KING CITY — The 80th Annual King City Invitational Track and Field Meet will take place this Saturday at War Memorial Stadium.
The April 5 invitational will be hosted by the King City High School track and field team. Divisions include varsity boys and girls and frosh-soph boys and girls.
In the varsity divisions, the top 36 marks will be accepted in the 100-200 races and the top 27 marks in all other events. In the frosh-soph divisions, the top 27 marks will be accepted in the 100-200, 800, 1600 and 3200, and the top 18 will be accepted in all other events.
Last year’s invitational attracted San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande and Paso Robles from the south, and many teams that are members of the Pacific Coast Athletic League, including all four South Monterey County teams.
San Luis Obispo was the winning team in all four divisions. The highest placing South County school was the King City boys’ frosh-soph team that placed second behind San Luis Obispo. This year San Luis Obispo will not be attending the King City Invitational.
“We will have some good teams coming to the meet from down south, including Arroyo Grande, Lompoc, Paso Robles and Pioneer Valley,” said King City Head Coach Ismael Rocha. “Teams from our local Pacific Coast Athletic League include Hollister, Palma, North Salinas, Everett Alvarez, Pacific Grove, Greenfield, Soledad and Gonzales. Our deadline was last night, so we could still have more teams attending.”
Leading the King City varsity boys’ team will be Alexander Macias, who could place in the triple jump, long jump, the 100, and will run a leg on the 4 x 100 relay. Armando Villasenor could score points in the shot put and discus.
For the King City varsity girls’ team, Rose Ruelas could medal in the 200 and 400 and will run on the relay team. Jacqueline Orellana is a standout in the sprint events and high jump, and Yahaira Torres will lead King City in the distance events.
“We are expecting a good turnout of athletes and great competition,” Rocha said. “The invitational is well run and we should have some good weather this upcoming weekend.”
Field events will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, with running events starting at 10 a.m.
