TarponFanInNorthTexas
04-16-2003, 09:55 AM
Port Isabel boys, La Feria girls win district track meet.
Valley Morning Star
LA FERIA — As Port Isabel’s Joe Arevalo crossed the finish line after running the anchor leg on the Tarpons’ winning 1600-meter relay, it just confirmed that the Tarpons have speed to burn.
Paced by 56 of a possible 60 points in the relays, the Tarpons sped to the District 32-3A boys track title at Lions Stadium on Tuesday night.
Port Isabel finished with a total of 162 points. La Feria finished second with 128 points.
In the girls’ division, La Feria’s superior depth paid off as the Lionettes ran away with the crown with 159 points to Valley Views’ 112.
The Tarpons won the 1600-meter relay and the 400-meter relay and finished second in the 800-meter relay.
"We knew coming in that we expected to score high in the relays," said PI head track coach Aron Fass.
The Tarpons scored high in almost all the speed events.
They went 1-2-3 in the 110-hurdles with Mark Villarreal (15.10 seconds); Orlando Ochoa (15.66) and Gabriel Alvarez (15.85) setting the pace.
Arevalo also won the 100 meters.
The top two finishers in each event will qualify for the regional meet April 25-26 in Kingsville.
Defending state 400-meter champion Misael Iracheta of Port Isabel finished second in the event.
Iracheta, who has been hampered by a hamstring injury, has only worked out for three weeks.
"He’s still not 100 percent," Fass said. "He’s not in track shape."
La Feria’s A.J. Hernandez edged Iracheta in the 400.
"I was a little scared running against a state champion," he said. "But, he faded a little bit over the last 100 meters and I was able to pass him."
Raymondville’s Robbie Reyna tied the district mark in the long jump as he leapt 22-9 1/2 to match a mark set by Raymondville’s Brian Wolfe in 1999. He added a first in the triple jump with a leap of 45-11 1/2.
The Bearkats’ Chappy Castillo also earned double gold in the shot and the discus. Castillo, who went to the state meet last season in the shot, had a heave of 54-feet, 5 inches in the shot. He completed the double with a throw of 167-11.
He said the strong wind affected the discus.
"We had the winds at our back," he said. "If we throw into the wind we can get lift and the discus travels better. But, it’s good to be going back to the regional meet."
La Feria’s Laura Zamzow also did a double in the throws. She did it with her last throw, which was 36-81/4. Anna Rincon of Raymondville was second with a toss of 36-3.
"I was behind on my last throw," Zamzow said. "Coach just said let it go."
Zamzow captured the discus with a distance of 106-8.
In perhaps the biggest upset of the meet, La Feria’s James Presa captured the pole vault when Valley leader Jimmie Heath failed to make a height. Presa cleared 12-6 to earn his first trip to the regional meet.
"It feels good," Presa said. "I thought I was going to finish second, but I am pleased to finish first."
La Feria also took the high jump as defending champion Gilbert Almanza cleared 6-6 to nab first.
Valley Morning Star
LA FERIA — As Port Isabel’s Joe Arevalo crossed the finish line after running the anchor leg on the Tarpons’ winning 1600-meter relay, it just confirmed that the Tarpons have speed to burn.
Paced by 56 of a possible 60 points in the relays, the Tarpons sped to the District 32-3A boys track title at Lions Stadium on Tuesday night.
Port Isabel finished with a total of 162 points. La Feria finished second with 128 points.
In the girls’ division, La Feria’s superior depth paid off as the Lionettes ran away with the crown with 159 points to Valley Views’ 112.
The Tarpons won the 1600-meter relay and the 400-meter relay and finished second in the 800-meter relay.
"We knew coming in that we expected to score high in the relays," said PI head track coach Aron Fass.
The Tarpons scored high in almost all the speed events.
They went 1-2-3 in the 110-hurdles with Mark Villarreal (15.10 seconds); Orlando Ochoa (15.66) and Gabriel Alvarez (15.85) setting the pace.
Arevalo also won the 100 meters.
The top two finishers in each event will qualify for the regional meet April 25-26 in Kingsville.
Defending state 400-meter champion Misael Iracheta of Port Isabel finished second in the event.
Iracheta, who has been hampered by a hamstring injury, has only worked out for three weeks.
"He’s still not 100 percent," Fass said. "He’s not in track shape."
La Feria’s A.J. Hernandez edged Iracheta in the 400.
"I was a little scared running against a state champion," he said. "But, he faded a little bit over the last 100 meters and I was able to pass him."
Raymondville’s Robbie Reyna tied the district mark in the long jump as he leapt 22-9 1/2 to match a mark set by Raymondville’s Brian Wolfe in 1999. He added a first in the triple jump with a leap of 45-11 1/2.
The Bearkats’ Chappy Castillo also earned double gold in the shot and the discus. Castillo, who went to the state meet last season in the shot, had a heave of 54-feet, 5 inches in the shot. He completed the double with a throw of 167-11.
He said the strong wind affected the discus.
"We had the winds at our back," he said. "If we throw into the wind we can get lift and the discus travels better. But, it’s good to be going back to the regional meet."
La Feria’s Laura Zamzow also did a double in the throws. She did it with her last throw, which was 36-81/4. Anna Rincon of Raymondville was second with a toss of 36-3.
"I was behind on my last throw," Zamzow said. "Coach just said let it go."
Zamzow captured the discus with a distance of 106-8.
In perhaps the biggest upset of the meet, La Feria’s James Presa captured the pole vault when Valley leader Jimmie Heath failed to make a height. Presa cleared 12-6 to earn his first trip to the regional meet.
"It feels good," Presa said. "I thought I was going to finish second, but I am pleased to finish first."
La Feria also took the high jump as defending champion Gilbert Almanza cleared 6-6 to nab first.