Like the refurbished and polished Frankian Field, the Dos Palos High track & field team is also experiencing a rebirth.
The once proud program is up in both quantity and quality, especially on the girls side. This year, the Broncos have 20 girls participating, up from last season’s 10. The results are very encouraging, as the Bronco girls won their second West Sierra League meet last week, which was held at Mendota.
The Broncos eked out the team victory with 127 points, only four better than second-place Coalinga. Firebaugh placed third with 87 points followed by Avenal with 67.
Girls head coach Rob Calvert said that having a well-rounded squad helps when going up against teams like Coalinga, which has 34 participants.
“We have some good athletes in the sprints, the long-distance races, the jumps and the field events,” said Calvert. “But it is going to be a tight, competitive league right up to the WSL championships.”
Carly Brinkley won one event and placed second in two others. Only a freshman, Brinkley won the 100 meter race (14.13) and placed second in the 200 meter race to Jennifer Herrera of Firebaugh. In the 400 meter race, she placed second to Lael Jacobs of Kings Christian-Lemoore, while Herrera finished in third.
That Brinkley is doing do well as a freshman is all the more amazing since she is also playing softball.
“She doesn’t practice with us,” said Calvert. “She’s playing softball and then she just comes out and runs with us.”
Mara Torres is the team’s distance runner. She placed third in the 800 meters, second in the 1600 meters, and won the 3200 meter race with a time of 15:21.8. Karina Tapia placed third in the 100 meter hurdles and also the 300 meter hurdles.
Jazmin Scott came in second in the shot put and teammate Destiny Maxwell placed fourth.
Marissa Merrell won the high jump with a leap of 4’10”.
On the boys side, Dos Palos placed second as a team with 113 points. Host Mendota won with 144 points. Coalinga came in third with 104 points followed by Firebaugh with 71.
