In all the excitement of ending a semester and looking forward to Spring Break, the Throwers for Lytle went to Dilley to represent the Lytle Track Teams. I know this is long. I am sorry if I ramble, but I love these throwers. If it is worth doing, it is worth sharing.
"There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by four contacts; what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it."
- Dale Carnagie
On Wednesday, March 9, 2022, the High School team traveled to Dilley. It was a perfect day to throw from the boys' rings. There was a slight breeze coming into the Rings which, if thrown right, would allow the discus to fly. The Junior Varsity boys started in the discus rings. I have five wonderful Freshmen, my fabulous five, that have moved up with me from the Junior High. Jairo Martinez, Ajay Frausto and Andres Arredondo. Jairo placed 2nd with a 99'7" throw. He was upset because after the throwing was complete, he went back to the rings and threw over 100 feet. The Junior Varsity shot putters of William Davalos, Giovanni Davalos and Jairo Martinez threw next. Jairo stayed pinned in 8th with a toss of 32'4". One of the lessons we had today was to stay pinned in the top 8. When the District Meet arrives, the top 8 will get three more throws for placing. If you don't pin in the first three throws, you can't medal. William Davalos won his second consecutive Junior Varsity Meet with a Personal Record of 36'10" besting a thrower for Crystal City by one inch. It is exciting to see the Junior Varsity throwers working hard and being successful, since last year they threw smaller instruments.
The Junior Varsity girls had a complete team. The Scotello sisters and Marianne Hutton. Rose Scotello, fresh off her trip to Boston, placed 2nd in both her events. This was her first Meet as a Lytle Pirate. She placed 2nd in discus with a 72'2" toss and in shot with a 26'6" toss. Marianne Hutton stayed pinned in the discus at 8th with a 60'1" throw and was 5th in shot with a 23'5" throw. Grace Scotello also threw both and improved in both events.
For the first time in a great while, the Varsity girls, or should I say ladies, added no points to the Lytle Track Team. Sarah Yruarte threw and was excited but frustrated that she would have pinned, but she scratched two of her throws. Her hard work will pay off in the end. She is the hardest girl thrower I think I have ever coached.
Coach Escamilla has come in as the head Track coach for the boys. Coach Ruiz is the only girls head coach I have worked for. Since Coach Arguello left, I have worked for 5 or six boys head coaches. We have been lacking in boys Varsity shot put and I really appreciate Coach Escamilla helping me get some boys. He sent me Mario Diaz who threw for me in Junior High. He is fresh out of powerlifting and has about 2 practices. He threw and left with goals of being the school record holder. The school record is held by Rorey Walters at 48'5". Mario, in his first Meet, placed himself as one of the District's better shot putters with a 44'1" throw. He got really excited, as did I when I told him he was only four feet from the school record. Hector Anaya also threw the Varsity shot and we have one more to throw after spring break to make my Varsity team full. The highlight for me was the discus ring. As you saw from the post, Alex Medina threw farther than any boy I have ever coached. 146'7" is only 9 feet from the school record. Cort Haltom also threw and he scratched his first two throws and on his last throw he pinned fourth with a throw of 117'. Nathaniel Miller continued his success as a Varsity discus thrower with a 5th-place toss of 116'.
"I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist, but a possibilist."
- Max Learner
The Junior High had a nice day to throw yesterday. We didn't throw our best on the boys side but we were still better than the competition. The girls gained great confidence, however, with their performances. The 7th Grade boys began in the shot put ring. Seth Pierce has not been bested this year. Yesterday he threw the best again. I knew he was close to the school record for 7th Grade boys with his throw of 36'1". He was only four inches away. The record stands at 36'5". Mason Hill placed second with his Personal Record of 30'6" and Ethan Elizondo placed 5th with a 29'9" throw. Ethan then went to the discus ring and won the Meet with a nice throw of 85'2". Last week, Mason Hill won at Poth and the week prior, Ethan won at Devine so it now stands as Ethan's 2 firsts and Mason's one. Mason had a problem with holding the discus and he placed 5th with a 70' throw and Seth placed 3rd with a 74' throw. Overall, the boys in the 7th Grade can finish better than any group since Coach Bippert's son Bubba threw in Junior High.
The 8th Grade boys threw the discus first. Noah Smoot has excellent form and boys from other schools always point him out because he is not a big thrower compared to others, but he can let them fly. He didn't throw his best but he won his first Meet as an 8th Grader. He placed first with a nice 104' throw. Noah Mercer didn't throw last week because he had grade issues, but this week, he threw a Personal Record with a nice 82'7" throw. Daniel Herrera also threw. In the shot put Noah threw enough to place 4th. Isaiah Leven has been working the spin and he didn't place, but with work I think he will be the best in shot. Isaiah Delgado also threw.
The 7th Grade girls began to see themselves as throwers. Alianna Cardenas achieved a new Personal Record with a nice 25'7" throw. It is fun to see the excitement of success. Camila Vega stayed pinned in the top 8 with a 21'8" throw. Camila also threw a Personal Record in discus with a 51'11" discus throw to place her 4th. Olivia Cherry was excited to throw her Personal Record and place 5th with a 47'6". They weren't great throws but they did place and it gave them confidence to work harder to get better. Sara Morquecho and Dulce Martinez also threw discus and shot respectively.
The 8th Grade ladies didn't throw their best in discus but two of the ladies remained pinned. Anissa Perez placed 5th in the final throw of 58'. Isabella Sewell who threw over 60’ in Devine managed to stay pinned in 7th with a 50'9" toss. Alma also threw the discus. I have been coaching for a while and very few times can you sweep the first three places. Last week at Poth the 7th Grade boys swept the discus. Today, as the 8th Grade ladies were warming up, the other competitors made comments on how well they threw. Well, when the dust had all cleared in the competition, all three ladies threw their best ever and swept the shot put. Martina Ytuarte was first at 28'5", Isabella Sewell was 2nd at 27'7 1/2" and Taryn McDonald was third at 27'1".
Although they aren't throwers, I also get the opportunity to work with the Junior High lady mid and long-distance runners. Yesterday, in the 2400M, 800M and 1600M, the ladies ran wonderfully, putting into play what we had practiced. The ladies drafted behind runners at the beginning and didn't go out too fast but ran at a pace. Klayre Cook won the 2400m and 800m with a Personal Record of 2:36. Frankie Scotello won the mile with a Personal Record of 6:08 edging out a girl from Carrizo at the tape. Annika Robles set a Personal Record in her mile at 7:30. She placed only 6th but she had the excitement of winning the race with a new Personal Record. Laleina Riviera won the 2400M and the 800M. Vanessa Perez won the mile and Addison Wagner was 4th in the 2400m and 1600M setting a Personal Record at 7:03. Sara Morquecho ran the 800m at 4:03 and the 1600m at 9:10. This may not look great, but Sara has never run this fast all year in Cross Country and Track.
We have two weeks before we run our District races at Poth on the 25th. One of those weeks is Spring Break. Thanks to Mrs. Null, Mrs. Rodriguez and Ms. Grayson for the talent show today. It was fun to see but our talent show is in two weeks at Poth. Have a restful Spring Break.
"I have heard it said that the first ingredient of success - the earliest spark in the dreaming of youth - if this; dream a great dream."
- John A. Appleman