Orestimba High School’s track and field team secured seven first place finishes during Wednesday’s Trans-Valley League (TVL) meet against Ripon High School and Ripon Christian High School.
Head coach Charles Kothenbeutel said it was great seeing the athletes continuing their development through each meet this season.
“They’re starting to understand what was required from them and executing when it comes to competing out there on the track,” Kothenbeutel said.
Samantha De La Cruz, Jhonathan Romero, Patricio Kearney, Israel Ramirez and Maddie Perez all won first place in their respective events.
De La Cruz secured top placement in the women’s 800-meter, 1600-meter and 3200-meter races. In the 800 meters, she ran a time of 2 minutes and 24.98 seconds. This is now the fastest record time for the event in program history, breaking a more than 20-year-old record held by Rebecca Dianda.
Following the 800, De La Cruz’s time in the 1600 meters was 5:28.17. She finished the 3200 with a new personal record time of 11:44.24.
Romero ran 55.39 seconds to win the men’s 400-meter race.
Kearney finished in first place in the men’s 1600-meter race with a 4:57.64 time.
Ramirez set a new personal record time of 17.01 seconds in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, specifically in the event where the hurdles are 39 inches high.
Perez won the women’s triple jump, where she recorded a new personal record for the event with a leap of 10.30 meters. This jumps her into the program’s sixth best all-time recorded jump in the program’s history.
Orestimba also had multiple top five finishes and new personal records set at various events.
In the men’s 200-meter race, Ilja Skocek and Romero finished in third and fourth place, respectively. Skocek recorded a time of 24.11 seconds and Romero finished with a time of 24.18 seconds.
Traveyon Wright Jr. recorded a throw of 32.56 meters to finish in fourth place in the men’s discus event.
Brett Gray concluded his attempt in the men’s triple jump with a recorded jump of 11.70 meters to finish in third place.
Imelda Beltran secured two top three placements in the women’s 200-meter and 400-meter races. In the 200 meters, she recorded a time of 28.14 seconds to finish in third place. Beltran concluded the 400 with her time for the event being 1:02.85 to finish in second place.
Marian Quevedo finished in the top four for three events. In the women’s 100-meter hurdles, she set a personal record time of 16.17 seconds to finish in second place. Her time is now the program’s fastest recorded time for the event.
Quevedo finished in third place behind Beltran in the 400 meters, with a personal record time of 1:03.18. She finished the event in fourth place with another personal record time of 13.18 seconds in the women’s 100-meter race.
Orestimba finished in second place in the women’s 4x100-meter relay with a time of 53.32 seconds.
Olivia Valdovinos recorded a personal record throw of 6.76 meters in the women’s shot put event.
Jordan Mello and Olivia Gray finished the women’s long jump in second and third place, respectively. Mello recorded a jump of 4.98 meters while Olivia Gray finished her attempt with a 4.73-meter jump.
Mello also finished in third place in the women’s triple jump, where she leaped 9.86 meters in her attempt.
Orestimba will travel to Hughson High School on Saturday for the Hughson Vintage Invitational. The first event will begin at 9 a.m.
Navtej Hundal is a freelance journalist in Stanislaus County.
