GILROY — As the lead pack of 3,200-meter runners rounded the last corner of the first lap, a tiny pigtailed blur of black and gold could be seen among the sea of Amazons.
Layla Ruiz, easily the smallest competitor on the track, was standing tall among the giants of the Central Coast Section at Saturday’s track and field semifinals.
“It’s not how big you are,” Watsonville High’s petite freshman runner said. “It’s all about the heart and the work that you put in.”
Heart, resolve and courage, Ruiz showcased all of the above while punching her ticket to next week’s CCS Championships back at Gilroy High. She took fourth in her star-studded heat, which featured a trio of highly-decorated seniors: Rebecca Hasser, Kaylah Grant and Mari Friedman.
Her time of 11 minutes, 15.77 seconds further lowered her school record in the event and was the fifth fastest time of the day.
She shed a few tears while thinking about her season.
“They’re tears of joy,” said Ruiz, the Monterey Bay League Pacific division champ in the 1,600 and 3,200. “I’m really glad I was able to pull through and accomplish everything I’ve been working for this whole season.”
Her season could very well extend into early June if she continues to improve.
The top three finishers in each event at May 25’s CCS Championships will advance to the CIF state meet at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis on June 1-2.
“What turns out, turns out,” Ruiz said. “I’m going to go out there, run my race and pour my heart and soul into it.”
Teammate Daniela Salazar will also set her sights on earning a trip to the Central Valley. The star senior 800 runner reset her school record in the event by running a 2:15.98 and finishing second in her heat.
Salazar, who took sixth at last year’s CCS Championships in the 800, said she’s feeling as good as she’s ever felt at this point of the season.
“I feel like I still have another gear,” she said. “I felt good to go. I think I could’ve gone another lap if I wanted to.”
Her time was the fourth fastest of the day. She said she’ll have to find that next gear and break her own record once again in order to advance to state.
“I’m really happy overall, I’m healthy, I’m [hitting personal records], but I’m not satisfied,” Salazar said. “I don’t think you should ever be satisfied. You should try to get the most out of it.”
Aptos High’s Marea Zlatunich will enter next week with the same mentality. The Mariners’ stellar senior runner won her heats in the 1,600 and 3,200 in 5:07.38 and 11:13.56, respectively.
A year after missing the CCS meet because of a leg injury, Zlatunich said she has not felt this level of confidence and overall health this late in a track season since she was a freshman.
“I’ve been careful, and I’ve been really focused,” said Zlatunich, who is set to run cross country and track at NCAA Division I Cal Berkeley. “Since I didn’t have my best cross country season, I really wanted to have a good track season. I wanted to make this one my best one yet.”
Zlatunich missed the cut for state in the 1,600 by two hundredths of a second as a freshman and took fifth in the event as a sophomore.
She would like to exorcise her demons at the CCS Championships on her final go-around.
“CCS track kind of freaks me out,” Zlatunich joked, “but this year, I’m feeling confident and I’m feeling strong.”
Aptos distance coach Dan Gruber said he wouldn’t be surprised if Zlatunich qualifies for state in both events next week.
“She can double as well as anyone,” Gruber said.
Her teammate Sofia Natividad will join her and Ruiz in the 3,200 next week. The Mariners’ senior just made the cut with a time of 11:26.48.
She said she was happy to extend her season by another week despite not running her best race.
“I didn’t feel as energetic as I wanted to,” said Natividad, who will run cross country and track at NCAA D-III University of Chicago — a prestigious school with a seven percent acceptance rate — next season. “It definitely wasn’t a PR, but I’m satisfied with it.”
Ruiz, Salazar, Zlatunich and Natividad were four of nine locals who advanced.
Aptos also had Owen Mastropietro, Natalia Ackerman, Brynn Mitchell and Alex Austen move on. Mastropietro qualified in the 110 hurdles (15.5), Ackerman was good enough in the high jump (5 feet), Mitchell posted solid marks in the long jump (16-9) and triple jump (36-11) to earn a spot in each event and Austen recorded the third-best toss in the shot put (50-8.5)
For North Monterey County High, senior Sarah Delgado advanced in the 800 (2:19.68).
Editor’s Note: This article will publish in the May 25 edition of the Pajaronian newspaper.
