San Antonio News and Notes

Feb 20, 2024

Anthony Zapata of Southwest Legacy had a huge week on the track

It is three weeks into the season and the top performances continue to happen all across the area. Beth Leachman broke her own 3200m record again, the Reagan girls 4x400m team dropped a great time and Anthony Zapata stood up to some top competition in the 800m and 1600m.

The Best Thing I Saw

This week I made my first appearance at the Alamo Heights Invitational. They have a great set up at Alamo Heights where fans can see every event from their seats. The only drawback is that they are unable to host the discus event. Otherwise, all the jumping events and the shot put area are either on the infield or set in a corner of the stadium with a great view from anywhere.

Can't Keep These Girls on the Ground

In recent years, San Antonio has had some outstanding high jumpers. This year the girls have taken the lead. Reagan's Mackenzie Dagrosa has already cleared 5-10 at all three of her meets this year. Boerne's Kendall Lemm went 5-10 last year and after a rough first meet she cleared 5-6 this past week at her own Boerne Greyhound Relays. Pieper's Caroline Peterson has been super consistent over her three seasons that includes a 4A State title in 2022. She went 5-6 last week to win the Comal ISD Relays where Wimberley's Juniper Daniels and Smithson Valley's Bryn Biesenbach each went 5-4. Dagrosa's teammate, Aryiel Sherman has also cleared 5-4 this year on two occasions. Overall, there are over 20 girls who have cleared 5-0 already this season.

Flying High

Last year, Reagan's Samuel Abati and Johnson's Thomas Bucks were the 6A representatives from Region IV at the State meet in the pole vault and both appear ready to go again this year. Abati cleared 17-1 at the season opening meet and then went 16-6 this week at the Medina Valley Panther Relays. Bucks set a new school record at the Boerne Relays with a clearance of 15-7 and did not get much of an attempt at 16-0 because of darkness. Right now, those two are clearly the best in the area, but there are five others who have already cleared at least 14-0 this season.

Breaking 4:00

The Reagan and Smithson Valley girls 4x400m relay teams were the two best squads in San Antonio the last two years. Smithson Valley set the city record in 2022 with a 3:44.59 and they were 5A State champions in the event last year. SV has ranked in the top 2 in the area eight times in the last 11 years and the only time they did not break 4:00 came during the Covid shortened season of 2020 when they ran a 4:04.19. Reagan has run 3:47 each of the last two years and this year they became the first team to break 4:00 which they did on Thursday when they ran a 3:51.98. Brandeis became the second team to break 4:00 by running 3:58.23 in the same race. Smithson Valley is still waiting to run their first 4x400m of the season, but it would be surprising if they are not under 4:00 once again this year.

Expanding His Horizons

Malik White of Taft has been one of the best if not the best 110m hurdler in San Antonio but he had rarely run the 300mH. That may have changed after his performance at the SAISD Metro Meet last week. He ran a hand-held time of 13.81 in the 110mH and then he followed that with a time of 39.50 in the 300mH which would still be the fastest time in the city this year after conversion. It appears that the 300mH will become more of a normal race for him after he ran the 400mH all summer long during the AAU season and he even ran a time of 55.06 at the Junior Olympics.

Teams I'm Watching

I have been noticing a few teams that have been standing out this year that may be going under the radar. The Steele boys and girls teams have started the season strong and their girls may even be able to give Reagan some tough competition at the Regional meet this year. The Brennan boys have gotten off to a good start to the season and have quality performers just about everywhere on the track and in the field. The Canyon Lake girls went up against some excellent bigger schools and held their own. They will have a tough time getting past Fredericksburg but could give the Billies some excellent competition this year.

School Records

In this section, I want to highlight the new school records that were set during the week. I need coaches to please let me know when you have a new record set. Either email me at shanemeling@gmail.com or message at me @ShaneMeling on X (Twitter).

Christopher Harris, Cornerstone, 400m, 49.10

Riley Wampler, Boerne Champion, Shot Put, 53-5

Elizabeth Leachman, Boerne Champion, 3200m, 9:43.74 (National Record)

Kassia Kozarski, Steele, 1600m, 5:19.98

Kassia Kozarski, Steele, 3200m, 11:26.64

Abdon Mata, Steele, Shot Put, 59-3

Thomas Bucks, Johnson, Pole Vault, 15-7

Zachary Miller, Brennan, 1600m, 4:21.93

Mathew Cordero, Harlan, Shot Put, 51-9

Around the City

Canyon High School hosted the Comal ISD Relays last week that were won by the Smithson Valley girls and the Leander Rouse boys. Canyon Lake's Savanna Oberholtzer and Cadence Patterson were the big stars of the meet. Oberholtzer won three events; the 100m (12.71), long jump (17-8.25) and triple jump (35-6). Patterson ran two great times in the 1600m, 5:05.42, and 3200m, 10:52.11. Pieper's Caroline Peterson led a nice group of high jumpers by clearing 5-6. The 4x200m relay may have been the marquee event with the top five teams within a second of each other with Smithson Valley coming out on top in 1:46.46.

There were not as many highlights in the boys part of the meet but still some excellent performances. Canyon's Luke Bell ran well in the 110mH (15.85) and 300mH (40.27). Pieper jumper Kahdyn Freeman went 22-1 in the long jump and 42-8 in the triple jump while Canyon's Tapiwa Hananda was the first local to clear 6-4 in the high jump this year. SV's Jaxson Maynard is rounding into form in the discus with a toss of 154-2.

