Saturday, April 15, 2006

Magdalena track hits Hot Springs, Carrizozo

Boys, girls qualify as individuals for the Class 1A state meet

Jason W. Brooks El Defensor Chieftain Reporter; jbrooks@dchieftain.com

The Magdalena track and field teams aren't getting much practice time lately.

However, it isn't like the athletes are sitting around, getting out of shape. The team has been attending midweek track meets — meaning the team has sort of been using its meets as practices, and has steadily improved in many events.

This week the Steers and Lady Steers headed to Truth or Consequences on Tuesday to attend the Meet in the Middle Invitational, and then the Grizzly Relays at Carrizozo on Thursday.

Tuesday, Magdalena had new qualifications for the Class 1A state track meet in five events on the girls side, while the boys KC Armstrong improved his state-qualified mark in the pole vault. Armstrong vaulted 12 feet, 6 inches in T or C, and boys track coach Jory Mirabal said the team as a whole is improving its times and marks consistently.

For the girls, Anjelina Torres qualified for state in the 400 meters, while Kayla Armstrong qualified in the discus. Torres was also a member of the 4-by-100 and 1600 medley relay teams, both of which qualified for state as well.

At Carrizozo, the teams had more qualifications for state. KC Armstrong qualified for state in the 300 hurdles, and was a part of a 4-by-400 relay team that just missed qualifying. Some strange circumstances surrounded that event.

Mirabal said Chad Abeyta was finishing the end of the race's first leg, and was about to hand the baton to Armstrong. But a track official moved Armstrong twice; Abeyta, in trying to run to Armstrong's location, weaved and the team was disqualified for not staying in its lane.

"I wouldn't have disqualified a team for that," said Mirabal. "The knucklehead that was over there gave KC a different lane than we were assigned in the first place."

The coach said the run would have had a state-qualifying time.

Mirabal said Quemado was at the Grizzly Relays, and has a much-improved boys team compared to last season. "We ran off with the district title last year, but if they're tough, that will make us all a little better," he said.

Chelsea Armstrong had a state-qualifying time at Carrizozo in the 100 meters. Kayla Armstrong, who had already qualified in the discus, had a season-best mark at that event.

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