Two states, two races, two wins
Volcano Vista’s Cleveland pulls off the weekend’s most impressive ‘double’
The 2018 Richard A. Harper Memorial track and field meet produced, as always, a handful of double champions.
Such as Manzano’s Jordan Byrd. Cleveland’s Amanda Mayoral. Rio Rancho’s Noah Fay. Sandia’s Adriana Tatum. Albuquerque Academy jumper Lucas Jepsen. Los Alamos thrower Rebecca Green.
But the most impressive of the double champi-
ons this weekend was an athlete who won the same race twice in two days — once in southern California, once in Albuquerque.
That would be Volcano Vista’s Jericho Cleveland.
“I’ve missed this (Harper) meet (the last two years),” Cleveland said Saturday, the concluding day of the Harper. “It’s my last year, and I wanted to compete in it, even if I couldn’t perform to the best of my ability.”
When the 1,600-meter final at the Harper ended Saturday at Albuquerque Academy, Cleveland had broken the meet record with a time of 4 minutes, 16.10 seconds. It was the only individual record broken this year.
But here’s the kicker, as it were: Cleveland also won the 1,600 (and the mile, which is 1,609 meters and was timed concurrently) on Friday night in Walnut, Calif., at the Mt. SAC Relays. He ran a blistering 4 minutes, 7.89 seconds in the 1,600 and 4:09.42 in the mile, both among the best outdoor times in the country.
“(Friday) night was a good race,” he said. “There weren’t as many fast kids as I was hoping … I always race better when there are faster guys in there. I kept pushing the pace, and nobody really responded.”
He didn’t arrive back home until well after midnight. And then he got up and, with a monster final lap, pulled away from Eldorado’s Harrison Smith III (who recently signed with UNM) to win the 1,600 at the Harper, which started at 10:40 a.m.
“I was tired this morning,” Cleveland said. “And I was a little bit sore in my legs.”
Star power was on display in the girls’ 1,600 final, too, with Cleveland’s Amanda Mayoral, an Oklahoma State signee, winning in 5:15.06. She, like Cleveland, is keenly aware of how little time remains in her prep career.
“This is my last year, and I’m just trying to put my final stamp,” Mayoral said. She also won the 800 on Friday. “It’s my senior year, so there’s been more pressure than usual, but I think I do well under pressure.”
Byrd, who hopes to run track at San Diego State if the Aztecs football program will permit it (SDSU does not have a men’s track program), had impressive victories in the 100 and 200 on Saturday.
Tatum, a freshman, had a stellar day, which included taking down Cleveland’s Aphiniti Crupper in a tight 200-meter final. Tatum had earlier captured the 100 (which Crupper skipped; Crupper later won the 400).
Fay, meanwhile, concluded his double-double on Saturday. He won both hurdles finals Monday at the Marilyn Sepulveda meet and repeated that at the Harper.
The girls’ hurdles were split between La Cueva’s Israel Swanson (100 high) and Sandia Prep’s Sevilla Duran (300 intermediate).
“I think my last race (Monday at the Sepulveda) definitely wasn’t my best,” said Duran, who finished fifth in that event. “I wanted to come back (strong). I was more ready and less nervous today.”
For the boys, other event winners included Keshawn Banks of Rio Rancho in the discus and Eldorado’s Terrance Parham in the 400. Los Alamos’ Green won the discus Saturday to go with her shot put title on Friday.
NOTES: The Albuquerque Metro Championships are next, Thursday and Friday at Nusenda Community Stadium. … Albuquerque High junior Alisa Meraz-Fishbein ran a terrific 5:08.67 on Friday night in the 1,600 at the Artesia meet. … Cleveland’s Alejandro Armijo is well known, rightfully, for his golfing exploits, and indeed he won the metro tournament on Monday, but he also is contributing to the Storm track team, running a leg in Cleveland’s winning 4x200-meter relay on Saturday.