GONZALES — Gonzales High School track and field team completed the season with an awards night and banquet on June 15. While the event may have been the last school event of the year, the Spartans were excited about gathering one last time.
The season included many school records being established and was completed with a first-ever varsity boys championship title. Winning the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s Santa Lucia championship on the new all-weather track at Dick Force Stadium made it even more special.
“This team didn’t just win a championship, they changed the history of Gonzales track and field,” said Gonzales head coach Margie Daniels. “By breaking school records and earning our first-ever championship title, these athletes have created a legacy that future Spartans will strive to follow. Their dedication, resilience and belief in one another made the impossible possible.”
Last week’s celebration began with a Luigi’s pasta dinner and a presentation to honor parents that have contributed to the team throughout the season.
Each team member was then introduced and received certificates of achievement for competing this year. Athletes later received pins for being first year members of the team or a bar to signify each year that they have competed. The athletes that had high GPAs received another certificate from the school, and many athletes received certificates from the Central Coast Section for exemplary GPAs.
After a short break, all in attendance enjoyed the famous Coach Daniels slide show that included a tribute to the graduated senior athletes.
Daniels and assistant coaches Dylan Oliveros and Michael Ramirez then presented trophies and white, black and orange championship block Gs to every boy that competed at the Santa Lucia finals.
Receiving PCAL Santa Lucia individual event champion certificates were: Silvestre Arrellanes (high jump); Josiah Guerrero (long jump); Joshua Mariscal (triple jump); and Aaron Hernandez, Jonathan Chavez, Josiah Guerrero and Jordan Askew (4 x 400 relay).
Second-place event finishers were: Askew (400 meters); Victor Fierros (800 meters); Alejandro Rodriguez, Jonathan Chavez, Josiah Guerrero and Santiago Cuevas (4 x 100 relay); Brandy Ochoa (pole vault); and Nicolas Reyes (triple jump).
Sophomore Liz Baguio was the Santa Lucia champion in the varsity girls shot put and discus and was the only Spartan to advance to the Central Coast Section meet.
Special team awards were then given out in the varsity boys, varsity girls and JV boys divisions.
JV award winners were: Aiden Cabrera (Top JV Shot Put thrower); Isaac Cresencio (Top JV Discus Thrower); Robert Guzman (Most Improved); and Andrew Tejeda (Coaches Award).
Varsity boys special award winners were: Josiah Guerrero (MVP); Sebastian Nunez (Rising Star); Jordan Askew (Rising Star); Hugo Izaac Soto (Coaches Award); Junior Ruiz (Coaches Award); Aaron Hernandez (Outstanding Track Athlete); Victor Fierros (Outstanding Track Athlete); Silvestre Arrelanes (Outstanding Field Athlete); Joshua Mariscal (Outstanding Field Athlete); Lawrence Bettencourt (Captains Awards); Jonathan Chavez (Captains Award); Santiago Cuevas (Rookie of the Year); Brandy Ochoa (Most Improved Track); Nicholas Reyes (Most Improved Field); JohnCarlo Magana (Spartan Spirit); and Alejandro Rodriguez (Track and Field Merit).
Varsity girls special team awards winners were: Liz Baguio (MVP); Aliana Cuevas (Outstanding Track Athlete); Ava Mireles (Rising Star); Antonella Acosta (Spartan Spirit); Alejandra Valdez (Coaches Award); Laysha Lorenzo (Coaches Award); Priscilla Hurtado (Captains Award); Audrey Rivas (Most Improved); and Adriel Lambert (Track and Field Merit).
Coach Daniels also received a plaque for guiding the Spartan boys cross country team and track and field teams to championships in the same year. Daniels was also the Gonzales High Coach of the Year.
“Years from now people may remember the records and the championship banners, but I’ll remember the athletes who dared to believe they could accomplish something that had never been done before,” Daniels said. “This track team made history and they earned every bit of it.”
