MVL track squads battle for top spot

University Prep swept the varsity team titles at the Mid-Valley League Championship Meet on Friday at Yuba College, but a large contingent of athletes from Colusa, Williams and Hamilton earned coveted invitations to the Northern Section Division III championships.

The athletes from the Mid-Valley League will join qualifiers from the Sacramento Valley League at Mt. Shasta High on Friday at noon to compete for a spot in the Northern Section Masters Meet the following week.

Colusa High sophomore Ryan Abele won the varsity boys 100 meters (11.31 seconds) and 200 (22.83) by wide margins and enters the Division III meet with the fastest qualifying time.

Abele led the RedHawks to a third-place team finish (76 points) behind Quincy (130) and champion University Prep (139).

Felipe Granados won the 3200-meters event with a time of 11:50.70 and Jose Iniguez laid claim to a gold medal by throwing the discus 118-feet, 3 inches.

Granados took bronze in the 1600 meters (5:11.25), Dakota Knight kept his season alive with a third place leap in the high jump (5-6), and Kevin Buenrostro placed third in both the shot put (39-0) and the discus (111-3).

The Colusa varsity girls team finished in third place (40 points) behind Hamilton (96) and first place University Prep (211).

Mickie Wilson earned a chance to compete in three events at Mt. Shasta with her second place performances in the 200 meters (29.36) and the long jump (13-6), and took home the bronze in the 100 meters (14.23).

Mariana Martinez launched the discus 75-feet to place third in the event and added a fourth-place finish in the shot put (25-5). Stephanie Munguia kept her season alive with a third-place long jump distance of 11-10.

The Hamilton varsity girls team couldn't match the depth and numbers of the University Prep team, but will sent a large group to the Division III meet on Friday.

Lorena Corona won gold in the 100 hurdles (18.02) and will compete in four events on Friday after placing fourth in the 100 meters (14.52) and helping lead the Braves' relay teams to second-place finishes in the 400-meter relay (55.70) and the 1600-meter relay (4:46.53).

Itzel Duran joined Corona on the relay teams and won the gold medal in the high jump (4-3) and the silver in the 400 meters (1:07.78).

The other two athletes on the Braves' relay teams also qualified in individual events. Karina Corona will compete in a total of four events after placing second in the high jump (3-11) and third in the 100 hurdles (20.66). Anahi Romero earned a spot as an alternate in the 1600-meters (6:56.59) with her fifth-place performance, but missed out on qualifying in the 200 meters (32.30) despite crossing the line in fourth place.

Kenia Urena stayed alive with a bronze in the 3200-meters (14:16.32) and a fourth place in the 1600-meters (6:36.96). Yasmin Rosas will compete in the 400 meters (1:19.89) after finishing fourth and earned a spot as an alternate in the 800 meters (3:21) by placing fourth. Mayra Rodriguez leapt 11-0 in the long jump, good for fourth place and a spot in the Division III championships.

Williams High senior Julie Ramirez won the shot put (27-8.5) by five inches and easily won the discus event (95-6).

Ben Mayes moved on with bronze medals in the long jump (17-2), triple jump (37-0.5) and 300 hurdles (48.17). Mayes also qualified as an alternate in the 800 meters (2:34.15) with a fifth-place finish.

The Yellowjackets varsity boys relay team of Tony Boites, Diego Navarro, Rury Duarte and Erik Knight took home the silver in the 400 relay (46.39) and bronze in the 1600 relay (3:42.47).

Boites will advance in the 400 meters (57.33), Knight moved on in the 200 meters (24.23) and Navarro qualified in the 100 meters (11.87). Diego Rivera earned a spot as an alternate in the 400 meters (1:07.43).

CONTACT Kirk Barron at 458-2121 or kbarron@tcnpress.com.