SALINAS VALLEY — Last Friday night at Rancho San Juan High School in Salinas, the King City boys’ track and field team won the varsity championship of the Mission Division. The Mustangs outscored second place Stevenson, 169 to 115.
Varsity boys’ team results were: 1. King City (169); 2. Stevenson (115); 3. Watsonville (77); 4. Everett Alvarez (54); 5. Monterey (47); and 6. Rancho San Juan (33).
Earning first place individual and relay titles for King City were: Izaiah Valencia (110 and 300 hurdles); John Angel Ruelas (200, 400, 4 x 100 relay); Carson Tidwell (100, 4 x 100 relay); Alvaro Garcia (1600, 3200). Joining Ruelas and Tidwell on the relay team were Santiago Camacho and Alex Macias.
The first-place winners for King City will be joined at the Masters Meet this Friday at War Memorial Stadium by Mustangs that placed second or third in their events. These King City athletes are: Joaquin Arriaga (second in 1600, third in 3200); Armando Villasenor (third in discus); Johell Carrillo (second in shot put); Savian Torres (third in pole vault); and Camacho (third in triple jump).
The Lady Mustangs placed fifth in the varsity team standings. Girls’ team results were: 1. Stevenson (115.6); 2. Monterey (101); 3. Rancho San Juan (83); 4. Watsonville (69); 5. King City (66).2; and 6. Everett Alvarez (61.2).
Winning individual event championships for King City were: Jolea Celaya (100 hurdles) and Jacqueline Orellana (long jump). Celaya placed second in the 300 hurdles and third in the high jump. Hollyn Hearne placed third in the shot put. The top three individual placers qualified for the Masters Meet.
“We’re thrilled to bring the PCAL Mission Division title back to King City for the first time since 2019,” said King City head coach Ismael Rocha. “Our boys team had a fantastic performance on Friday with our track athletes leading the way by winning all but two races. We’re now focused on the Masters Meet and qualifying as many athletes as possible for CCS.”
At the Santa Lucia track and field championships last Friday in Greenfield, Pajaro Valley won the varsity boys division and St. Francis Salesian College Prep won the varsity girls division.
Boys team results were: 1. Pajaro Valley (126); 2. St. Francis (118); 3. Soledad (85); 4. Gonzales (61); 5. Greenfield (41); 6. Pacific Collegiate (32); 7. GB Kirby (15); and 8. Oakwood (1).
Girls team results were: 1. St. Francis (112); 2. Soledad (82); 3. Anzar (77); 4. Pajaro Valley (69); 5. Greenfield (47); 6. Gonzales (41); and 7. Pacific Collegiate (33).
Evan Carrillo led the Soledad boys with a first-place win in the 400, placed second in the 200, and ran legs on the winning 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relay teams. Also placing first for Soledad was Ricardo Flores in shot put.
Members of the winning 4 x 100 relay team were: Julio Camacho, Marcos Alvarez, Carrillo and Christian Gonzalez. The winning 4 x 400 team included Carrillo, Alvarez, Camacho and Jaedan Vasquez.
Joining the first-place winners from Soledad at the Masters Meet are: Isaias Alfaro (second in discus) and Daniel Guerra (second in triple jump).
Soledad head coach Alexis Gutierrez was pleased with the work of his senior athletes at the finals.
“Standout performances included senior Evan Carrillo in the 400, junior Ricardo Flores in the shot put, and multiple winning relay teams,” Gutierrez said. “Senior Giselle Zepeda dominated by winning the 100, 200 and 400 and helped in winning the 4 x 100 relay.”
Giovanni Ochoa was a triple winner on Friday for Gonzales, with wins in the 800, 1600 and 3200. Including Ochoa’s three wins on Friday and his four cross country all-league places, the distance ace has won 11 all-league titles, which is a school record.
Gonzales head coach Margie Daniels had high praise for the work on the track by Ochoa.
“Just when you thought he’d done it all, he went and broke another school record,” Daniels said. “He continues to amaze me as he is a very talented and special athlete. Along with his teammates, he also had to endure the season with no facility to train on, but we made it work.”
In the Santa Lucia girls’ division, Giselle Zepeda of Soledad had a trifecta of her own with wins in the 100, 200 and 400 meters. Zepeda also ran a leg on the winning 4 x 100 relay team, along with Chidalu Elelleh, Daisy Ortiz and Iris Salvador.
Joining Zepeda and the relay team at the Masters Meet is Emily Lopez, who placed second in the 3200.
Greenfield will be represented at the Masters Meet by Arlene Cruz, the high jump champion and second-place finisher in the 400.
Gonzales freshman Liz Baguio won the girls shot put to qualify for the Masters Meet, and teammate Jayleen Villasenor will join her after placing second in the discus.
“I’m excited to have my first girl champion (Baguio),” Daniels said. “I knew she was special from the beginning. Not only is she talented, but she’s a hard worker and a good teammate and extremely coachable. As a freshman, she spent her season practicing on a baseball field and getting in the ring only during meets and she proved to be someone with determination and grit. I look forward to see what she’ll bring the next three years.”
The top finishers at the Masters Meet will qualify for the Central Coast Section Semi-Finals Meet that will be contested on Saturday, May 17, at Gilroy High School.
