The Rams’ Esther Cameron, left, does a “high 10” with Cleveland’s Leah Futey after they completed the 1600. (Hailey Martinez photo)

Fresh off the heels of a win at Metro, the Cleveland High boys track & field team locked in another win last weekend at the District 1-5A track and field meet held at Nusenda Community Stadium.

They rounded out their win with an impressive score of 189; the Rio Rancho boys came in second with a score of 113.

The girls teams for the Storm and Rams battled it out with Cleveland taking first with a

score of 128 and Rio Rancho right behind with a score of 127.

The boys of the meet

Evan Wysong, a junior sprinter  — and quarterback in the fall — at Cleveland High, had a clean sweep taking first in the 100-and 200-meter dashes. A close competitor to Wysong was RRHS senior Devin Rice, who placed third in the 100, and second in the 200.

The Storm weren’t only impressive on the track; in field events, Logan McKinney finished first in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 12 feet.

Meanwhile, CHS’s Dominic Vasquez came out on top in the javelin with an exceptional 160 feet, 8 inches, and teammate Brandon Tenorio secured second with a toss of 148-10.

The Cleveland boys had success with four relays — the 4×200, 4×400, the medley and the 4×800 — all securing a win under the Storm’s belt.

However, Rio Rancho’s boys secured a win in the 4×100, a runner-up finish in the 4×400, and third-place finishes in the 4×200, medley and the 4×800.

The girls of the meet

Cleveland’s Leah Futey won her specialties, the 1600- and

3200-meter runs with times of 5:10.78 and 11:26.31. Esther Cameron of RRHS

finished closely behind Futey in the 1600 with a 5:21.43, Cameron also had a third-place finish in the 800.

When it came down to the field events, the Rams’ Sterling Glenn secured first-place finishes in the shot put (40-8.5) and discus (120.0).

Rio Rancho’s girls did a pleasing job, placing first in the 4×200 and the medley, and coming in second in the 4×100, 4×400 and 4×800 relays.

The Storm girls managed to place third in each of their relay races.

Coming up soon: State

The 5A state championships will be held Friday and Saturday at the UNM track complex, where the Cleveland boys were seeking their sixth state championship in a row, and their eighth in the last nine seasons (excluding pandemic season of 2020).

The Cleveland girls were after their fifth title, having won for former coach Tim Flores in 2012, and 2015-17.

Rio Rancho track & field teams have yet to win that blue trophy.

Heading into the season-ending event, these CHS and RRHS competitors/teams had the top times/distances prior to state (Only state records may be set at the state meet.):

  • Cleveland (8): Antonio Avila, 110 hurdles (14.39) and 300 hurdles (39.21); boys medley relay (3:40.42); Evan Wysong, 200-meter dash (22.01); Leah Futey, girls’ 1600 (5:05.34) and 3200 (11:02.18); boys 4×400 relay (3:26.33); Stratton Shufelt, shot put (54-9.5).
  • Rio Rancho (4): Girls 4×200 relay quartet (1:45.27); boys 4×200 relay quartet (1:29.3); Sterling Glenn, girls shot put (43-2) and discus (126-2).