By Glen Rosales
Special to the SUN

The goals for the Mesa Vista boys and girls track teams are fairly simple: Get both teams on the medal stand when the Class 2A state championship team trophies are handed out next month.

That might not be as much of a long shot as it may have originally seemed, as the Trojans head into the district meet this weekend.

The Trojans boys are blessed with a strong and athletic senior class and seek to end their high school careers on a high note.

Chief among them is Andres Valdez, who has already qualified for the state meet in both the 300-meter hurdles and the long jump, as well being a mainstay on the 4×400 relay squad that also includes junior Ezequiel Nevarez and freshmen Samuel Epling and Manuel Guzman.

“We’re looking pretty good on the boys side,” said coach Ben Sandoval, noting the team is already loading up on automatic qualifiers. “As far as districts goes, we’re looking like we’ll probably win that again. I’m pretty comfortable where we’re at.”

Nevarez will also be among the group likely vying for the 800 and 1,600 individual gold medals, while also anchoring the medley.

Valdez runs the 400 meter leg of the medley, with Jonathan Martinez and Santiago Martinez taking the two short legs.

The Trojans have some work to do in the program’s signature event, the 4×800, which Mesa Vista not only won last year, but established a state record in. Shia Jordan looks like a fixture in the lineup, but the rest of it is still up in the air.

“Really, we’re trying to get our relays strong,” Sandoval said. “We can get them in the top four in state and score a lot of points. I think our longer relays will probably place, but we don’t know what our 4×800 will look like.”

Senior Jordan Gallegos, along with sophomore Mark Trujillo, have put up big numbers in the javelin and could very well take the top two spots in district to qualify for state.

The 6’6” Gallegos, who is known more for his basketball prowess, has a particularly good chance of not only making it to state but being a factor, Sandoval said.

“He’s pretty hungry to get into the jave and get a medal for himself,” the coach said.

If some of the other plans fall in line, particularly the relays, “then we can make a run at the podium,” Sandoval said.

The girls are looking to build on the winning pedigree brought in by the girls basketball state championship team, as many of its members are now running track.

A new head coach is looking to inject a different attitude within the team.

“We’re doing different drills at practice, different workouts,” said coach Evan Jaramillo, a 2012 Mesa Vista grad who competed in the hurdles. “We’re weaning them into it. We started out not as hard, not as rough, and we’ve been slowly building it up and see what they want to do. What events they want to do. We don’t put them in stuff they’re not ready for or not comfortable with.”

So far, it seems to be working as the numbers are up, with nearly 20 girls in the program coming out on a regular basis.

“We’re looking all right,” Jaramillo said. “This is my first year after I was an assistant the last two years. We’re working on building a new culture, bringing in a different aspect to the team. We’re teaching them to be more resilient and more responsible and to enjoy track because it’s not about having to run all the time.”

As a matter of fact, it’s not a runner who has already qualified. Jordan Solano, a basketball player, already qualified for state in the high jump.

Fellow hoopers Aaliyah Boies, Bella Gallegos and Aubrey Maestas form the backbone of the relay teams that the Trojans are hoping will all qualify for state and power the team to a strong finish.

“As of right now, our times, our relay teams, they’re pretty decent, but we haven’t had our full relay teams compete at any of the meets,” Jaramillo said earlier in the season.

Like the boys, javelin also is a strength of the girls team with Jaslene Torres and basketball player Valery Martinez expected to take the top two spots at district.

“When I started three years ago, I learned that I like teaching kids,” Jaramillo said. “I like to teach them and help them grow into better adults, be respectful, be responsible and if you make mistakes, own up to it. We try to get them ready for the real world.”