STORM IMPROVING
Cleveland boys romp in spirited Metro Championships
Cleveland’s track and field team is getting better by leaps and bounds in state 5A.
The bad news for the rest of the boys track and field teams in Class 5A? The Cleveland Storm is only getting better. “We had some kids that definitely had their best performances of the season,” Storm coach Kenny Henry said Friday night after a stellar showing in the Albuquerque Metro Championships at Milne Stadium.
It wasn’t just distance runner Luis Martinez, who on Friday added the 1,600-meter title to his victory Thursday in the 3,200. And it wasn’t just Parker Jones, who was the meet’s high-point individual and who recorded wins Friday in the 100, 200 and 110-meter high hurdles.
It was also the likes of Nainoa Biggs, who won Friday’s triple jump and placed second in Thursday’s long jump. And Jacob Anderson, who had a terrific throw to finish third in the discus. And high jump champion Nathan Barnes.
There were so many outstanding performances, they almost were too numerous to mention.
It started with Jones, whose victory in the 110 hurdles was an upset over Highland’s previously unbeaten Mustafa Mudada.
“Honestly,” Jones said, “it puts more of the pressure on me at state, knowing I finally beat him.”
The Storm scored 139 points. Secondplace Cibola was 84 points behind.
Also for Cleveland, Brandon Lawrence captured the 400. The Storm won the 4x100 relay with Jones, Lawrence, Tyler Chavez and Nathan Muñoz. Cleveland also won the medley relay with Steven Steele, Camden Davis, Muñoz and anchor Aaron Flores.
Cibola had standout performances from Blair Manly (third in the 400), Terrence Bell (runner-up in the discus), Juan Pimental (second in the shot put), Chris Harlow (third in the 3,200), Kristian Pannell (runner-up in the 200) and Frankie Scorfina (runner-up in the 1,600).
Volcano Vista junior Mike Budick won the discus, with a throw of 153 feet, 9 inches. He was second in Thursday’s javelin, and also threw the shot put Thursday.
“Yesterday was a little rough for me, because I did both back-to-back,” Budick said. “And I felt a little rushed.”
The Hawks also won the 4x200meter relay with Robert Peele, Hayden Thomas, Joe Searcy-Ortega and Dorsett Valdez.
Rio Rancho had a winner in Thursday’s shot put with Colby Stinson (5410 ½ ). Preston Charlie was runner-up to Martinez in the 3,200.
Other top-three individual performances for the boys:
Searcy-Ortega of Volcano Vista was second in the 100;
Cleveland had third-place finishes from Chavez in the 300 hurdles, Jared Mayoral in the 800, Kian Homme in the javelin, Davis in the long jump and Jones in the high jump.
Girls
Cleveland was a close second to La Cueva, 106-103 ½ . Storm freshman Nia Powdrell was high-point individual, with 18 ½ points. On Friday, she won the 100 and was third in the 200.
“I just felt really confident,” said Powdrell, who also was second in Thursday’s long jump. “I feel no stress coming into the blocks.”
The most emotional Storm team member was junior Elicia Gallegos after her dramatic victory in the 400.
After running down Eldorado’s Jessie Hix late, Gallegos was in tears.
“I haven’t had a PR (personal record) since my freshman season,” she said. Gallegos later ran second in the 200.
The Storm captured the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relays. Audrey Martinez, Larimar Rodriguez, Erin DeBee and Powdrell ran the 4x200, with Martinez, Rodriguez, DeBee and Gallegos in the 4x400.
Also for Cleveland, Natalie Medina and Malia Gonzales ran second and third, respectively, in the 1,600. Alex Winebark was third in the discus. Erin Carrica was third in the shot put, and Alex Williams placed second in the javelin.
Rio Rancho’s Nicole Pendley took Thursday’s javelin, with teammate Ally Salata third. The Rams’ Merica Valdez was second in the pole vault. Other finishes of note:
West Mesa’s Chelsea Harris won Thursday’s high jump and was third Friday in the 110-meter high hurdles;
Volcano Vista’s Lindsey Larsen was the runner-up in the high jump;
Cibola’s Maya Allen was second in the triple jump, finishing just one-half inch behind the winner;
Volcano’s Luciana Reza was third in the triple jump.