2015 New Mexico high school track and field season preview

Cleveland (Rio Rancho) has the best chance to win both boys and girls state track championships in New Mexico this spring.

The Cleveland boys actually are shooting for a rare four-peat, having won the last three Class 5A (now 6A) state titles. Cleveland has plenty of numbers, but must count on a lot of underclassmen to get the job done.

Coach Kenny Henry said, "It's going to be a tough thing to do, but we have as good of a chance as anybody."

The Storm will count heavily on senior Nathan Munoz, who won the 110-meter hurdles last year and is a strong performer in the 100, 200 and 400. They have plenty of sprinters, headed by senior Ryan Hunt, which means the relays also will be very deep. Junior Demetry Rodriguez is a standout in the discus.

However, Volcano Vista (Albuquerque) defeated Cleveland recently 76-61 in the Cleveland Invitational for its first loss in three years. Volcano Vista was a distant second in the state meet a year ago.

Coach Shane Cleveland said he will count heavily upon junior standout Alejandro Goldston (6-foot, 165 pounds), a great triple jumper and sprinter. He noted, "He is so valuable that my biggest decision will be how to strategically place him at the state meet. He can place in all five events. He did amazing work in the summer and winter all on his own. He came out very motivated."

Junior Ray Roberson is close behind Goldston in pure talent. He does three field events and can compete in all the relays. Other key members include sophomore Abram Schaap, who was third in the 400 last year; junior Taran Robinson, who was third in the state 200, and junior Dakota Cleveland, the coach's son, who has greatly improved his 800 time.

Rio Rancho can't be counted out, either, in Class 6A.

Coach Sal Gonzales will count heavily upon senior Matt Jackson, the defending state champion in the long jump and 300 hurdles. Junior John Finnegan placed second in the state 400 last year. Points also will be expected from junior Steve Bailey in the javelin and sophomore Devin Paredes in the 3200.

Junior Niles Thomas of Miyamura (Gallup) will be the big newsmaker in Class 5A. He won the all-class state cross country meet last fall and went undefeated. In track he will run the 800, 1600 and 3200.

On the girls side, Cleveland will rise or fall on the strength of its relays with three returnees from its state champion 400 and 1600 relays.

Freshman Caitlin Barnard, a sprinter and long jumper, is the leader, having run on both champion relays and a third relay which placed second. Senior Larimar Rodriquez was second in the 400 last year, while junior Nia Powdrell was second in the 200. Sophomore Sarah Mackin placed third in the 300 hurdles and freshman Amanda Mayoral was the runner-up in the state cross country meet last fall.

Eldorado (Albuquerque), the defending large-school state champion, won't go down without a fight, because it has two defending champions.

Senior Lauren Martinez, a former state diving champion, has won the last three state pole vault titles. Last year she set an unofficial state record at 13 feet, 3 inches and is shooting for 14 feet this spring. She is a national-class vaulter and will compete next fall for the University of California. Her twin sister, Meagan, should also place high in the vault.

Junior Jessie Hix, also an outstanding soccer player, is the defending state champion in the 400 and 1600. As a freshman she captured the 1600 and 3200. She also placed fourth in the 300 hurdles last spring.

La Cueva (Albuquerque) "has three quality kids back from last year," according to coach Jim Ciccarello.

Senior Natasha Bernal won the 800 last spring and was a state cross country champion in the fall. The University of New Mexico signee will be running three distance events plus relays this spring. Ciccarello believes she is a title contender in the 800, 1600 and 3200.

Senior Mackenzie Everett will be out to defend her 3200 crown from last spring and big points also will be expected from senior Alexa Romano, the defending long jump champ and high jump runner-up who is headed for Stanford University on a basketball scholarship.

Juniors Mason Swanson and Jamie Fenton also will be counted upon in multiple events.

Clovis has a defending state champion, senior Shelby Jones, who was an upset winner last year in the shot put.

Britani Gonzales, a senior from Santa Teresa, has won the last two Class 4A (now 5A) 800 championships and hopes to break the state record this spring. She has signed with the University of Houston.

Taos has dominated Class 3A (now 4A) recently under Benny Mitchell, who coaches boys and girls.

The girls have won the last two state titles in track and cross country. They return defending high jump champion Midnite Lujan, a junior, and Cora Cannedy, who won the state cross country crown.

The boys are defending track champions and they were second in cross country. Senior Roy Madrid is the defending champion in the 800.

In Class 3A girls, Ramah has the most returning firepower and Estancia will be strong in the distances. On the boys side, football powers Clayton and Santa Rosa boast a lot of speed with Santa Rosa bringing back the most experience. Clayton's Koy Geary is defending champion in the 100 and 200.

The Logan boys team should be the frontrunner in Class 2A. A lot of the stronger 1A teams have moved to 2A this year.

Even so, last year the Class 1A boys title was captured by Cimarron. Cliff also will be a contender for this year's crown.

Cimarron will rely heavily upon senior Jacob Subratie, who won the 800 last spring. Coach Joe Giglia said, "What makes him so dangerous is that he also will contend in the 100 and 3600."

Senior Efrain Acosta is another multi-event standout who has run on five state championship relays over the past two years and also is one of the state's premier pole vaulters.

Giglia, who started the program 29 years ago, will be retiring this spring.