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Patrick Lopez and Andrea Castaneda are going to state! Maria Lopez | SMHS
San Manuel Miner
San Manuel runners Andrea Castaneda and Patrick Lopez, both seniors, qualified for the Cross-Country State Championship Meet, which will take place on Nov. 7 at the Cave Creek Golf Course in Phoenix.
Castaneda, who finished third, was the top Miners girls’ runner at the Sectional Championships at Marana High School, where the San Manuel girls’ team finished ninth out of 20 teams that competed.
Castaneda, one of two team captains, will be making her third appearance at the state meet.
Lopez, who finished ninth with a personal record of 17:18, was the top Miners boys’ runner at the Sectionals, where the boys’ team finished 10th out of 20 teams.
Lopez, the other team captain, will make making his second appearance at the state meet.
Six Miners recorded season-best times at the sectional meet, including Levi Schifferns, Tylo Montes, Carlos Salas, Rebekah Messing, Yasmin Salas, and Yesenia Arcienega.
“As a coach it has been great to see runners’ times go down for all our kids over the course of the season with many athletes attaining career or season (personal records),” Miners’ head coach Maria Lopez said. “We were a small squad, but our runners worked hard and well together making it a fun and memorable season.”
Lopez announced that she will coach the Miner Track & Field team in the spring before retiring after the season. She will continue in both sports – Cross Country and Track & Field – as an AIA official.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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