Small-school meet concludes

ALBUQUERQUE — For several small school local track and field athletes, Saturday was an opportunity to realize their dreams and become state champions at the 2018 NMAA State Track and field championships. Indeed, several different athletes from Melrose, Elida and Texico did just that, bringing home 18 team and individual state titles amongst 24 different athletes. The biggest winner in Albuquerque by far was Melrose’s Nataley Mondragon. Mondragon won five state titles and set four new state records on Saturday.

Mondragon became the highest scoring athlete at the small school state meet for the second year in a row, a year after winning four individual events (100, 200, long jump and high jump) and a 4x400 team relay title.

This time around, the super sophomore took the high jump (5-02, tying her own state record from last year), 100 meter dash (13.16, state record), 400 meter dash (1:01.12, state record), 200 meter dash (26.82, breaking own state record) and was a member of the winning 4x400 relay team for the Buffaloes, who broke the state record by nearly four-and-a-half seconds.

That was not all for Melrose, however. The Buffaloes easily defended their 1A girls title by scoring 111 points, almost doubling second-place Quemado (56), in the process.

Lakasey Mondragon shattered her own state record from last year in the pole vault, with a leap of 9-0, well-ahead of last year’s 8-06 mark. Landry Widner, meanwhile, set a state record (17.13) in the 100 hurdles and also took the 300 hurdles. The Melrose 4x200 relay team was also victorious Saturday.

As for the Melrose boys (67.5 points), they couldn’t quite defend their 1A title, finishing second to Reserve (78.5), while barely holding off third-place Elida (66). Devon Bailey led the charge for the Buffaloes, taking the 110 and 300 hurdles titles.

While Elida coach Jarred Hestand’s dream of winning a boys title wasn’t quite realized on Saturday, the Tigers still finished third, thanks to three individual titles and one team title.

Kaull Burton defended his javelin title with a throw of 150-10, while Will Haley won the 800 meter run (2:03.40). Emmit Falcon, meanwhile, broke the state record in the 3200 (10:36.04), while the Elida 1600 sprint medley team set a state record with a time of 3:54.49.

On the girls side, Elida placed in eighth with 20 points, including Alyssa Bargas’ 1600 meter title (6:12.72).

As for 3A, Texico’s Paden McDermid won the only state title for the Wolverines on Saturday, winning the javelin throw (163-03). With McDermid’s help, the Texico boys managed a seventh-place finish overall.

The Wolverines scored 34 points, while Dexter took the team title (75). Texico girls, on the other hand, placed ninth with 15 points, while Santa Fe Prep (74) came home with the girls title.