ALBUQUERQUE – The Rio Rancho High School track & field teams collectively had one of the best state meets in school history May 13-14, as the boys finished second and the girls tied for third.

The boys matched their previous bests, runner-up finishes in 2004, 2008 and 2015; the girls, who tied for third with District 1-5A foe Volcano Vista, last finished that high back in 2010, and they’d also finished third in 2001 and 2009.

Relays and sprints are best for boys

The Rams’ 4×200 relay team finished first in 1:27.78 for RRHS’s only victory Saturday, although Devin Rice was second in the 100-meter dash and third in the 200.

Hurdlers Willie Johns and Anthony Heavyrunner contributed a bunch of points, as Johns was second only to Cleveland’s Antonio Avila in the 110- and 300-hurdles. Heavyrunner, battling Avila for the second year in a row, was third in the 300-hurdles but only fifth in the 110-high hurdles.

Dawson Gunn was second in the 800 and 1600, and the medley relay team was runner-up.

The Rams’ 4×100 relay team placed fourth; Cayden Romero was fifth in the shot put, Charles Sanchez logged a sixth-place finish in the discus and the 4×400 relay team was sixth.

Glenn wins two events

Sterling Glenn paced the Rams girls, winning the discus with a toss of 131 feet, 4 inches, and hefting the shot 44 feet, 4 inches.

The relay teams fared well: The 4×800 squad was second, the 4×200 quartet was third and the 4×100 and medley squads were fourth.

Gracey Lovato was third in the 3200 and teammate Esther Cameron was fourth; Lovato and Cameron finished 4-5 in the 1600.

Anna Jensen was fourth for the Rams in the shot put, and Glenn finished fourth in the javelin.

Coincidentally, the Rams boys’ head coach, Sal Gonzales, and the girls’ head coach, Nate Pino, won’t be back at those posts next season.Gonzales is the new RRHS athletic director and Pino will be the school’s varsity football coach starting in the 2022-23 school year.

The RRHS boys track & field team finished second at state Saturday. (Herron photo)

The RRHS girls track & field team finished third at state Saturday. (Herron photo)