There are no hurdles left for three individuals and one Gilroy
High track and field relay team to clear.
Competing at Saturday’s Central Coast Section semifinals held at
Garcia-Elder Sports Complex on the GHS campus, Kathleen Miller
advanced in the 3,200, freshman Alison Green moved on in the high
jump, and the boys’ 4×100 relay team of Nick Rodriguez, Steven
Heisey, Travis Reyes and Peter Guenther proved fast enough to be
included in the top eight.
Guenther has several more obstacles to overcome, but that’s only
because he qualified in the 300 hurdles.
There are no hurdles left for three individuals and one Gilroy High track and field relay team to clear.
Competing at Saturday’s Central Coast Section semifinals held at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex on the GHS campus, Kathleen Miller advanced in the 3,200, freshman Alison Green moved on in the high jump, and the boys’ 4×100 relay team of Nick Rodriguez, Steven Heisey, Travis Reyes and Peter Guenther proved fast enough to be included in the top eight.
Guenther has several more obstacles to overcome, but that’s only because he qualified in the 300 hurdles.
“We performed as well as we’re going to,” Gilroy coach Jeff Myers said of the day, adding that several individuals such as Reyes, who ran the 100 and 200, and long-distance runner Derek Pesta, put on outstanding performances, but at this point in the season the competition can be too much. “Travis ran hard, Derek ran hard, but it’s one of those things, at this level there’s going to be somebody better than you. This is the best of the best.”
Of the runners remaining, Myers said he thought Miller was the most likely to challenge for a top finish.
“[The event] is going to be in the evening, which is much more suited for her,” Myers said. “I believe she can fight through to a top-three finish.
“She’s a feisty little girl. She’s a great, great runner and she can chase people down.”
The other lady making an appearance for the Mustangs is Green, which is somewhat of a shock, even to her.
“I was really surprised, ” Green said of her ability to clear five-feet-two-inches in the high jump. “I though I knocked [the bar] down.”
“She’s kind of in a groove right now where she’s really comfortable with her style and approach,” Myers said of Green.
“Sometimes you hope for the kids, everything you teach them all year long [coming together]. Hitting a [personal record] to make the finals as a freshman is a great accomplishment. We’re very happy for her. It’s a surprise, but you could see it coming.”
One thing that was not expected, and almost never are, is an injury that occurred to Heisey’s hamstring late in the season. Realizing he wouldn’t be able to compete full strength, Heisey sacrificed running in individual events at the Tri-County Athletic League Championships to help the boys’ 4×100 qualify for CCS. The move paid off for Heisey and teammates as they finished in the top eight with a time of 43.40 seconds.
“It shows dedication and unselfishness to give up an individual goal for the team,” Myers said. “The guys have really gelled recently. They’ve gotten better each week. It’s kind of all for one, one for all.
“There’s nobody bigger than everyone else and they’re all doing their part.”
The group, along with Miller, Green and Guenther, will have a chance to do a little bit more Friday afternoon in Gilroy.
