Jaguar Girls on top at first track meet
By David Boldt, Laura Guillen, Oscar Prudencio
By David Boldt, Laura Guillen, Oscar Prudencio
The Jaguar girls expanded the lead they had taken at last Monday’s field event with victories by both widely known veterans and very young, brand-new runners who seem likely to be the stars of the next generation.
Davila sets new mark in 100-meter dash
The Jaguars totaled 119 points over the two days of competition, ahead of the 98 posted by International. Cambridge came in third among the firls with 73, and Christian Learning was fourth with 64.
The meet was full of interesting stories unfolding about things and persons both old and new, starting with the opening event, the 1500 meters.
The meet was full of interesting stories unfolding about things and persons both old and new, starting with the opening event, the 1500 meters.
Sotelo still Queen of 1500
The winner was Sofia Sotelo of Cooperative , as it has been in every 1500 for the past six years, running easily with no sign the knee injury that has sidelined her in other sports recently, unless you count the fact that she was about ten seconds off her record time. But she won by half a lap (as is her custom), and the Cooperative senior often waits until the championship meet to break the record she has lowered each year. This time she was clocked at 5:43.74.
The winner was Sofia Sotelo of Cooperative , as it has been in every 1500 for the past six years, running easily with no sign the knee injury that has sidelined her in other sports recently, unless you count the fact that she was about ten seconds off her record time. But she won by half a lap (as is her custom), and the Cooperative senior often waits until the championship meet to break the record she has lowered each year. This time she was clocked at 5:43.74.
The surprise was the tiny runner who finished second, 10-year-old Tamara Pereya, a fifth grader, who won her way onto the varsity track team with an outstanding performance in the middle school mini-Olympics held last week. Pereya is new to running, but no stranger to sports. She is the No. 1 ranked 10-and-under tennis player in Bolivia.
While well behind Sotelo, who is, after all, seven years older, Pereya was about 12 seconds ahead of third place finisher Nicole Fermin of Cambridge, who came from well behind to take third with a closing surge.
More "little surprises" from Cooperative
More "little surprises" from Cooperative
The Jaguars would unveil another “small surprise” in the 800, but here again the winner was a very familiar face, junior Abby Philips of Christian Learning. The crowd missed out on what would have been an exciting rematch between Sotelo and Phillips when Sotelo elected not to run in the event.
Sotelo said that she would decide whether to compete in the 800 after seeing how the 1500 went, and apparently felt she would be risking reinjury. Also; Sotelo may have been a bit worn down by her large contribution Thursday to Cooperatives 102-8 rout of International in basketball Thursday, and her mind is already focused on her departure Saturday for Boston to check out Northeastern University, which has offered her a full scholarship and entry into its honors program.
It would have been an intense race. Phillips beat Sotelo last year, though neither of them broke Sotelo’s existing record. Both runners would attract a lot of betting money.
Eagles' Phillips triumphs in 400, 800
As it was, Phillips won without difficulty, storming into the lead at the first turn and never having to look back. If she had looked back she might have been surprised to see that her closest pursuer, about 20 meters back, was another Cooperative child star, Valentina Chahin, a fifth grade classmate of Tamara Pereya’s, and also a tennis player, but a whole year older at 11. Chahin would hold on to hold second place against another final charge by Cambridge’s Fermin, who, as a ninth grade, is not exactly elderly.
The 400 once again gave Phillips a chance to shine –and she took advantage of it, storming her way to the front by the first turn. She won by almost ten seconds over Cooperative eighth grader Bianca Marinkovic, who took second, and International’s Carolina Baldivieso, who had recovered sufficiently from a bruised knee suffered in the basketball game against the Jaguars, to take third.
The 400 once again gave Phillips a chance to shine –and she took advantage of it, storming her way to the front by the first turn. She won by almost ten seconds over Cooperative eighth grader Bianca Marinkovic, who took second, and International’s Carolina Baldivieso, who had recovered sufficiently from a bruised knee suffered in the basketball game against the Jaguars, to take third.
But their times did not approach the record, which Phillips holds. In fact few new records were set despite that fact that it was perfect day for a track meet without a cloud in the sky and no wind. The track was dry and fast, and in better shape than in past years. This is not all that unusual in that most records historically have been set at the second, or championship meet. But the record harvest was below normal.
Davila sets new mark in 100-meter dash
There was one conspicuous exception. In the 100 meters Griffin Natalia Davila flashed down the track in 13.68 seconds, knocking 0.12 seconds off the record of another Griffin, Fabian Murillo, which had stood since 2006, and was the longest standing League record of all.
Vanessa Flores of Cambridge came in second, about a second behind Davila, and Cooperative eighth grader Paula Sakuma took third.
In the 200 meters, first place went to Jaguar Fernanda Vaca Diez, with Davila in second place, only .04
Vanessa Flores of Cambridge came in second, about a second behind Davila, and Cooperative eighth grader Paula Sakuma took third.
In the 200 meters, first place went to Jaguar Fernanda Vaca Diez, with Davila in second place, only .04
behind. Josefina Rondriguez of Cambridge was third.
International, Cambridge take relays
In the girls 4 x 100 relay Davila was again in the thick of things, anchoring the Griffins victorious quarter by holding off a very determined, but not quite fast enough Tania Landivar of the Jaguars. The International team, which also included Christina Martin, Carolina Baldivieso, and Ana Laura Gutierrez won by a little less than half a second. Cambridge took third.
For the second consecutive year Cambridge won the girls 4 x 400 relay, again with ease. Lead-off runner Vanessa Flores got the Knight an approximately 20-meter lead, and then Valeria Caceres, Lucia Candia, and Josie Rodriguez kept it. When Cambridge won the event last year it was something of a big deal since it represented the first time the Knights had ever won a relay at a track meet in League history. This year they looked as if they intend to make a habit of it.
The Jaguars were runner-ups with a foursome that again included one of their wonder midgets, 11-year-old Valentina Chahin, who held her own -- maybe even gained a step or two on the Knights.
Third place went to Christian Learning. International was disqualified for passing the baton outside the prescribed zone.
(Oscar Prudencio is a junior at International, Laura Guillen a senior at Cambridge, and David Boldt is the website's faculty advisor.)
International, Cambridge take relays
In the girls 4 x 100 relay Davila was again in the thick of things, anchoring the Griffins victorious quarter by holding off a very determined, but not quite fast enough Tania Landivar of the Jaguars. The International team, which also included Christina Martin, Carolina Baldivieso, and Ana Laura Gutierrez won by a little less than half a second. Cambridge took third.
For the second consecutive year Cambridge won the girls 4 x 400 relay, again with ease. Lead-off runner Vanessa Flores got the Knight an approximately 20-meter lead, and then Valeria Caceres, Lucia Candia, and Josie Rodriguez kept it. When Cambridge won the event last year it was something of a big deal since it represented the first time the Knights had ever won a relay at a track meet in League history. This year they looked as if they intend to make a habit of it.
The Jaguars were runner-ups with a foursome that again included one of their wonder midgets, 11-year-old Valentina Chahin, who held her own -- maybe even gained a step or two on the Knights.
Third place went to Christian Learning. International was disqualified for passing the baton outside the prescribed zone.
(Oscar Prudencio is a junior at International, Laura Guillen a senior at Cambridge, and David Boldt is the website's faculty advisor.)
