The Miners’ track and field teams both finished second at the Diamond in the Desert Invitational, which took place last weekend at Central Arizona College in Coolidge. San Manuel, one of only two Division IV teams competing at the event, finished behind Florence (boys) and Sahurita (girls).
Carlos Salas (Pole Vault) and Andres Rodriguez (110m HH) took first place in their respective events. Other boys’ results include: Juan Ortega, Colton Stratton, Patrick Lopez, and James Duarte (4x800m Relay – 2nd), Jared Gonzales (110m HH – 2nd, 300IH – 6th), Carlos Salas (110m HH – 4th, 3200m – 5th), James Duarte (1600m – 3rd, 800m – 2nd), Colton Stratton (1600m – 6th), Randy Verdugo, Antonio Montes, Juan Ortega, and Jose Damian (4x100m Relay – 5th), Andres Rodriguez (300IH – 3rd), Colton Stratton (800m – 3rd), Patrick Lopez (3200m – 4th, Pole Vault – 2nd), Marco Salas (3200m – 6th, Pole Vault – 3rd), Antonio Montes, Randy Verdugo, Jared Gonzales, and James Duarte (4x400m Relay – 2nd), Andrew Gomez (Long Jump – 5th), and Broc Traweek (Triple Jump – 5th).
Eneida Quintero (800m), Cita Sweeney (Shot Put), and Jade Williard (Triple Jump) were first-place finishers on the girls’ side. Others girls’ results include: Eneida Quintero, Sabrina Duarte, Diana Medina, and Andrea Castaneda (4x800m Relay – 2nd), Eneida Quintero (1600m – 3rd), Jessica Lopez, Jade Willard, Ronzi Carbajal, and Leticia Vargas (4x100m Relay – 4th), Yesenia Arcienega (400m – 3rd), Hannah Reidhead (400m – 5th), Kiera Myers (400m – 6th), Andrea Castaneda (3200m – 2nd), Jessica Lopez (3200m – 6th), Kiera Myers, Ronzi Carbajal, Eneida Quintero, and Leticia Vargas (4x400m – 3rd), Stephanie Morris (Shot Put – 3rd, Discus – 3rd), Jazelle Sanchez (Shot Put – 5th), Cita Sweeney (Discus – 2nd), Mariela Canisales (Discus – 5th), and Jade Willard (Long Jump – 6th).
Head coach Maria Lopez likes where her team is at as the final competitions approach.
“Our athletes are gelling at just the right time,” she said in an email to the Miner. “(We’ll) keep working to get ready for our Rotary Invitational and the sectional meet.”
The Miners have several individuals and relay teams that have provisional marks to qualify for state, but only Cita Sweeney (Shot Put) is an automatic qualifier so far.