Iraan’s Lynda Martinez got the Region I-2A track and Field Championships started with a bang Friday.
Martinez ran her best time of the season in winning the girls 3,200-meter run, the first completed event of the meet. The victory earned her a berth in the Class 2A state meet.
“It’s exciting,” Martinez said. “Knowing how I did in the two-mile, I now feel more confident about the mile relay and the mile. It’s working. It’s helping.
The top two finishers in each event at the regional meet qualify for the state meet, scheduled for May 11-12 at Mike Meyers Stadium in Austin. In addition, the best third-place finisher from each of the state’s four regionals earns a wild-card spot at state.
Martinez ran 11 minutes, 54.05 seconds to win by 2.31 seconds over Sundown’s Ashlyn Peralta (11:56.36). Angela Rodriguez of Plains was third in 11:56.73.
Iraan girls coach Corby Maurer said Martinez simply rose to the occasion.
“It was the first time she’s run under 12 (minutes),” Maurer said. “She’s a gamer. She’s a competitor. She’s kind of quiet and unassuming, then the gun goes off and it’s time to go.
“She works very hard and is obviously a well-deserving kid. It was a good time to run the best you’ve run all year. It was the perfect time for it.”
Martinez was back in the pack for the first two laps before moving up over the next two. By the midway point of the race, she was in the lead and stayed there the rest of the way.
“I have a little method,” Martinez said. “I stay in the back and then I regain my energy and then I pass. That’s what happened. It helped.
“I just ran and left it all out there. It seemed to be in my favor.”
Maurer said Martinez had to work to get free of the pack, but once the field started to spread out the race became hers to win.
“She got boxed early in the race, probably a little bit of a tactical error, and then she broke out,” he said. “But she wouldn’t pass everybody and go on and get some separation.
“About lap five, she finally decided it was time to go, which we’d been telling her it is. From that point on, she ran a great, beautiful race.”
Martinez’s time was more than 52 seconds faster than her previous season best.
“It’s a huge gap,” she said. “Last meet, I ran a 12:46 and that was my best time this season. When I turned back and looked at the time, I was in shock.”
Maurer said Martinez had everything come together in the race.
“We felt like physically she was ready, but today she brought the mental game,” he said. “She had her game face on this morning at breakfast. We knew she was probably fixing to run pretty good.
“It ended up being pretty convincing. She did well. We’re proud of her.”
Martinez was the lone area athlete to qualify Friday, but three others earned points in the early events.
Van Horn’s Jadein Tarango put herself in contention for a wild-card state berth by finishing third in the girls discus with a throw of 129 feet, 11 inches.
In boys competition, Iraan’s Koree Deneergaard was fifth in the 3,200 with a time of 10:38.91. The Braves added another fifth-place finish when Kyle O’Bannon cleared 6-0 in the high jump.
Iraan’s Lynda Martinez stands atop the victory podium after winning the Girls 3,200-meter run during the first day of competition at the Region I-2A Track and Field Championships Friday at Ratliff Stadium. Sundown’s Ashlyn Peralta (right) finished second, with Plains’ Angela Rodriguez (left) taking third
By Sam Waller
[email protected]
Friday, Ratliff Stadium
GIRLS
Team Scores
1. Sundown, 17; 2. Stratford, 13; 3. Albany, 11; 4. Merton Irion County 10,5; 5 Iraan, 10; 6. (tie)Farwell, 8; Seagraves, 6; 8. (tie) Floydada, 6; Plains, 6; Van Horn, 6; Vega, 6; 12. (tie) Abernathy, 4; Claude, 4; Panhandle, 4; Stinnett West Texas, 4; 16. Hamlin, 3; 17. Sunday, 2; 18. Post, 1; Wellington, 0.5.
