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Injured Patrick Boyd wasn’t at his best, but the Santa Fe Prep senior still won both the 100 and 200 meters at Saturday’s conclusion of the A-3A state track and field championships at UNM
Pecos senior Julian Garcia finishes first in the 1,600 and 3,200, but Panthers place third and the Griffins second
By Arnie Leshin
It’s called “true grit”, something that makes the scene as the track and field season winds down.
Athletes have been competing all these months, injuries are common, and when you reach the state championships, the hurt remains. And being it’s the season finale, nothing counts except doing well at state. You worked all this time to qualify, now you live with the pain whether running, throwing or jumping.
It no doubt affected Santa Fe Prep senior Patrick Boyd. Scheduled to dash the 100, 200 and 400 meters, do the high jump and anchor the relay teams, he sped to the finish of his initial event, the 100, and stumbled. He won in 11.16, but hobbled away and hoped he would be able to make it to the top step of the podium.
“It feels like my hamstring,” he said, “but I’ve also felt pain in this leg for years, and it’s a real puzzle that I’ll have to check out.”
Then he walked off with Prep head coach Tove Shere saying he’s fine, that he has another leg. Little did you know that her sprint star would not be able to accomplish every thing excepted of him, although the Griffins did finish third with 44.50 points.
Defending champion Pecos took third this time with 44.50, and Tucumcari led the field with 56 points, nine better than runner-up Dexter.
Surprisingly, Boyd did race the 400, an event in which he had the top qualifying time, yet placed fifth. But dashing later in the 200, he showed his heels to the field and won in 23:04, with Desert Academy senior Max Logan placing fifth in 23:52. In the 100, Boyd nipped Academy of Technology and The Classics junior Ahbedoh Whiteagle (11.91).
But the Phoenix did come away with its first state relay title, taking the 4 x 100 in 44.70 with a foursome of senior Dean Delica, sophomores Chase Sullivan and Gabe Lopez, and Whiteagle. With Boyd on the anchor leg, Prep raced second in 44.78, but that was before Boyd ran the 100.
Delica, who had the fastest qualifying time in the 100 but finished fourth in 11.64, was so overjoyed he actually kissed the track.
“That was great,” he said, “winning with my teammates in my last race.”
Julian Garcia, one of the few Pecos seniors on a young squad, won both the 1,600 in 4:40.92, with junior teammate Josh DeHerrera third in 4:46 and freshman teammate fourth in 4:48.21, and the 3,200 on Friday in 10:16.22, with DeHerrera fourth in 10:30.34.
In the 800 Pecos junior Isaac Cde Baca finished third in 2:04.18, than disappeared after feeling woozy. He returned in time to make the podium, with Desert Academy senior Jonas Kaare-Rasmussen fourth in 2:04.50.
Logan almost ran away with the 400. He took a quick lead and held it until the finish when he fell forward and was edged for first place in the time of 51.80. Last year, he came in third in 51.87.
“I don’t know,” he said, “I guess I just ran out of space at the end.”
In 1A, New Mexico School for the Deaf sophomore Devon Thompson followed up his Friday victory in the discus by finishing second in the shot put at 44-0. He was eighth in the javelin.
