Huffman three-peats at state

ALBUQUERQUE - Tucumcari senior Haisley Huffman added two Class 3A track championships to her resume last weekend, including her third straight in the long jump.

Huffman ended her storied THS career with a total of five individual state championships - three in the long jump and two in the triple jump.

In her last two previous championships in the long jump, Huffman either barely won or needed a strong final jump to win it.

This time, there was little drama. Huffman's first effort in the preliminary round Friday at the UNM Track-Soccer Complex soared well past 16 feet, giving her a firm hold on first place right away.

Assistant coach Gary Hittson said that was part of the plan.

"Just get a jump in, get a mark, and then we'd go from there," he said. "Put pressure on everybody that's jumping with her. That's what we wanted to do."

Huffman later uncorked a jump of 17 feet, 4 1/4 inches, nearly a foot longer than her nearest competitor, Dahlia Reyes-Newell of Santa Fe Prep.

Huffman soon celebrated the title with her coach, parents and extended family on the sidelines of the jump pit.

"What an amazing career," Hittson said. "You know, a three-peat is awesome. And this year, she went through the season undefeated in the long jump. So that's amazing."

About the only goal Huffman didn't accomplish was breaking the THS record of 18 feet by Sandy Fortner. At a home meet late in the season, Huffman jumped past that distance twice but scratched both times.

"It didn't turn out how I wanted to, but three state titles is more than enough," she said.

During the Class 3A triple jump competition Saturday, Huffman encountered more intense competition.

In the finals, Dexter's Alexa Miramontes jumped 35 feet, 3/4 inch. Then Reyes-Newell jumped 35-5.

Huffman hadn't yet cleared 35 feet and was behind.

On her second-to-last attempt, Huffman soared 35 feet, 11 3/4 inches. That put her nearly 6 inches into the lead.

Miramontes' last attempt was 35-7 1/2, well short. Huffman tried to put a little extra in her final attempt to clear 36 feet, but she scratched.

Hittson admitted he had a somewhat different strategy Saturday for the triple jump.

"Just to have fun," he said. "She came in seeded No. 1. But the Dexter girl surprised me today. But that's one thing about Haisley: When she gets behind, she competes."

Huffman acknowledged the pressure made her a bit nervous, but just briefly.

"I liked the competition. I liked the thrill of it," she said.

After another celebration with family members when her fifth state title became apparent, Huffman said the accomplishment hadn't sunk in yet.

"Just trying to live and take in the moment," she said. "But it's cool. It's it feels really good. It's pretty sick."

Lady Rattlers teammate Aubriana French, a junior, finished fourth in the triple jump with an effort of 31-1.

Tucumcari junior July Lafferty came close to winning a state crown, finishing second in the javelin throw with an effort of 109 feet.

Nadia Cedillo captured the state title in that event with a throw of 113-11.

Lafferty also finished sixth in the 400-meter dash in 1:03.26.

Other competitors for the Tucumcari girls:

- Kirksey Smith, fifth, shot put (31-0);

- Kyla Lopez, seventh, 300-meter hurdles (0:52.88);

- 400-meter relay (Lafferty, Huffman, French, Lopez), fifth (0:52.20);

- 800-meter relay (Lafferty, Huffman, Caylee Benavides, French), sixth (1:53.03);

- 1,600-meter relay (Lafferty, French, Riley Knapp, Benavidez), seventh (4:32.16).

The Lady Rattlers finished in a tie for sixth in the team standings with Santa Fe Indian School, with 28 points.

St. Michael's won the team title with 101 points, with Santa Fe Prep a distant second with 61 points.

Top finishers for the Tucumcari boys team:

- Alex Bueno De La O, seventh, 3,200-meter run (11:00.62);

- Luis Archuleta, eighth, triple jump (37-9);

- Fernando Ureste, ninth, 800-meter run (2:09.15); and ninth, 3,200-meter run (12:11.0);

- 800-meter relay (Alijah Martinez, Daymion Urioste, Archuleta and Adan Diaz), seventh (1:37.76);

- 1,600-meter relay (Urioste, Martinez, Jeremy Jones and Diaz), sixth (3:43.47);

- 1,600-meter sprint medley (Diaz, Archuleta, Urioste and Ureste), seventh (3:56.97).