CHS Thinclads at New Mexico Big Dance

By Don Eskins

Carlsbad High School’s Cavemen and Cavegirl track and field teams will be in Albuquerque on Friday and Saturday, May 15-16, to compete in the NMAA’s Class 5A State Tournament.

Twenty-two athletes—11 Cavemen and 11 Cavegirls—will compete at the meet.

“Track is a long season (12 weeks), and it’s during the spring. We usually see several athletes fall off as the season goes on,” said CHS head coach Charles Millar. “To qualify for state takes a lot of hard work and perseverance, something all 22 of these kids have excelled at. Our coaching staff couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Results of the state meet will be posted in the May 22 edition of the Carlsbad Local.

State Qualifiers: Cavegirls and Events

1. Cassie Bielstein, triple jump, long jump, 4x100, 100m hurdles; 2. Chaselynn Casey, 4x100 alternate; 3. Shaelyn Dominguez, 4x100; 4. Kaylee Dowdy, 4x100; 5. Campbell Foster, 4x100; 6. Jayleigh Hernandez, 4x100 alternate; 7. Kylee Kunkel, 4x100 alternate; 8. Lexus Munoz, shot put (District Champ); 9. Patience Renfro, 4x100 alternate; 10. Sophia Trujillo, shot put; 11. Atria Wells, shot put, discus

State Qualifiers: Cavemen and Events

1. Bennett Adsero, triple jump; 2. Lennon Ananins, medley relay (200), javelin; 3. Trey Barta, medley (200); 4. Braden Florez, javelin; 5. Bryan King, 100m hurdles, medley (400); 6. Colton McKibben, shot put; 7. Marley Munoz, triple jump, high jump; 8. Rex Reynolds, 4x800, medley (800); 9. Javion Scott, 4x800; 10. Josiah Waddle, 4x800; 11. Judah Wittmayer, 4x800, medley alternate; 4x800 alternates: Kleyvin Hernandez, Caisen Smith, Logan Hufstedler, Aiden Mendez; medley alternates: Jason Beene, Damian Valencia, Andrew Fuentes, Judah Wittmayer

District 4/5A Meet Results

Although still focused on doing well, Millar somewhat tweaked his charges’ workload as they headed into Friday’s district tournament.

“During the week, we really leaned toward resting the kids to ensure that they were at 100% for Friday’s District 4/5A meet, and I think it showed; they competed great,” said Millar. “We had season-best marks and times in almost every event, and in the sprints, we even had some career bests.”

While district titles were at stake, some athletes chose to forego competing in events they could have probably won or finished second in. Athletes like Marley Munoz, Atria Wells, and Sophia Trujillo.

“Marley chose to sit out of the javelin and triple jump to give a few of our other kids an opportunity to qualify for state,” said the CHS head coach. “His decision allowed two more of our kids, Braden Florez and Bennett Adsero, to qualify.”

“On the girls’ side, Atria Wells and Sophia Trujillo opted out of the shot put for the same reason,” said Millar. “As a result, Lexus Munoz will also be going to state.

“In cases like this, where kids have already qualified in an event, we leave it up to them as to whether or not they’ll compete in it at the district tournament or not,” continued the CHS coach. “Making decisions like Marley, Atria, and Sophia says a lot about their character. Although confident, they’re also unselfish and compassionate.”

Millar, besides watching his season regulars pick up medals and ribbons, also had a few surprises, one of which was eighth-grader Jason Beene.

“Jason has been a great addition. He had a great season at PR Leyva, so we decided to call him up for our past few meets,” he said. “Usually, boy sprinters are tough to call up because they’re competing with kids five years older than them. But, incredibly, he’s held his own and even scored some points at district!”

Top Cavemen performances at the conference meet were turned in by District Champions Lennon Ananins in the javelin and their sprint medley relay team, both of whom collected gold medals.

Picking up gold medals for the Cavegirls were District Champions Atria Wells in the discus and Lexus Munoz in the shot put.

Overall, the Cavemen collected 11 medals, the Cavegirls 10.

Cavemen Medalists: Gold Medals: javelin/Lennon Ananins; sprint medley relay/Trey Barta, Lennon Ananins, Bryan King; Silver Medals: triple Jump/Bennett Adsero; javelin/Braden Florez; Bronze Medals: 400 run/Judah Wittmayer; 110 hurdles/Logan Hufstedler; triple jump/Josiah Workman; pole vault/Mathyis Meier; shot put/Colton McKibben; 4x200 relay/Jaden Harper, Josiah Workman, Andrew Fuentes, Jason Beene; 4x400 relay/Lennon Ananins, Judah Wittmayer, Rex Reynolds, Bryan King.

