Track teams take second at district meet

Staff report

LOVINGTON — Portales High’s teams are both planning on taking just over a dozen athletes to next week’s Class 3A state competition in Albuquerque.

Both the Rams and Lady Rams finished second in the three-team District 4-3A meet on Friday, run alongside the District 4-5A meet. Lovington won the boys team title with 104 points to 58 for PHS and 51 for Ruidoso, while Ruidoso took girls team honors with 100 points with Portales finishing with 56 1/2 to nip Ruidoso by a point.

Michael Nichols posted the only first-place finish for the boys, winning the 300 hurdles in 41.72 with teammate David Viera second. The Rams had eight other second-place finishes, including new state qualifiers in Damian Gomez (400) and Michael Stallings (1,600).

“I’m very pleased with the outcome,” Rams coach Glenn Johnson said. “I think just about everybody had a personal-best.”

The Lady Rams had a double winner in sophomore Amanda Schmidt, who took shot put (32-9) and discus (87-11). Like the boys, the PHS girls also had a slew of second-place finishes, and added state qualifiers in Brittany Gonzales (shot put), Sheraya Cox (100) and the 1,600 medley relay.

“I’m glad we got some more kids in,” Lady Rams coach Sandie Schillings said. “We’re going to work hard this week, and I think we have a good shot at placing in several events.”

The large-schools (Classes 3A-5A) state meet is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the University of New Mexico track facility in Albuquerque.