Avis Kelley is once again bringing out some of the best high
school track and field talent in the area and beyond, and Gilroy
High is hoping to make its own mark at the 39th annual Invitational
named after the former Mustangs coach.
Forty teams will be attending the meet being hosted all day
Saturday at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex in Gilroy, with a total of
1,800 entrants expected to compete at the varsity and junior
varsity levels. Trials will start at 9 a.m., with final heats
expected to begin at noon.
GILROY – Avis Kelley is once again bringing out some of the best high school track and field talent in the area and beyond, and Gilroy High is hoping to make its own mark at the 39th annual Invitational named after the former Mustangs coach.
Forty teams will be attending the meet being hosted all day Saturday at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex in Gilroy, with a total of 1,800 entrants expected to compete at the varsity and junior varsity levels. Trials will start at 9 a.m., with final heats expected to begin at noon.
GHS senior sprinter and hurdler Peter Guenther and junior Sarah Unadia, competing in the hurdles and high jump, look to be the Mustangs’ best bets to earn titles at the event in what is shaping up to be an extremely competitive field.
“He’s way ahead of schedule,” Gilroy head coach Jeff Myers said in regard to Guenther’s times in the 110 and 300 hurdles this season. “He’s in really good condition. He’s been working hard.”
Guenther took first in the 110 last Saturday at the K-Bell Invitational held at Los Gatos High School, finishing in 15.1 seconds. Myers said the mark was good enough for sixth in the state entering that meet. Guenther also placed third in the 300 with a time of 39.71 and fourth in the 100-meter dash at 11.18.
Meanwhile, Unadia enters Avis Kelley ranked No. 1 in the 100 hurdles and No. 2 in the high jump amongst the field, Myers said. She took fourth at K-Bell by clearing five feet in the high jump.
Another Mustang expected to be a top finisher includes senior Kathleen Miler in the 3,200.
“She’ll probably be somewhere in the top five,” coach Art Silva said, adding that nothing will come easy for anyone since the meet has such a deep pool of athletes.
“As far as a regular set of events, it’s going to be pretty big for this time of year.”
A couple of JV athletes Myers said to keep an eye on will be sophomore pole vaulter Eric Martinez and freshman female vaulter Samantha Irwin.
Martinez cleared 12 feet for second place at K-Bell, just missing a chance to match the GHS frosh-soph school record of 12-6.
Eric Martinez
Freshmen runners Athena Alarcon and Savannah Silacci also could impress.
“[Irwin] and Savannah are doing very well,” Myers said.
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Results from Thursday’s dual meet between Gilroy and Salinas were unavailable as of press time. Results will be posted to gilroydispatch.com/sports on Friday.