Cavegirl Medalists: Gold Medals: discus/Atria Wells; shot put/Lexus Munoz; Silver Medals: 100 hurdles/Cassie Bielstein; long jump/Cassie Bielstein; 4x100 relay/Shaelyn Dominguez, Campbell Foster, Cassie Bielstein, Kaylee Dowdy; Bronze Medals: 3200 run/Rainelle Ruiz; high jump/Rylan Blair 4-10; javelin/Atria Wells; 4x400 relay/Chloe Lopez, Jocelyn Baca, Alessandra Aguilar, Meagan McKibben; 4x800 relay/Soledad Martinez, Jocelyn Baca, Jiordan Viernicek, Alessandra Aguilar. The following are District 4/5A Meet results:

District 4/5A Tourney

Cavemen, Top 6 Placers

100 meter dash: T4. Lennon Ananins, 11.454, T4. Jason Beene, 11.45; 200 meter dash: 6. Damian Valencia, 23.40; 400 meter dash: 3. Judah Wittmayer, 54.25; 800 meter run: 6. Javion Scott, 2:09.24; 1600 meter run: 4. Kaleb Vasquez, 5:04.77; 3200 meter run: 5. Kaleb Vasquez, 11:19.36; 110 meter hurdles: 3. Logan Hufstedler, 17.29; 300 meter hurdles: 6. Logan Hufstedler, 45.48; 4x100 meter relay: 4. Carlsbad High School, 44.16; 4x200 meter relay: 3. Jaden Harper, Josiah Workman, Andrew Fuentes, Jason Beene, 1:36.34; 4x400 meter relay: 3. Lennon Ananins, Judah Wittmayer, Rex Reynolds, Bryan King, 3:34.47; sprint medley relay: 1. Trey Barta, Lennon Ananins, Bryan King, Rex Reynolds, 3:43.41; high jump: 4. Marley Munoz, 6-0; long jump: 5. Sam Onsurez, 18-8; triple jump: 2. Bennett Adsero, 40-9, 3. Josiah Workman, 40-1; pole vault: 3. Mathyis Meier, 9-6, 5. Zair Cornejo, 8-0; javelin: 1. Lennon Ananins, 155-7.5, 2. Braden Florez, 144-4.75; shot put: 3. Colton McKibben, 46-8.

Cavegirls, Top 6 Placers

100 meter dash: 4. Kaylee Dowdy, 12.90, 6. Shaelyn Dominguez, 13.2; 200 meter dash: 4. Chaselynn Casey, 27.76; 400 meter dash: 6. Havanna Fierro, 1:10.77; 1600 meter run: 5. Rainelle Ruiz, 6:10.42; 3200 meter run: 3. Rainelle Ruiz, 13:18.47; 100 meter hurdles: 2. Cassie Bielstein, 16.80, 5. Kylee Kunkel, 17.88; 300 meter hurdles: 5. Kylee Kunkel, 53.66; 4x100 meter relay: 2. Shaelyn Dominguez, Campbell Foster, Cassie Bielstein, Kaylee Dowdy, 51.06; 4x200 meter relay: 4. Carlsbad High School, 1:51.51; 4x400 meter relay: 3. Chloe Lopez, Jocelyn Baca, Alessandra Aguilar, Meagan McKibben, 4:37.23; sprint medley relay: 4. Carlsbad High School, 4:47.86; 4x800 meter relay: 3. Soledad Martinez, Jocelyn Baca, Jiordan Viernicek, Alessandra Aguilar, 11:25.88; high jump: 3. Rylan Blair, 4-10; long jump: 2. Cassie Bielstein, 16-9.5; triple jump: 4 . Meagan McKibben, 31-7.25, 5. Patience Renfro, 30-10; pole vault: 4. Okalonii Negrete, 7-0, 5. Aubrey Baeza 7-0, T6. Nicki Abeyta, 6-6, T6. Zoraida Lopez, 6-6; discus: 1. Atria Wells, 118-2, 6. Chloe Noel, 87-5.75; javelin: 3. Atria Wells, 77-9.25, 4. Taygen Dowdy, 76-5.5, 5. Lexus Munoz, 74-9; shot put: 1. Lexus Munoz, 32-9.5.

Top right: Members of the Cavegirls’ 4x400 relay team grabbed bronze medals for placing third at the District 4/5A meet. Team members are, bottom row, left to right, Alessandra Aguilar and Joslyn Baca; top row, left to right, Meagan McKibben and Chloe Lopez.

Right: Bryan King leads the pack during the 400 leg of the District 4/5A’s 1600 sprint medley relay. Members of the team collected Gold Medals for finishing first in the event. (CHS Track Photos)