The Steele boys and girls swept the Boerne Greyhound Relays. Their girls had great performances in the sprints as they won the 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m relay and 4x200m relay. They picked up big points from Kassia Kozarski in the distance races, Justice Boston in the jumps and Ta'Niyah Savala in the shot put. Boerne Champion's Beth Leachman broke her own national record in the 3200m finishing in 9:43.74 and then won the 800m in 2:14.57. Johnson's Taylor Fuentespina and Champion's Peyton Smith each cleared 11-0 in the pole vault.

The Steele boys were not as dominant as their girls team, but thrower Abdon Mata is one to follow. He won the discus with a throw of 159-1 after throwing the shot put 59-3 a week ago. Warren's Nicholas Ross has been outstanding this year and last week was no different as he won the 200m in 21.79 and he anchored the winning 4x100m and 4x200m relay teams. Kerrville Tivy went 1-2 in the 300mH with Cayden Brown and Aidan Varwig both running faster than 41 seconds.

At the Medina Valley Panther Relays the Reagan girls and Brennan boys were meet champions. Reagan's Isabella Dagrosa did not run her best 100mH, but still won in 15.40 while also winning the long jump (19-3) and 200m (24.98). She ran the lead leg on the winning 4x400m relay team with Morgan Schlueter, Nnenna Opara and Mackenzie Dagrosa. Mackenzie also won the high jump by clearing 5-10 again. Brennan's Caila Lyons won the 400m (58.71) and 800m (2:14.51) and Brandeis' London Graham went 18-0 in the long jump and ran on all three relay teams that were runner-up to Reagan in the 4x100m and 4x400m and won the 4x200m.

The 800m and 1600m were the highlights of the boys meet. Southwest Legacy's Anthony Zapata came out shining the brightest after winning the 800m in 1:54.30 and the 1600m in 4:17.68. He out-raced both Brandeis' Hayden Scott (1:55.96) and Reagan's Gavin Chapa (1:55.96) in the half-mile. In the 1600m, Zapata held off Chapa (4:17.68) and Brennan's Zac Miller (4:21.93) who set a school record in the process. Brennan won all three relays in excellent times, including a 1:28.19 in the 4x200m. Reagan's Sam Abati cleared 16-6 in the pole vault.

The Clemens boys and girls each won the South San Relays that was a hand-held timing meet. Victoria Arowosegbe led the Clemens girls by winning the 200m in 25.21 and then she anchored the winning 4x200m team that posted a time of 1:45.50. Giselle Gonzalez of Providence was the top point-getter in the meet after winning the 800m, 1600m and 3200m.

Clemens went 1-2 in the 100m behind Joshua Jackson and Demetrius Thompson. Jackson also won the long jump with a mark of 22-2.25. The Buffaloes won both hurdle events with Jackson Jones taking the gold in the 100mH and Caleb Martinez won the 300mH. Jaden Faz ran a quality time of 22.65 in the 200m for Somerset.

Judson continued the weekend when both their boys and girls won the SAISD Metro Meet that was also hand-timed. Taft's Malik White cruised in both hurdle events while Churchill's Alejandro Rosales ran well winning the 800m in 1:57.28 and taking second in the 400m in 49.94. Judson's Armon Couch ran a scalding 200m crossing the tape in 21.10, extremely fast even if it was hand-timed. The Rockets 4x400m relay team posted the top time in the city with a 3:20.87.

Winning two times was the theme of the girls side of the SAISD meet. Taft's Brooklyn Crow won the 3200m (11:07.52) and then the 1600m (5:10.40) besting talented runners in Araceli Ford of O'Connor and Virginia Lessner of LEE. Alma Lazo-Cazares had her hands full in winning the 400m (58.43) and 800m (2:19.93) but was able to hold off top competition in both events. LEE's Kendall Jones swept the hurdle events running 15.37 in the 100mH and 45.93 in the 300mH. Finally, Judson's Darinasia Taylor posted winning times of 12.21 in the 100m and 25.01 in the 200m. Churchill went 1-2 in the triple jump with Siena Isaac winning with a mark of 37-8 and Alexa Gonzalez-Monreal was second just an inch behind her.

Please read my article from last Friday for a complete recap of the Alamo Heights Relays.

Looking Forward

This week there are at least six local meets on Thursday while Canyon and Seguin are scheduled to go to Buda Johnson on Friday and St. Mary's Hall, New Braunfels and Central Catholic will all be hosting Saturday meets. My plan is to be at the Central Catholic meet this weekend.

Senior Signings

I would like to keep a running tally of all the track and field and cross country signings so please contact me if you notice someone is missing.

Ella Pickron, Smithson Valley, Colorado State

Erin Martin, Boerne Champion, West Texas A&M

Isabella Dagrosa, Reagan, Vanderbilt

Mackenzie Dagrosa, Reagan, Vanderbilt

Hayden Brace, Boerne Champion, USMA

Marcelo Parra, TMI, Princeton

Franco Parra, TMI, Princeton

Ben Blomqvist, Boerne Champion, Angelo State

Araceli Ford, O'Connor, UIW

Anthony Zapata, Southwest Legacy, UIW