Sims and Deniz Win State Titles on Day Two
The Hartnell men's track & field team placed tenth at last year's state championship, but after two individual state titles on the final day of competition in Modesto, the Panthers secured their highest finish since 2015 when they placed fourth. This year's finish came with the help of a surprise title by sophomore Zachary Sims in the men's javelin and from Esteban Deniz in the 1500 meter run.
Sims, who graduated from Hollister High School, did not eve qualify for the Northern California trials in the javelin as a freshman. In one year, he goes from a 48 meter thrower to the state champion and second Panther ever to eclipse the 200 foot mark. Heading into the competition, Sims had already bested top Norcal seed Brandon Smith at the Norcal Championship the week before. In this competition, he would face off with Smith again and last year's second place state finisher Matthew Mannino of Mt. SAC. Mannino brought in a season best of 59.49m, which he had produced to win the Socal Championship the week before. Mannino would strike first with a toss of 58.32m/191-4 in the first round. In round two, Mannino would strike again throwing a lifetime bese 60.72m/199-2. Sims up to round four had only a best of 55.78m/183-0 which placed him in second. On his fourth throw of the competition, Sims would unleash the best throw of his life recording a mark of 61.23m/200-10. That propelled him into the lead and made him the only community college athlete this year to throw beyond 200 feet. Mannino would be unable to make the mark and would settle for another second place finish. Sims would finish off his Hartnell throwing career in the sixth round with another 200 foot throw with a mark of 60.99m/200-1. Sims becomes the second ever state champion in the javelin joining Jeff Garcia in 1975.
Deniz, who had placed last in the 1500 meter state final as a freshman, returned better prepared and poised. Running aggressively from the front from the gun, Deniz blisted the first 300 meters in 44.66 and 700m in 1:47.31 with only Devin Provence of San Diego Mesa College attempting to stay with him. Hitting the bell lap in 2:51.51, Deniz had Provence in two and Socal champion Julius Largaespada of Glendale College in pursuit. Provence would break first and Largaesada gave chase the final 200 meters but the gap was too big to overcome. A final 400m of 59.50 would secure the state title for Deniz in 3:51.01, a lifetime best by over 2 seconds. He moves to third fastest all-time in Hartnell history and jumps over his brother Eduardo Orozco, who won the state title in 2017 in the 1500 meters as well. Freshman Moises Benito made the podium with sixth place finish (3:58.35). He will be one of the top contenders in 2024. Ricky Diaz III took on the double and placed twelfth (4:14.98).
In the men's 3k steeplechase, sophomore Daniel Pantoja competed in his second state championship. He would run as high as the top sixth before falling back to ninth and just missed his second state medal. He finished with his fastest time of the season in 9:50.97.
Deniz and Benito would run last 5000 meters together in the final with Deniz placing sixth and Benito eleventh. Deniz had dropped out of the 5000m final as a freshman with injury and returned this season to place on the podium in 15:00.72. Benito ran his second fastest 5000m of the season in 15:15.88, a race that saw the top 5 all go under 15 minutes.
The Panthers scored 32 points to place fifth just six points behind Modesto Junior College, the Northern California Champion.