ATC and Prep athletes race against each other for 100 meter title on Saturday

Seniors Sean Delica of ATC and Patrick Boyd of Santa Fe Prep to race the 100 meters at the Friday-Saturday state A-3A track and field championships at the University of New Mexico

Boyd favored in the 200 and 400, Pecos pick to win a second-straight 3A title, senior Julian Garcia is the choice in the 1,600 and 3,200, and the weather report is sunny

By Arnie Leshin | May 5, 2017

Sean Delica would like to wind up where Alexis Romo did in last year’s 3A 100 meters at the state A-3A track and field championships.

Now a senior, as Romo was at Academy of Technology and The Classics when he dashed 11:23, Delica is in quest of a second-straight title for ATC in that race. He has the fastest time of 10:94, with Santa Fe Prep senior Patrick Boyd next at 11:00, and also among the leaders is Phoenix sophomore Ahbedoh White Eagle, who finished sixth in last year’s final and has raced 11:34.

If Delica is the favorite in the 100, Boyd is the same in the 200 and 400, where he has the fastest qualifying times. Delica is not in the 200, but Desert Academy senior Max Logan should be among the leaders

In the 1,600 and 3,200, Pecos senior Julian Garcia should provide the leadership as the Panthers go for their second state title in a row. It’s a squad of underclassmen, one that also won the state cross country championship in the fall.

Not to forget basketball, and yes Pecos also won that one. So most of these athletes have had their fill of experience, plus depth in the two distances runs, with four each qualifying in each one.

That should bring points for the Panthers, and they also have entries in 16 of the 19 events. More points should come from sophomore Omar Dominguez in the 110 hurdles, junior Josh DeHerrera in the 300 intermediate hurdles, and perhaps more from DeHerrera in the 800, 1,600, and 3,200. Then there is junior Carlos Cordova, the high jump favorite.

The 800 also has Desert Academy senior Jonas Kaare-Rasmussen qualifying in 2:07.94, plus Pecos has a quartet in all four relays, with its best bet where it is favored in the 1,600 sprint medley relay and just behind Santa Fe Prep in the 4 x 200.

The Griffins also have teams in the four relays and could medal in each one. All depends on stick passes, especially in the shorter relays. Boyd will run the anchor legs. ATC is in the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 and Desert Academy in the 4 x 200, 4 x 400 and sprint medley. The Wildcats might be strongest in the 4 x 400 and the Phoenix in the 4 x 100.

Prep sophomore Sam Sparks is in three events, the long jump, the triple jump and the high jump, and he has good chance of medaling in all three. Boyd is also in the high jump and he, Sparks and Cordova has all gone over at 6-feet.

The pole vault will have ATC junior Jacob Padilla and Pecos sophomore Issac Gonzales. Logan is also in the discus, with senior teammate Rise Miller in the shot put and Pecos junior Mario Archuleta in the javelin, where’s he’s up among the leaders.

The younger Kaare-Rasmussen, sophomore Jakob, joins brother Jonas as a qualifier and he will race the 400 meters.

And the Griffins could be up among the leaders for team honors, for they have qualified in 15 events. A lot will depend on Boyd, Sparks, and the relay teams.

The weather report for the two days is sunny good. The forecast is for Friday bringing high temperatures of 73, Saturday about the same. No sign of precipitation.