CHS, PHS compete in Hobbs meet

HOBBS – Clovis and Portales High track squads competed with less than full contingents in Friday’s Gene Wells Relays, holding some of the younger athletes back for Saturday’s Mario Martinez qualifier at Fort Sumner.

Team scores were not available for the meet.

“We ran a little more of a targeted meet,” CHS boys coach Mark Sena said. “For the most part, we did OK. We improved our times in the 4-by-1 and 4-by-2 (relays), and we had some other personal bests.”

Junior Sammy Fuentes posted a pair of wins for the Wildcats, taking first place in the 3,200 in 10 minutes, 27.29 seconds and in the 1,600 in 4:35.99. Teammate Victor Gorostieta finished second in the former at 11:21.08.

Meantime, senior Aiden Brown took first place in shot put at 49 feet, 6 inches while senior Kohen Matus was third in javelin at 148-6 ¾. The 400 and 800 relay teams, both consisting of John Royal, Kash Roberts, Kaleb Foggie and Kyrese Phillips, ran respective times of 44.0 for fourth place and 1:31.9 for second.

Skye Karoki took third in the 300 hurdles at 50.46 seconds.

In girls field events, the Lady Cats got a second-place showing from Neveah Barros in pole vault (8-6) and a third in javelin from Amanda De La Rose (110-4).

“We got some big throws from Amanda,” Lady Cats coach Avery Rasher said. “She was about six inches short of a state-qualifying (mark).”

On the track, junior Gabrielle Foggie took first place in the 400 (59.92), while freshman Brooke Newcomer (6:03.46) and sophomore Jarelly Navarrete (6:05.02) went 1-2 in the 1,600.

Also, the Lady Cats’ 400 relay team of Lileigh Oborny, Mackenzie Roche, Karoki and Foggie improved its time en route to a second-place finish at 51.41 seconds.

“I was really happy with the improvement we made with our handoffs,” Rasher said.

Senior Olivia Low had a solid meet for the PHS girls, finishing second in discus (107-0 ½), fourth ins shot put (33-1) and fifth in javelin (99-4). The Lady Rams won the 1,600 relay with Audrey Paden, Abby Ontiveros, Alondra Acosta and Kadynce Reeves posted a state-qualifying time of 4:19.26.

Also on the track, Savana Heflin was second in the 200 (22.49), the 800 relay team placed second in 1:57.24 with Acosta, Ontiveros, Paden and Heflin) and the 1,600 medley relay of Ja’Niah Johnson, Annabelle Ortega, J’Lyn Maestas and Daniella Rivera claimed third place in 5:00.45.

Top finish for the PHS boys was a fourth in javelin by Antonio Bonila in javelin at 147-7 ¾.

“We had a lot of personal bests for us,” PHS coach Quintin Wilson said. “But we just don’t have the speed we’ve had in the past.”

Next up for both school’s is Thursday’s George-Love Relays at Greyhound Stadium in Portales.