MERCED — Los Banos High School recently moved from the Western Athletic Conference to the Central California Conference during the 2024–2025 school year.
The switch to the larger conference has seen an increase in the quality of competition, and the Tigers will keep looking to get after it and improve at every opportunity as the track and field season heads into the conference championships in two weeks.
In the meantime, Los Banos will look for growth where it can get it after placing sixth in boys varsity with 33 points and girls varsity with 7 points during Wednesday’s six-team CCC No. 3 meet.
“Given that this is only our second season competing in the CCC, I think the team is continuing to gain experience and progressing in the right direction,” coach Mike Salaz said.
“At the varsity level, both the boys and girls finished sixth, reflecting the higher level of depth and experience in the new CCC league. But it doesn’t fully capture how competitive we’ve been.”
Consider Yacqueline Aguirre, who can run the 1,600 meters in 6 minutes, 17 seconds. But because the Los Banos senior came in eighth place, just 4 seconds off sixth, she didn’t record a single team point for that exhaustive effort.
And that was in a field of 19 runners taking on the four laps at Veterans Stadium at Golden Valley High School.
“We’ve had a large number of athletes who hit PRs,” Salaz said, “and we expect to have several individuals and relays advance beyond championships.”
Aguirre did, however, contribute to the team point total by leading off the 4×800 relay, getting the baton to Diana Corral to Donna Torres to Madelyn Silva in 11:19.25 to earn fourth place.
Another fourth was taken in the boys 4×800, with Isaiah Salvatier, Luis Mendoza, Jose Chavez and Ayden Sandoval combining for a 9:24.07.
Salaz is also excited about the marks he’s been getting from his field events, thanks to assistant coaches Mason Hurley and Dylan Mitchell dedicated to the pole vault and the throws, respectively.
An example came from senior Gustavo Ruiz, who placed fourth in the shot put at 38 feet, 4.5 inches, and got a personal record of 120–11 in the discus for the team’s highest placing of the day’s meet at second.
Team point scorers for the varsity Tigers included: Elijah Chiappetta, Sophomore, fifth, 100 meters, 11.41 seconds; Joshua Gargano, Senior, fifth, 400, 53.33; Adrian Montes, Junior, fourth, 300 hurdles, 46.50 (PR); 4×800 relay (Isaiah Salvatier, Luis Mendoza, Jose Chavez, Ayden Sandoval), fourth, 9:24.07; Gustavo Ruiz, Senior, fourth, shot put, 38 feet 4.5 inches; Gustavo Ruiz, Senior, second, discus, 120–11 (PR); Leo Nicholas, Sophomore, fourth, high jump, 5–10 (PR); Leo Nicholas, Sophomore, fourth, long jump, 18–10.5; and Fredy Flores, Junior, sixth, triple jump, 34–7.
Team point scorers for the girls included: Cienna Howard, Junior, fifth, 200, 27.60; Yacqueline Aguirre, Senior, sixth, 3200, 15:11.35; and 4×400 relay (Yacqueline Aguirre, Diana Corral, Donna Torres, Madelyn Silva), fourth, 11:19.25.
The throwers nearly earned a few more points as Brooke Barton put the shot 25–10.5, less than half a foot out of the top six scorers.
And Salaz still has more reason for optimism as the junior varsity teams placed third in girls and fourth in boys.
“It’s showing we have strong depth,” Salaz said, “and a solid pipeline of athletes developing within the program.”
