The track season may still be in its beginning stages, but
senior Brian Lopez and junior Raquel Butler each have their hearts
set on placing in CCS and State.
GILROY – The track season may still be in its beginning stages, but senior Brian Lopez and junior Raquel Butler each have their hearts set on placing in CCS and State.
“I’m trying to make a goal to win CCS in shot-put and come in second in discuss,” said Lopez, who was a two-way staring lineman for the football team at Gilroy High.
Last year, Lopez placed first in discus and second in shot-put at the league finals and then finished 12th in discus at the CCS Finals. Right now, Lopez sits in fifth place for both shot-put and discuss.
During Thursday’s T-CAL home meet against Hollister, Lopez encountered some difficulties while throwing the discus due to the wet weather. His longest distance was 148 feet, nine-inches – which was only on a half-throw.
“I just half-scaled that,” Lopez said. “With the conditions, I tried to put socks on and everything.”
The light drizzles did not harm Butler’s runs, though. The Lady Mustangs’ speedster came in first place in her first run, which was the 400-meter, with a time of 61 seconds. Her second run, the 100-meter, she finished in a first-place tie.
“I’m pretty disappointed, but it’s the first 100 I ran this year,” Butler said. “What are you going to do.”
This season, Butler has her hopes on returning to the State Finals. The sprinter has been battling shin splints – but Butler has not let that keep her down. She says that she is feeling “pretty strong this year.” Butler does not care how she places; she just wants to place. Last season, she finished second in CCS and placed ninth in her heat at state.
Head Coach Guido Zvigzne said he could not supply the complete final results for Thursday’s league meet against Hollister by press-time last night.
