdles, but it just happened to be that Kasey Reese from Mountainair High School ran 40.74.
Blea also collected medals in the 110-meter hurdles and the 800 and 400-meter relays.
Career-Closing
Victory
The Santa Fe Prep girls won the Class 3A state championship in head coach Tove Shere’s final season after leading the program (girls and boys) for 21 years.
It was the fourth girls title under her watch — and sophomore standout Hayden Colfax led the way with victories in the triple jump and 100 hurdles.
“She works diligently for everything she has achieved and is a force to be reckoned with,” Shere said about Colfax. “She is obviously a gifted athlete, but her work ethic is what really puts her ahead of the competition.”
Taos reigns
supreme
The Taos High School boys and girls dominated the Class 4A state championship and captured both titles. It was the fifth consecutive for the boys — and one name rose above the rest — Jonah Vigil.
The junior won the 100, 200, 400 and was a part of the winning 4×100 meter relay team. If that wasn’t impressive enough, he also won the long jump and was awarded the “High Point Male Athlete.”
Lady Tiger Faith Powell matched Vigil’s efforts, dominating the field events by winning the long jump, triple jump and high jump. Like her counterpart, she was also awarded the high point award for the girls.
Best statewide performances
Manzano High School’s Jordan Byrd is the fastest athlete in the 100, for the last four years.
That’s right, Byrd completed the improbable four-peat and tied the state record of 10.50 seconds.
“I don’t know if words can express how special that is,” Manzano head coach Harvey Carreathers said. “It’s pretty rare for an athlete to win any event at the state level for four years.”
Byrd, who is a three-star football recruit, has committed to play at San Diego State University next fall.
“Jordan was never a track kid who played football,” Carreathers said. “He loves to run over people as much as he enjoys running away from them.”
While Byrd conquered the unthinkable in the 100, Jericho Cleveland from Volcano Vista High School put together a distance trifecta, winning the 3200, 1600 and 800-meter runs.
He captured the 1600 on May 11, then came back on Saturday to win the other two, with just four hours in between the events.
“He was less than one second off (the record) in the 1600 and less than a half a second off in the 800,” Volcano Vista head coach Shane Cleveland said. “No one has ever done that type of double in New Mexico that close to two state records.”
Shane Cleveland is also Jericho Cleveland’s father, who is just one of three sons that he is coached in track and field.
Repeat champions
Finally, the Melrose High School girls could not be ignored, as they ran away with the Class 1A meet to win back-to-back state championships.
“It’s always awesome to see these kids’ hard work pay off,” Melrose head coach Casey Jackson said. “It was great that the entire team got to be a part of such a special moment.”
They won as a team, but Nataley Mondragon stole the show.
The Sophomore set new records in the 100, 200, 400 and tied the high jump, while also winning the long jump.
“Nataley’s work ethic is unmatched,” Jackson said. “She is constantly striving to better herself and she has a passion for the sport that most don’t have.”
Her older sister, Lakasey Mondragon, also had a performance to remember by winning the pole vault. She broke her own state record, improving the mark to an even 9 feet.
Teammate Landry Widner finished her career in style, winning gold and setting a new record in the 100 hurdles, with a time of 17.13 seconds.
“Landry blossomed into a great leader this year for her team,” Jackson said. “She has definitely left a lasting impression and I couldn’t be prouder to have had the opportunity to coach such an amazing young lady.”