Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Clovis High senior Leroy Wilson takes the No. 1 time in Class 6A boys 300 hurdles into this weekend's state competition at the University of New Mexico track facility in Albuquerque. The Wildcats are hoping to be in contention for a team trophy (top-three finish) in the meet.
Clovis High senior Jaci Sievers warms up before the start of Wedneday's practice at Leon Williams Stadium. Sievers is slated to participate in the 800, the 300 hurdles and relays.
CLOVIS — Darren Kelley, in his final outing as Clovis High boys track coach before taking over as the school's athletic director, is hoping for a big meet from the Wildcats.
The top two spots could be out of reach for the Cats, but Kelley said they're in the hunt for the third team trophy from this weekend's Class 6A state meet at the University of New Mexico's track facility in Albuquerque, which starts this morning.
"Right now, if you score the meet out, (defending champion Rio Rancho) Cleveland and Volcano Vista are 1-2," Kelley said. "Then you have Rio Rancho, us, Hobbs, Carlsbad and Manzano within points of each other."
The Cats hope to have two champions this weekend in junior Foster Burgin in pole vault and senior Leroy Wilson in the 300 hurdles. Burgin, the defending champion at 14 feet, broke his own school record in last weekend's District 2-6A meet in Albuquerque at 15-3.
"His goal is to be at 15-6," Kelley said. "I think he wants to go over 16 feet, but it seems like he sets a new school record every week."
Wilson has the top 6A time in the 300 hurdles this season at 38.5 seconds. His stiffest competition will perhaps come from the defending 6A champion, Cleveland senior Veto Virgin, who has run just under 39 seconds this year but won it a year ago at 37.53.
"Those are the two best in the state," Kelley said.
Kelley said he has Cleveland pegged in the low 60s and Volcano Vista, the 2014 and '15 champion, in the mid-50s.
"On paper, we're at 44," he said. "All the others (in contention) are between 40 and 45 points.
Junior Josiah Thomas (discus) and senior Skylar Wadas (javelin) are the Cats' top throwers, Kelley said, adding that the team is also hoping to do well in all the relays.
The Lady Cats' top threats are seniors Monay Phillips and Brittany Reed in the throws. Phillips goes in No. 1 in discus while Reed is No. 2 in shot and No. 2 in discus.
Eighth-grader MiKyla Harkey has come on strong down the stretch and is ranked second in triple jump, coach Dawn Coleman said.
"We're looking forward to getting out there and beating somebody," she said.
In Class 4A, Portales' boys are hoping several high-ranking performers can push them to a big weekend after the team finished third in last year's state competition.
Senior Trenton Small is in all three throwing events, and is No. 1 in the class in shot put, while senior Trenton Neece ranks third in 4A in javelin with a personal best of 153-11.
The Rams' foursome of sophomore Julian Urioste and seniors Alex Marquez, Adrian Short and Jose Salomon rank first in the class in the 400 relay and second in the 800 relay. Meantime, sophomore Aiden Cabledue and senior Juan Castillo are 2-3 in pole vault.
The Lady Rams' best hope at a high finish could be sophomore Abree Aldaz, who comes in No. 1 in long jump, while junior Jessie Campbell ranks third in 4A in high jump.
"We're going in with some high seeds," PHS track coach Glenn Johnson said. "It's a matter of us taking advantage of that."
