Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Staff report
The last time the Portales boys track team had this many athletes heading to Albuquerque in May, it came home with a team trophy.
That’s kind of the thought process this time around, too.
Portales’ boys bring 14 into the Class 3A track meet, which starts this morning at the University of New Mexico track complex.
When Portales took third place in 2008, it did so largely on the efforts of two first-place finishes from Jacob Brady and Tyler Anderson. This time around, track coach Glenn Johnson feels the team can succeed with depth, and possibly make some noise if that depth excels.
“We’ve got two 110 hurdles, two 300 hurdlers, three pole vaulters and two high jumpers,” Johnson said. “If we can get both kids points and placed in (each event) those kind of add up. If we perform the way we should and the way I’m anticipating, there are going to be quite a few kids getting on the podium. Hopefully at east three of the four relays, someone in both hurdles.”
Johnson is hopeful for points from Lane Stevens and Colby Schillings in the pole vault and Paul Conrow and Cory Davis in the high jump, along with the relay squads.
As far as a blue trophy, Johnson said Lovington’s depth may prove too much. But, you never know.
“No. 1, we’re looking for a team trophy,” Johnson said. “After that, we’re looking for individual success from the kids that put in hard work to get here.”
The Portales girls, meanwhile, bring around a dozen athletes to the state meet as well, including sophomore Amanda Schmidt, the District 4-3A champion in both shot (32-9) and discus.
Additionally, sophomore Hannah Cabledue goes in with a school-record 9 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault — following in the footsteps of her father, Dustin Cabledue, who held the record when he attended Portales High. Cabledue finished fifth in last year’s state meet with a vault of 8-6.