Regional headliners

By Manuel Azocar III - Sports Writer/Managing Editor | April 27, 2023

REGIONAL TRACK & FIELD

PEARSALL, DILLEY AND COTULLA SPRINTERS HIGHLIGHT SLEW OF LOCAL ATHLETES IN ACTION AT REGIONAL TRACK MEETS THIS WEEK IN KINGSVILLE AND SEGUIN

Local schools will send numerous athletes to regional competition this week but Pearsall, Dilley and Cotulla will all, for the first time in recent memory, have athletes competing in the marguee speed events at the regional track and field meets this weekend in Kingsville and Seguin.
“We felt that our athletes came out and fought hard at a very tough Area track meet,” PHS Head Coach Julian Hernandez said. “We are very proud of their efforts and how well they have been competing all season.
“This week we are fortunate enough to be able to compete at the regional track meet with some of these athletes. They have definitely worked hard for this and we have been reminding them of their goals they set out for themselves this season.”
Hernandez is confident that with a focused effort and all the right conditions, he has several athletes with good chances of moving on to the state meet in Austin.
“We have a few opportunities in front of us to advance,” he said. “However, we must stay focused, determined, and mentally strong.”
Pearsall will send seven athletes to the Region IV Class 4A Track and Field Championships in Kingsville on Friday and Saturday, April 28 and 29. Curtis Saenz qualified in the 100m, 200m and 400m relay, Leon Martinez, Nathaniel Rodriguez and Joey Ramirez, qualified in the 400m relay, Ramirez also qualified in the long jump and triple jump. Weston Hurst advanced in the pole vault and Gabriel Gutierrez is a regional qualifier in the shot put.
Jezzie Leal qualified for the Lady Mavs in the high jump.
Saenz, who won the 100m and 200m dash events has the seventh fastest time in Class 4A in the 200m. As a member of the 400m relay team with Martinez, Rodriguez and Ramirez, the group’s area time of 42.91 is 12th fastest in 4A this year.
Hurst, the district runner-up and area champion in the pole vault with a height of 14′, has the fifth best vault in Class 4A.
Ramirez, Pearsall’s area champion in the long jump and district champ and area runner-up in the triple jump has posted the 11th best long jump in Class 4A this year.
Leal, the district champion and area runner-up in high jump posted the fifth best jump in 4A earlier this year in that event.
Boys’ area track results are as follows: 100m dash, first, Curtis Saenz, 11.00, seventh, Nathaniel Rodriguez, 11.45; 200m dash, first, Curtis Saenz, 21.95; 110m hurdles, eighth, Jovonnie Robledo, 17.74; 300m hurdles, fifth, Elijah Luna, 42.90; 400m relay, second, Leon Martinez, Nathaniel Rodriguez, Joey Ramirez, Curtis Saenz, 42.91; 1,600m relay, seventh, Abel Elizondo, Ayden Rodriguez, Alvaro Abrego, Gilbert Marquez, 3:37.65; long jump, first, Joey Ramirez, 21’5″; triple jump, second, Joey Ramirez, 42’1″; pole vault, first, Weston Hurst, 14′; discus, sixth, Gavino Gutierrez, 121’11”; shot put, fourth, Gavino Gutierrez, 47’11”, seventh, Joseph De La Rosa, 46’11”.
Girls’ area track results are as follows: 100m hurdles, fifth, Jezzie Leal, 17.27, sixth, Karicia Garcia, 17.69; 300m hurdles, sixth, Jezzie Leal, 51.78; high jump, second, Jezzie Leal, 5’2″; long jump, eighth, Anisty Martinez, 15’9-1/2″.
The top four athletes in each event advances to the regional competition.