RUNNING FOR STATE GLORY

Competing at the UIL State Track & Field Championships, Iredell’s Gutierrez captures gold in Class 1A 200-meter dash, sets new state record; Meridian relay falls short

With Bosque County represented well at the UIL State Track and Field Championships held last Thursday-Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin, the Iredell Dragons sent four athletes to compete in four Class 1A events, the Cranfills Lions were represented by one athlete competing in two Class 1A events, and the Clifton Cubs returned two athletes to the state meet to challenge in the same two events.

After three days with the best of the best competing, Iredell sophomore Jordan Gutierrez brought home the gold medal by setting a new state record in the Class 1A 200-meter dash Saturday, while Clifton junior Ray Ochoa set a new school record to capture the silver medal in the Class 3A 400-meter dash Thursday.

In addition to Gutierrez winning the 200-meter dash with a state record time of 22.02 and placing fourth in the 400-meter dash, the Iredell 4×100-meter relay team manned by Gutierrez, sophomore Cole Heutzenroeder, sophomore Caleb Garland and Gavin Vara placed eighth as Iredell’s first relay team to compete at the state level, while Garland battled a field of eight seniors in shot put as the only sophomore.

“The Iredell Dragons competed well at the state meet this past Saturday,” Iredell track head coach Rodie Johnson. The state meet was a culmination of the hard work and determination the guys put in all season.”

“Jordan ran a great race to close out the day with a gold medal and a new 1A state record in the 200. It was his third event of the day which also included the 4×100 relay, and the 400. Going into it, I knew he was disappointed in not making the medal stand in the previous two races and was about to do something special.

“Jordan is a special kind of athlete that does not shy away from hard work. From day one, his goal was to not just make it to Austin, but to leave with a gold medal. I am excited for him for all that he has and will accomplish going forward. I know our community is very proud.”

For the Meridian boys track team, it has become the expectation for them to get back to the UIL Class 1A State Track & Field Championships each year. But just qualifying to be at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin last Saturday was not enough for the Jackets.

So despite reaching the starting block of the pinnacle in the sport of track and field in Texas, Meridian finishing eighth in the boys 4×200-meter relay and not reaching the podium was not enough.

“I am extremely proud of our kids for getting back down to the state track meet,” Meridian boys track head coach Grant Schur said. “They were pretty disappointed with finishing eighth. But hopefully as time goes on, they will realize how big of an accomplishment it still is. Getting there wasn’t just a goal for these guys, they have made it the expectation. I think because of that, they have overlooked how difficult it is to even make it to the state meet.”

The Jacket 4×200-meter relay squad manned by junior Cooper Arthur, junior Ian Gomez, junior Matthew Jones, and senior Dustin Padgett posted a time of 1:34.31 to finish eighth in the field of nine as state champion Gordon crossed the finish line in 1:29.78, followed by silver medalist Imperial Buena Vista with a time of 1:30.43, and Lamesa Klondike in 1:32.15.

But after enduring a number of rain delays at the Class 1A, Region 4 Track & Field Championships April 11-12 at the University of North Texas in Denton, the Jackets were forced to endure a postponement of running finals until Monday. As a result, Meridian only managed to advance its boys 4×200-meter relay team. And after a third place finish at regional with a time of 1:33.71, the Jackets needed the wildcard to earn their trip to state.

The UIL added the 4×200 in the 2003 track season, this year was the first time Meridian has had a boys relay qualify to state in it.

” I can’t say enough about how proud I am of our kids this year,” Schur said. “Not just for getting to the state meet, but for everything we have achieved this year as a team. It would have been really easy to say we were going to drop off this year after everyone that graduated last year. But this group of guys really worked hard to just kind of pick up where we left off last year.

“On a really positive side of things, we only graduate two guys from this year’s track team. So I am very excited about the future of our program.”

As lone state qualifier from Cranfills Gap, senior Blake Allen placed fourth in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.26 after finishing eighth in the 300-meter hurdles.

“He had an excellent year,” Cranfills Gap track head coach Josh Raulston. “He ran the 110 all year and picked up the 300 at district. From there, he was a fierce competitor. At regionals, it was unclear how he would do in the 300, he pulled off his PR and won. State was exciting, and he ran well. I won’t ever forget how much work this kid put in.”