The Lucerne Valley High School track squad threw their weight around, literally, as the Mustangs had three shot-putters in the Top 5 at the Cross Valley League Meet #1 at Riverside Prep on Tuesday, February 26.
David Cummings took second place with a personal record of 35 feet, 8 inches. Austin Buchanan came in fourth place with a put of 35’4” and shot put newcomer Kennedy Silva had a distance of 33’7” for 5th place. All are personal records.
But that wasn’t all for the trio.
Silva, who has taken to YouTube for technical tips, took 6th place in the discus throw with a distance of 79”0”. Cummings was close behind with a throw of 69’7” for 7th, and Buchanan took 13th with a distance of 61’4”.
Head track coach Guillermo Betancourt was thrilled with the trio’s first shot put and discus throw performances of the season.
“I feel our senior shot putters Kennedy Silva, Austin Buchanan and David Cummings can be in the top 5 in our league this year.”
Mustang sprinter Jose Alba took 5th in the 400-meter run in a time of 57.38 and 8th in the 200 meters in a time of 25.09.
Devin Wakeley, a 10th grader, showed his speed with a time of 12.79 for 13th place in the 100 meters. He also expects to run the 200 meters, long jump and try other events as the season progresses.
In the boy’s long jump, David Cummings jumped 14’10.75” for 13th and freshman Robert Cook, who scored a few 3-pointers during basketball season, jumped 11.75” for 17th place.
Multi-talented athlete Jesse Perez went out hard in the 800 meters, one of several events for the senior, and took 7th place in a time of 2:24.75. Perez also ran a time of 12:13.43 in the 3200 meters race for 5th place.
About Perez, who was one of three Mustang wrestlers to go to C.I.F., the coach said, “Senior Jesse Perez will be a contender in the 800.”
Robert Cook and fellow Lucerne Valley freshman David Daniels, who was one of the top cross country runners this past fall, ran 14:39 and 14:53 for 10th and 9th place, respectively, in the 3200. The two will soon be running a sub 13-minute 3200-meter run and a sub 6-minute 1600 respectively, Coach Betancourt predicted.
The Mustang boys’ 4x100 meters relay team, which consisted of Austin Buchanan, Kennedy Silva, Jesse Perez and Jose Alba, ran a time of 47.73 seconds for 6th place.
GIRLS TRACK RESULTS
Jenae Rankin, a Lady Mustang 10th-grader, ran a time of 15.72 seconds for 14th in the 100 meter sprint. Paula Woods, a freshman, ran 17.49 for 20th and sophomore Aloura Cook finished 21st with a time of 17.80. Kaitlynn Burgess-Moore had a personal record of 18.44 seconds for 23rd.
In the 200 meters, the Lucerne Valley girl sprinters were led by 11th grader Korrina Medina (37.09) for 13th place followed by Paula Woods (37.88, 14th), Aloura Cook (38.96, 15th) and Kaitlynn Burgess-Moore (39.07, 16th). All times were personal records.
“Korrina has the makings for a sub 13-second 100-meter dash,” Coach Betancourt said.
In the 400 meter run, sophomore Noemy Magdaleno PRed in 9th place with a time of 1:22.75. She also had a season record in the 1600 with a time of 7:37.52 for 15th place.
Cross Valley League Meet #2 will be held on March 12, also at Riverside Prep.