Quick start for Rams track and field, third-place finishes at ABQ Invite

ALBUQUERQUE - Before some schools have even begun their competition season, Rio Rancho track and field is off and running.

Competing in the Albuquerque Academy-Los Alamos Co-Op Invite March 7, the Rams posted several top times and some state-qualifying results early in the season.

Rio’s boys and girls took third place in their respective fields, falling just behind Albuquerque Academy, Los Alamos and Artesia High.

24 podium finishes were the magic number for the Rams, with four first-place finishes.

For the boys, Alejandro Casaus took first place in the 1600-meter run and was just 11 seconds away from taking home two victories with a second-place finish in the 3200-meter run. His weekend performance qualified him for states.

Kenneth Graves and Daimian Zamora joined Casaus as boys qualifiers, with Graves taking second place in the 200-meter dash and Zamora finishing first in the discus throw.

For the girls, Lily Romero and Mariah Galbraith were the two first-place representatives. Romero was the lone girl to clear 10 feet to take the top spot, with teammate Clara Hawkins finishing second at nine feet, six inches.

Also out in the field, Anni Presser, Alaysia Kottong and Sarah Martinez took second in Shot Put, Javelin and Discus.

Galbraith would also take first in the 1600-meter run and second in the 3200-meter run, similar to teammate Casaus. 

For relays, the Rams took four podium spots, including two second-place finishes. One on the girls' side in the 4x100 relay, and one on the boys' side in the 4x200.

Other notable finishes included Lauren Buford and Samuel Quesada’s second-place finishes in the 800-meter run, on the girls’ and boys' sides, as well as Jolie Pinto and Aubree Porter’s third-place finishes in girls’ long jump and high jump.

While the program’s “rust buster” is set for March 21 (quite literally the name of the event), the Rams look to have shaken off the cobwebs ahead of some big-time meets as the spring season ramps up.

After the Cleveland Invite on the 13th, Rio Rancho will send a few athletes to the Chandler, Arizona Rotary Invite, before returning to New Mexico action with the RR Rust Buster and the Bernalillos Relays.

When March comes to a close, all eyes will be on the City of Rio Rancho’s final host event of the year, the Rio Rancho Invite on April 11.