Though local teams found fewer breakthrough moments in the relay events this season, individual performances across the distance and field disciplines ensured area athletes remained well represented on the championship podium throughout the weekend.
By Levi Gwaltney for Las Cruces Digest
Photos: Courtesy Thrive575 Athletics and New Mexico Activities Association
Cover image is an AI-assisted enhancement from spectator screenshot of new state record holder, Miles Odom. Original video courtesy Thrive575 Athletics (via Facebook)
Athletes from across our broader community converged on Albuquerque this weekend for the 2026 NMAA State Track & Field Championships at the UNM Track & Field Complex, with local programs producing individual state champions, podium finishes, and a third-place team finish in Class 5A boys competition.
While relay success proved elusive for area schools this season, distance runners and field-event specialists carried much of the local momentum at this year’s championships.
At the smaller-school classifications, Hatch Valley stood as the lone local representative in Class 3A competition. Continuing a growing athletics presence for the program, the Bears bused 14 boys and 12 girls to Albuquerque. Hatch finished with four team points on the boys side, but fielded one of the largest local delegations at the state meet.
In Class 4A, Chaparral and Santa Teresa represented the area. Chaparral qualified 11 boys and six girls, with the Lobos securing two team points on the boys side. Santa Teresa sent six boys to the championships.
Class 5A produced the strongest local performances of the weekend.
Organ Mountain Boys sporting the “Green Trophy” (Left). Coach Greg Mallory (Right). Courtesy NMAA
Organ Mountain’s boys captured third place overall as a team with 41 points, trailing only Cleveland and La Cueva. Sophomore distance standout Daxton Coombs led the charge with a state championship in the 3200m while also earning silver medals in both the 1600m and 800m races. The closest finish came in the 800m, where Rio Rancho’s Alejandro Casaus stretched a freckle and edged Coombs by one-hundredth of a second at the line.
Daxton Coombs battles for lead. (Courtesy NMAA)
Organ Mountain’s girls squad also leaned heavily on distance performances. Eighth grader Lena Coombs earned fourth place in the 800m, while freshman Ashley Galaz secured fifth in the 1600m. The Knights finished with nine team points, the highest total among local girls programs.
Luke Matherly (Left Courtesy NMAA, Right Courtesy Thrive575 Athletics)
Centennial’s boys tied Hobbs for eighth place in the team standings with 21 points after qualifying 21 athletes for the state meet. Thrower Luke Matherly emerged as one of the Hawks’ top performers, earning eighth in shot put and second in discus. Matherly was also recognized as a recipient of the NMAA Foundation Dan and Lucille Wood/Grey Gladiator Scholarship.
For the Centennial girls, sophomore Allyson Magallanes posted the fastest local girls distance time at the meet with a fifth-place finish in the 3200m. Multiple-sport athlete Paige Jorge added points in the field events, taking fourth in shot put and ninth in discus.
Las Cruces High School’s Sofia Herrera, Class 5A Javelin State Champion (Courtesy Thrive575 Athletics via Facebook)
Las Cruces senior Sofia Herrera delivered one of the area’s clearest championship moments, capturing the Class 5A girls javelin title with a throw of 129 feet, 9 inches.
Miles Odom photo courtesy Thrive575 Athletics (via Facebook)
Mayfield senior Miles Odom produced another signature performance for the Trojans, clearing 16 feet, 7 inches in the pole vault to secure both a state championship and a new state record. Teammate Xavier Ochoa added a third-place finish in the 300m hurdles.
Gadsden sophomore Melanie Gaytan rounded out the area’s podium finishes with a silver medal effort in the girls triple jump.
Though local teams found fewer breakthrough moments in the relay events this season, individual performances across the distance and field disciplines ensured area athletes remained well represented on the championship podium throughout the weekend.
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