By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Track And Field Season In Record Books
Andalon
Bruin shot-putter Issac Andalon threw at a home meet earlier in the Trans-Valley League season this year. He recently qualified for the upcoming Sac-Joaquin Division Trials, tomorrow in Elk Grove. He placed third in both the shot-put and the discus in the recent TVL finals. Ric McGinnis/The News
Leon
Riverbank High sophomore Cecilia Leon competes earlier in the season in the shot-put event on the RHS campus. At the recent frosh/soph league championships she placed second in both the shot and the discus. She placed third in both events at the Sac-Joaquin Section Meet last week. Ric McGinnis/The News

“The 2019 Track and Field season has come to an end,” RHS coach Monte Wood reports.

“Over the last two weeks the team has competed in the TVL Frosh/Soph Champions, Varsity TVL Championships, and a few in the Division V Section Championships,” he said.

“Overall, it was a strong finish for a team that is comprised of mostly freshmen and sophomores. During the TVL championship week, the team set over 70 personal records. Some freshmen and sophomores set personal records on Monday in the frosh/soph meet and then turned around and broke their records again on Thursday,” he noted.

“For the Frosh/Soph Championships, the girls’ team took third overall as a team. Most of those girls were freshmen. Sophomore Cecilia Leon did lead the team with two second place finishes. She took second in the shot put and the discus. Unfortunately for her, the Section 5 shot and discus champion is a sophomore from Livingston. Taking second place to her, isn’t too shabby,” Coach Wood noted. 

“The boys team took fourth overall but had some outstanding performances. Freshmen Anthony Leon won the triple jump with a jump of 39 feet (he jumped 39’9 the following Thursday),” Wood said. “He also placed 6th in the long jump with a jump of 18’9. Adan Salgado got his season rolling with two second place finishes and personal records in the 1600 meter and the 3200.”

For the varsity TVL championships, the boys placed 7th overall and the girls 6th. The TVL is loaded this year with talent. Livingston came back into the TVL, and they have a very good team. Hilmar’s boys won the Merced County Championship, so the TVL was really tough this year. Isaac Andalon paced the boys by qualifying to the Divisional Meet in the shot put and the discus. He placed third in both of those events,” Wood said.

On the girls’ side, Marissa Castellanos was second in the discus and sophomore Cecilia Leon was third in the shot put and third in the discus.

Jenise Perryman placed fourth in the 100 hurdles, triple jump, and fifth in the high jump.

“And Ramon Rosas ran a personal record of 10:17 to take seventh in the 3200. Ramon has faced some chronic Achilles issues, but seems to have finally put those behind him and is running well. We are hoping that he will have a great senior year,” Wood added.

“Despite finishing near the bottom of the league, our kids performed very well. The number of personal records that we set compared to the other schools in the league shows the continual improvement we made on what was most athlete's last competition of the year,” Wood said. “We just have to keep working and get more kids out to run track.”

Wood added, “Despite the season being over for most of our team, we have still have about 20 kids in the weight room on Tuesdays and Thursdays. That is a testimony to the great attitude our young kids have, and I am really looking forward to seeing them develop over the next two to three years. Plus, they are creating the type of culture that is needed for our program to continue to develop and do the right things to be the best we can be.”