What a different a year means to St. Michael’s senior Shawn Roybal

An alternate last time who didn’t run, a state qualifier this time in three events, plus the relays and hoping for another Saturday’s inaugural track and field Invitational at St. Michael’s won by Horsemen and qualified several from the five-school field for the state championships              

By Arnie Leshin 

Last year at this time, Shawn Roybal knew that he was the alternate on the 4 x 200 relay team that qualified for the 4A state track and field championships.

That was it, he didn’t qualifier for any thing, didn’t get to run, the quartet finished fifth, and the St. Michael’s junior realized his task for next year.

Now, he will be busy, busy very. He has qualified for the 100 and 200 meters, and at Saturday’s inaugural St. Michael’s Invitational, he won the long jump in 20-7, and qualified for that, too, just edging beyond the standard of 20-6.

But he’s not done yet. As close as he was in the long jump, the same is true in the triple jump. He needed a half-inch for the long jump, he needs one inch for the triple, where he placed second Saturday. And he’s a key member of the relay teams, running either the first or anchor leg.

St. Michael’s senior Jake Tetaluet has qualified for the shot put and discus, winning the shot Saturday and taking second in the discus to teammate Jaden Mifsod. 

The Horsemen have qualified for three of the relays, and are in quest of  only the 4 x 400 relay. Senior Joey Fernandez, Jr., has an ACL problem and won’t be able to run, but he’s okay with throwing the javelin after winning the event Saturday at 143-6, although seven feet behind the standard.

St. Michael’s came up with seven first places and was the team champion.

Junior Hayden Lee won the 200 meters in 23:48. Junior Sebastian Alcaraz, whose brother Sebastian, was home on break from Adams State, was first in the 300 hurdles in 43.12, and third in the 110 in 19:77. Sebastian was one of the best 4A hurdlers while a Horsemen.

St. Michael’s also won the 4 x 200 and 4 x 400 relays, with Roybal on both.

And kudos to West Las Vegas senior Miguel Coca. It’s not an easy task to run the 1,600 and 3,200 the same day, but he’s done it before, this time winning the 1,600 in 4:31.56 and the 3,200 in 10:03.50.

His toughest race was against Horsemen junior Justin Angel in the 1,600. Angel, trying to qualify at that distance, held a small lead until the turn for home, with Coca taking the lead and sprinting to a time of 41:31.56. Angel qualified for state in 4:33.34.

“I knew that was my chance to qualify,” Angel said. “Coach didn’t even know, but I was ready for this race. He just had a little more down the stretch, but he’s also one of the best in the state.”

A familiar athlete to the St. Michael’s Christian Brother Athletics Complex was Robertson senior Arjay Ortiz, who for years as the starting quarterback incited the Horsemen faithful with his dazzling play. His best was sprinting or twisting his way past defenders.  

He returned to Santa Fe to handily win the 110 hurdles 16:26, as well as the high jump at 6-feet. In the javelin, he placed second against Fernandez, with the two having played many a football game on this field. Ortiz also qualified for state in the 110.  

Kevin Hauck, the official in charge of signing in each athlete, and is St. Michael’s assistant football and girl’s assistant basketball coach, figured he knew the last time they held a track and field there.

“I’m telling you,” he said, “the last time was 37 years ago on the old cinder patch, so it’s been a long time.”

The oval looked sparkling new and colorful. And it must be fast as several of the athletes qualified there for state. In the relays, Bernalillo’s girls qualified in the sprint medley, the 4 x 200, the 4 x 400, and the 4 x 100, so it was a good trip for the Spartans.

Their boys qualified in the 4 x 100, and the Robertson sprint medley also qualified. The West Las Vegas girls qualified in the 4 x 100, while Bernalillo had Evelyn Duran qualifying in the shot put, and Myra Adams in the high jump.

A good day by all included the officiating, a number of close events, sunny skies with a slight breeze, and the five top teams familiar with the football field, got a chance to have fun on the oval and the rest of the track and field facility.