YC boys second; 1,600 relay team state champs

The Yuma Catholic boys track and field team had its highest-ever finish at the 2A State Championships, taking second to Valley Christian, and the 1,600-meter relay team avenged last year's disqualification by winning the state title.
 
The Shamrocks collected 76.5 points ahead of third place Northwest Christian (62) Saturday at Mesa Community College. Valley Christian had 116 points.
 
The relay team of Cody Alexander, Ernie Samaniego, Austin Rodriguez and Rod Ford won by nearly 10 yards with a time of 3 minutes, 29.7 seconds.
 
"We made the most of what we had. Some were real close and we didn't have a whole lot of luck today," YC coach Ralph Farr said. "That relay team has had its challenges and faced adversity, but they finally won, and the won by 10 yards or so."
 
Ford and Rodriguez finished second and third in the 400, but Ford was disqualified for running on the line at the turn and Rodriguez was awarded the second-place finish. Officials originally told Farr Rodriguez was the one who ran on the line before changing their ruling.
 
Ed Harris was second in the 110 hurdles (15.78) and the 300 hurdles (41.63), third in the triple jump (40 feet, 9.2 inches) and fifth in the long jump (20-4.50).
 
"The 300 was really impressive because he and the Valley Christian kid were dead even and on the last hurdle he went down and still got up in time to finish second," Farr said.
 
Ford did bring home a medal of his own for fourth place in the 200 (23.19). Samaniego was third in the 110 hurdles (16.66), Paul Corona was fourth in the triple jump (40-5) and Elliot Cooley was eighth in the discus (121-6).
 
The Yuma Catholic girls were 12th overall but also had some disagreements with the officials when their 1,600 relay team was disqualified.
 
"They told me one girl took the baton in front of the exchange zone, which I found hard to believe because it's not a blind exchange and we train them to stand on the arrow inside the zone," Farr said. "I talked to my girl, and she told me the official told her to stand outside of the zone, so it doesn't make any sense."
 
Alexandra Rosado was second in the shot put (31-11.5) and sixth in the discus (86.11).