"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say that you cannot do." -Walter Bagehot
Friday the Junior High completed their season in track. I know both boys and girls sent out results but there are a couple of lessons learned in the rings. It is like Paul Harvey's the rest of the story. This meet was filled with just 15 throwers per division. We spent most of the season throwing against at least 30 throwers from schools from Medina Valley, Devine, and Hondo. When you are able to compete against tougher competition the district meet should be a meet we could excel. The throwers took three of the District titles in the discus rings and one shot put champion. Here is how they finished.
8th Grade Girls
Natalie Pacheco, 2nd in discus with an 80' 2nd ins shot with a 33'6" shot.
Sarah Ytuarte, 3rd in shot with a 30'4" shot.
Bree Criswell, 6th in shot with a 26'9" toss.
Dakota Tumlison and Cambri Davila also threw Discus.
Last year Bree was in tears finishing 7th in shot. This year she beamed by placing. Sarah Ytuarte did not place last year and this year she caught her finger between the shot put and throwing ring to have her finger bandaged. Luckily it was her non-throwing hand. She let nothing keep her from placing third.
7th Grade Girls
Ysabella Diaz, 2nd is shot with a 27'4.25" toss.
Alexis Flores, District Champion in discus - 70'6" and 3rd in shot with 26'3.5".
Andrea Aguilar, 2nd in discus with a throw of 63'4".
Last year I knew Ysabella and Alexis would throw because they were in my PE class. Andrea was the only other girl in seventh Grade who came to throw. She only threw 31'2" in February. She was not very good. She worked every morning and listened. On her last throw, she was sitting fifth. She stepped to the back of the ring and her last throw flew 63'. It was a moment I will always remember.
8th Grade Boys
David Arreguin, 3rd in shot 37'6.5". David only came to school a week before the contest.
Joseph Araujo, 6th in discus 98'.
Alex Medina, District Champion 118'5" for a new personal best.
Alex was also sitting fifth with one throw to go. I had told him that if he threw 120' he would win the contest. On his last throw, he hit the center of the circle perfect and his release was excellent, and the disc leaped from his hand to land at 118'5". He now is the farthest disc thrower in the Medina household.
7th Grade Boys- the only group to have both shot and discus district champions.
Mario Diaz- District Champion in shot at 35'9".
Jacob Guevara - District Champion in discus at 97'1" and 4th ins shot at 30'6".
Ronnie Jimmie - 5th in discus at 89'3"
Nathaniel Miller - 6th in discus at 82'.
The 7th Grade boys have probably made the greatest gains this year athletically. It is due to the hard work done by the coaches and the positive way they handle these young athletes.
"When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another." - Helen Keller