Estancia adds big weapon

Chris Yemma

Just when things were looking bleak for the Estancia High boys track

and field team, a newcomer emerged to replace an old horse.

Senior Bryce McKendry is headlining the Eagles this season,

filling the void left behind by Jason Johnston, a long jump, triple

jump and hurdles standout.

McKendry, who played tennis the last three spring seasons, has

excelled in the long jump, triple jump and high jump, as well as the

110-meter high hurdles. He gives Estancia another athlete who has an

excellent chance at gathering 20 points at any given dual meet.

The most any one athlete can achieve is 20 points. McKendry has

totaled 38 points in Estancia’s two meets this season.

“He has been a big help to us this year,” Estancia Coach Dominic

Lakey said. “We’re sort of counting on him to win the jumping events

all year.”

Johnston was a near-lock to win all of his events in Golden West

League dual meets last season.

And, so far, McKendry has taken up where Johnston left off.

Last year’s Estancia Boys Athlete of the Year, Johnston had, at

one point, won 14 of 15 events in league his senior season. He helped

lead the team to a league championship his junior year.

With McKendry, Estancia is 2-0 in league thus far and on pace to

make some noise.

Behind McKendry in gathering points is the deep distance field the

Eagles possess, led by junior Ernesto Castaneda, senior Alex

Cahuantzi and junior C.J. Buchmann.

Castaneda finished 18th in the CIF State Division III cross

country championships in the fall. Buchmann was fourth in league last

year in the 800 and third in the 1,600, while Cahuantzi was third in

the 3,200.

All are back to pace a deep distance lineup.

“The distances are probably our best events,” said Charlie Appell,

who coaches the Eagles’ distance runners. “They all could go to the

CIF [Southern Section] preliminaries.”

Leading the sprinting charge are sophomores Alex Capistran and

Diego Carrasco, as well as senior Geo Macias.

Capistran was second in the 100 in Thursday’s dual meet against

Costa Mesa, while Macias won the 200 and Carrasco was third. Macias

was also second in the 400.

In the throwing events, seniors Ian Morton, Mike Courtney and

Curtis Fisher lead the pack.

Morton was second in the shot put against Mesa, while Courtney was

second in the discus and third in the shot put. Fisher was third in

the discus against the Mustangs.