The girls team heads into the second half of its dual-meet schedule with an impressive 3-1 record, its lone loss coming at the hands of a tough Deer Valley squad and its slimmest margin of victory in the three wins a whopping 28 points.
Sophomore Aimee Rodgers leads a talented group of Falcon sprinters and hurdlers. Rodgers won three events when Freedom hosted Pittsburg last Wednesday, finishing first in the 100-meter hurdles (15.7 seconds), 100 meters (13.1 seconds) and 200 meters (27.6 seconds).
"Aimee almost made it to state in the hurdles as a freshman and was one of the top hurdlers in California last year," said head coach Nate Smith. "She just returned from an injury last week and she's already reestablishing herself. Everybody has really stepped up around her and I'm really proud of the entire group."
Rodgers had plenty of company in the win column against Pittsburg. Maria Curiel won the 400 meters (61.8 seconds), Kelsee Wiley won the 1,600 meters (6 minutes, 21 seconds), Jordan Glass won the 300-meter hurdles (49.9 seconds), Janelle Lewis won the long jump (13 feet, 11 inches), and Freedom won both relays. The Falcons also swept the long jump, both hurdles races, and the 1,600 meters.
"Maria Curiel has been tremendous," said Smith. "She's won a couple of 400s - setting new PRs (personal records) every time - and set a new school record in the 200 (27.27 seconds). With Aimee out, she really established herself in the BVAL with her performance this year."
Although the boys team finished the first half of its dual meet schedule with a record of just 1-3, there are plenty of reasons to remain optimistic about the talented team's prospects to finish .500 and make noise at next month's Bay Valley Athletic League championship meet.
Senior Diondre Borel and junior Hunter Simpson are both enjoying standout seasons for the boys team. Simpson tied the school record in the high jump (6 feet, 4 inches), and Borel reclaimed his school record in the triple jump (42-5.5) at last week's meet against Pittsburg.
"He has a lot of goals set for himself," Smith said of Borel, a two-sport standout who rewrote the quarterbacking record book on his way to all-league honors as a football player in the fall. "Last year he didn't get to compete in all his events because he was at the Nike football combine. He went to NCS in the triple jump, but he could have gone in the long jump, too."
Freedom's Ryan Rodriguez won the 400 meters (55.8), Justin Nevels won the 3,200 meters (10:55), Mike Westerhof won the 110-meter hurdles (16 seconds), Cliff Murray won the 300-meter hurdles (43.4 seconds), and Dante Dimercurio won the pole vault (10 feet).
"We've had some people with rough starts, but I think we're at a point where we're really starting to put in some good workouts," Smith said. "Last year we really improved at the end of the year, and I see this group doing the same thing, but a little bit earlier. We're really bringing that competitive edge into the remaining meets."
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