St. Michael’s came on in the final field event — the javelin — in place of the end of day relays that often decide a team champion

Really, it was the javelin that did it.

Many times it’s the final relay, the 4 x 400, that decides a state track and field championship, but unexpectedly, kudos to St. Michael’s senior Devin Flores and junior Lucas Coriz for their one-two finish in, yes, the javelin.

Unlike the girls handily winning their state title in a day when temperatures rose to 92 degrees, it was a tough go for the boys as they wiped out a 10-point Albuquerque Sandia Prep deficit when Flores heaved the javelin 147-07 for the win, and right behind with a best of 145-08 was Coriz.

It was for both personal-best throws, with neither coming close to the 140-foot range until Saturday. That brought a dozen unexpected points for the Horsemen and they were now up 79-74 heading into the sprint medley relay that they won in 3:49.67, followed by running third in the final event, the 4 x 400 relay won by Sandia Prep, which also took first in the 4 x 200.

But it was St. Michael’s day in the sun to come away with another state championship that followed the shortened coronavirus pandemic football season in which it played only three games and won them all via impressive romps.

The Horsemen pieced together 85 points, three more than Sandia Prep, with Santa Fe Prep third with 60.

Along with Flores, who was outstanding in the short season on the gridiron,

there was junior Daymon Lujan sweeping both the 110 and 300 hurdles, the 110 in 17:40, the 300 in 41.93. Junior teammate Isaiah Salazar, who had qualified in three events, placed fourth in both hurdles.

All these points were important, with senior Lucas Montoya coming in second in the high jump behind Prep junior Finn Coles, who went up and over in 6-02, and Montoya did 5-10 and Coriz took third at 5-08. Then there were fourth places by Horsemen senior Robbi Chianese in the 100 meters, and by junior Daniel Kupcho in the 200.

Kupcho also contributed a fifth place in the 100 meters, and senior Santiago Martinez was fifth in the discus. Junior Ryan Kuhn added a sixth place in the 400 meters.

St. Michael’s won both the 4 x 100 and sprint medley, ran second in the 4 x 200, third in the 4 x 400, and  fourth in the 4 x 800.

Coles, who had a season-best of 6-04 in the high jump, was the lone Griffin winner, but it did win the 4 x 400, the 4 x 800, and was third in the sprint medley.

Prep also got a second place from sophomore GB Davis in the 100 meters, a third from senior Elias Amarel in the triple jump, with senior teammate Subbie Schriber fifth, the same as he did in the in the high jump, and in the 800, junior Joshua Abeyta came in third. Senior Lewis Sister ran the grueling 1,600 and placed eighth.