Individual Results
(Top two advance to state championships)
Field Events
Discus: 1. Macy McNutt, Mertzon Irion County, 141-2; 2. Sirena Minjarez, Seagraves, 135-10; 3. Jadein Tarango, Van Horn, 129-11; 4. Kalli Dubose, Abernathy, 127-9; 5. Rylee DeBord, Sunray, 118-05; 6. Elia Hebel, Albany, 112-06;
High jump: 1. Alli Hill, Albany, 5-2; 2. Bailey Chadwick, Farwell, 5-2; 3. Kylie Rickets, Floydada, 5-1; 4. (tie) Macy VanCleave, Hamlin, 4-10; Shaylee Audrain, Stratford, 4-10; 6. (tie) Tobi Davis, Wellington, 4-10; Jadyn Miller, Mertzon Irion County, 4-10.
Triple jump: 1. Laynee Burr, Stratford, 36-8.50; 2. Haven Wisdom, Sundown, 36-1.50; 3. Zoe Webb, Vega, 35-11.50; 4. Lanie Stapp, Claude, 35-3.25; 5. Lainey Choate, Panhandle, 35-2.25; 6. Kelby Tidwell, Post, 34-10.25
Running Events
3,200: 1. Lynda Martinez, Iraan, 11:54.05; 2. Ashlyn Peralta, Sundown, 11:56.36; 3. Angela Rodriguez, Plains, 11:56.73; 4. Macy Higginbotham, Stinnett West Texas, 12:18.21; 5. Brayleigh McGill, Panhandle, 12:23.42; 6. Alyzah McGlasson, Sundown, 21:34.44.
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BOYS
Team Scores
1. Albany, 22; 2. Sundown, 20; 3. Wellington, 17; 4. (tie) Panhandle 12; Stinnett West Texas, 12; 6. Farewell, 10; 7. (tie) Boys Ranch, 8; Ozona, 8; 9. New Deal, 7; 10. (tie) Abernathy, 6; Milesm 6; Sanford-Fritch, 6; 13. (tie) Hamlin, 4; Iraan, 4; Stratford, 4; 16. Merton Irion County, 3; 17. (tie) Hskell 2, Tahoka, 2; 19. (tie) Floydada, 1; Stamford, 1.
Individual Results
(Top two advance to state championships)
Field Events
Discus: 1. Bryce Spencer, Sundown, 169-2; 2. Garrett Barnett, Panhandle, 156-4; 3. Bryson Daily, Abernathy, 156-1; 4. Noah Harris, Stratford, 147-10; 5. Kyler Hoover, Haskell, 147-4; 6. John Micheal Holcomb, Wellington, 142-6.
High jump: 1. Roberto Trevizo, Farwell, 7-1.50; 2. Dalin Williams, Stinnett West Texas, 6-4; 3. Kendell Dunn, New Deal, 6-3; 4. Ryan Hill, Albany, 6-3; 5. Kyle O’Bannon, Iraan, 6-0; 6. Miguel Pena, Floydada, 6-0.
Long jump: 1. Cameron Dacus, Albany, 21-11; 2. Dax Neece, Albany, 21-8.25; 3. Jojo McKnight, Wellington, 21-3.50; 4. Emilio Hernandez, Stinnett West Texas, 20-10.75; 5. John Stone, Tahoka, 20-10.50; 6. David Morgan, New Deal, 20-10.25
Pole vault: 1. Luke Williams, Wellington, 15-6; 2. Roman Esparza, Ozona, 14-0; 3. Saben Florer, Sanford-Fritch, 13-9; 4. (tie) Sawyer Paxton, Mertzon Irion County, 13-0; Noah Ford, Panhandle, 13-0; 6. Josh Mueller, Stamford, 12-6.
Running Events
3,200: 1. Steven Quintanilla, Sundown, 10:00.66; 2. Ryan Robinson, Boys Ranch, 10:07.29; 3. Joe Meza, Miles, 10:29.38; 4. Anthony Garcia, Hamlin, 10:34.20; 5. Koree Deneergaard, Iraan, 10:38.91; 6. Elijah Brown, Panhandle, 10:45.52.
