Final event wins 1A title for Logan

ALBUQUERQUE - With a Class 1A team championship on the line, Logan's 1,600-meter boys relay squad came through.

The Longhorns edged district rival Melrose by a two points for the state title Saturday after Hayden Bruhn, Diego Sanchez, Devin Kotara and Kaeden Stoner won the race - the final event of the meet - in a time of 3 minutes, 38.50 seconds. Logan led almost wire-to-wire, prevailing by 2.4 seconds.

Melrose and Logan had been tied at 90 points apiece going into the race. The relay win gave the Longhorns 10 points, bringing its total to 100 and earning their second straight coveted blue trophy for the team championship.

Melrose earned eight points by finishing second in the race, giving it 98 points and a runner-up finish. Legacy Academy finished a distant third, with 40 points.

After the race in a staging area at the UNM Track-Soccer Complex before the medal presentations, Logan head coach Dwayne Roberts could be seen giving his relay team a thumbs-up with a huge grin. He knew the win had clinched the team title.

"It was a fantastic day," Roberts said. "These boys fought all day. Everybody stepped up, did what they had to do. These guys, they knew what was on the line. I just I cannot believe how proud I am of them."

Roberts noted his team had fallen more than 20 points behind Melrose after the first day of the state meet Friday, making winning the team championship Saturday even sweeter.

"We kind of put ourselves in a hole," he said. "Yesterday, things didn't go as well. And then today the boys just buckled up, and we had some things go really good today."

Stoner, a senior who ran the final lap of the relay, said he appreciated his teammates giving him a sizable lead during the baton handoff.

"They made a good run and took the lead right off the bat," Stoner said. "And they ran their hearts out - mainly just for me because I'm a senior."

Stoner also gave his team a boost Saturday morning by winning the javelin throw with a school-record distance of 158 feet, 5 inches, beating Fort Sumner's Joaquin Segura by almost 2 feet.

"I switched from a tailwind (javelin) to a headwind, which I'm not used to, but it worked out pretty good and I knew I would have to fight for it," Stoner said. "There were two other boys that were ranked ahead of me, but I just played the wind better and ended up winning."

Stoner also finished third in the 300-meter hurdles race.

Also playing a huge role in Logan's team title was junior Haden Judd, who won the 100-meter dash (a state-record 11.16 seconds), 200-meter dash (22.46 seconds), 300-meter hurdles (a state-record 39.71 seconds) and pole vault (a state-record 14 feet).

He also finished second in the triple jump (42-6 1/2), losing only to Melrose's Michael Cardonita.

In all, Judd totaled 33 team points by himself, which easily topped all Class 1A competitors. He also was the top-points individual last season.

"I give it all to my team," Judd said. "They help me keep it under control."

Aydin Kotara also had a big day. He finished second in the 200-meter dash to Judd, third in the 100-meter dash and won the 400-meter dash outright with a time of 51.42 seconds.

Kotara admitted he nearly lost the 400-meter race by going too slow around the curve.

"I had to make it up on the last part of the race," he said.

Other Logan boys who scored team points at the meet:

- 800-meter relay (Aydin Kotara, Stratton Schoonover, Stoner, Sanchez), second (1:36.36);

- Brock Burns, second, high jump (5-10); fifth, triple jump (38-1), and fourth, discus (118-4);

- Bruhn, third, 400-meter dash (0:53.6); and fourth, triple jump (38-11 1/4);

- Mason Wallin, fourth, shot put (43-11 3/4);

- 400-meter relay (Sanchez, Izaiah Kneitz, Stoner, Devin Kotara), sixth (0:47.14).

San Jon saw a strong performance from junior Isidro Martinez in the pole vault, finishing second behind Judd with a height of 11 feet.

Cade Lee of House finished sixth in the same event, with a height of 10-6.

Girls results

Logan freshman Makinlee Judd showed signs of becoming a multi-medalist like her brother.

She won the 100-meter hurdles race in a state-record time of 16.35 seconds.

"I felt amazing," she said. "I just ran my race. Whatever happened, happened."

Judd also anchored the 800-meter relay team that also won a state title with a time of 1:51.84. She won despite a bad baton handoff that forced her to almost stop.

"I went way too early for her," Judd said. "We had a good lead; our handoff was horrible."

Judd also was in the lead in the 300-meter hurdles when she clipped a hurdle and lost her balance. She finished seventh in a time of 52.59 seconds.

She finished fourth in the pole vault at 7 feet. Teammate Brynn Bush also finished in a tie for fourth at 7 feet.

Other Logan girls finishers were:

- Kaylee Williams, third, 200-meter dash (0:27.04);

- 400-meter relay, seventh (0:54.6);

- 1,600-meter relay , third (4:37.24);

- 1,600-meter sprint medley, sixth (4:50.68);

- Kara Bibbs, sixth, discus (84-8).

The Lady Longhorns were sixth in the team standings with 36 points. Legacy Academy won the team title with 74 points, and Melrose was second with 46.