By Glen Rosales
Special to the SUN

Spurred by an influx of seniors returning to track and field, Escalante High School is enjoying one of its largest teams in years.

That leaves co-head coach Eric Belser optimistic for the team’s Class 2A state meet prospects next month.

“We haven’t gone and not come back with any hardware since I’ve been here,” he said. “We don’t go to go. We go to compete. We have a really good chance in the relays and in some of the opens to come back with some hardware again.”

For the boys, the sprint relays in particular look quite strong behind a solid group of veterans and one precocious freshman.

In the 4×200 meter, with senior Braylon Emery leading off, followed by juniors Julio Lujan and Tristan Ulibarri, and senior anchor RJ Atencio, has already qualified for the state meet.

In the 4×400, the quartet of freshman Michael Vance, who Belser sees as a rising star, senior Richard Glover, Lujan and Emory, has also already qualified.

The 4×100, which still has some work to do, includes Atencio, Vance, Ulibarri and senior Antonio Martinez.

Lujan, who qualified for state in the open 400, and Emory, who is returning to the track after a year’s absence, should both qualify in the event this year.

In the high jump, the 6’5” Glover, as well as Vance, has already qualified for state.

“I’m super proud of his development,” Belser said of Vance. “In my opinion, the sky is the limit for these guys. I’ve had all of these guys (the seniors) since they were freshmen and to watch them and see them develop is something. We have a lot of guys with a lot of state experience and they know the hard work it takes to get there.”

Those seniors, who have seen success in every sporting season of the high school calendar, are passing on their character and mentality, the coach said.

“It’s crucial, really crucial,” Belser said. “Nobody likes to run. It’s not fun. It hurts. It’s painful. But having guys who hate to lose and have that mentality and they’ve had that mentality for years, that’s the culture that travels. I have a team full of kids who hate to lose.”

On the girls side, one strong returner is trying to set the tone for the rest of the squad.

Junior Peyton Gallegos is the returning veteran of the group and “we expect her to come back and do what she did last year,” Belser said. “She started in long distance, but we quickly learned she’s got some wheels on her. After that, we’re really young, but this year, she has a lot of good competition within the team to really push her.”

Sophomore Arden Johnson is in her first year “but already showing a lot of promise,” Belser said.

Freshmen Danica Ulibarri and Catalena Tafoya are starting to fill solid roles, he said, as are eighth-graders Anabelle Casados and Annlee Robinson, who both could turn into top flight sprinters.

Ulibarri, as well as some of the other younger athletes “have been playing basketball for me since their eighth-grade year,” Belser said.

That certainly helps smooth the way for success on the track.

“I think it would be harder if I hadn’t coached these girls in basketball,” he said. “With the exception of Catalena, they know the type of work ethic that’s accepted and required. And with Peyton back, everybody has that mentality of ‘we don’t like to lose.’ The girls are following in the boys’ path and Peyton really brings them along.”

“These girls are growing by the track meet,” Belser said. “Every track meet we go to, they’re all dropping their times by a second or more, especially in the 400. I expect them to be underrated by the time we get to that state track meet. We’ll figure out which girls run the 4×400 because it’s been six years in a row medaling and we’re going to try to make it seven.”