CORTEZ – In the five decades that Montezuma-Cortez track and field coach Bob Archibeque has guided the program, there’s been a consistent heartbeat of what drives its success.
“One of the key things we always talk about is that every kid we have is special. And we don’t focus on the end result, but rather the journey getting to the end result,” Archibeque said. “Every athlete we have out here contributes, regardless of whether they’re winning their event or inspiring someone else to do their best.”
Archibeque enters his 27th year as head coach, after two decades working as an assistant under Sam Fox and Bob’s brother Larry Archibeque. The Panthers coach credits Fox and Archibeque for teaching him key principles of the sport, as well as how to run a program that places the growth and development of strong young men and women as a forefront goal.
The Panthers look to carry on that tradition this spring.
The Montezuma-Cortez boys are defending Intermountain League champions. Although school record-holder Zander Cruzan departed, new faces will emerge as the core groups for both the boys and girls rosters envision big things this year.
Senior Raul Soto narrowly missed qualifying for the hurdles competition in last year’s 3A state championships. He will be a key returner on a team of over 70 athletes this spring.
“We’re hoping to get faster, both in the hurdles and the relays,” Soto said. “We’ve got a lot of athletes this year, so I’m excited to see what we’re able to do this year.”
In the hurdles and jumping events, areas in which the Panthers have thrived in recent years, the results aren’t defined by athletes with tremendous raw speed.
“I learned to just be more aggressive with the hurdles,” Soto said. “It’s all about preparation, just trying to get better with each thing that I do.”
The Panthers’ 400-meter relay team went to the 3A championships a year ago, returning plenty of talent to make a run at adding more state-qualifying relay teams into the mix.
On the girls side, sophomore Marlee Mack – the program’s lone state qualifier from a year ago – will bring her experience to a team hungry to expand its representation on the state’s highest stage.
Much like Soto, Mack saw her progression in the hurdles yield success, but still sees room to grow.
“I learned that I need to go all out, even in the 300 hurdles. I’m focused on going out and winning the first hurdle,” Mack said.
Panthers football coach Ivan Mack doubles as the hurdles coach, joining a strong coaching staff.
For Marlee Mack, getting more athletes to continue committing to the process will only continue to grow the girls team’s success.
“I want to be able to support them,” she said. “You don’t necessarily have to be the fastest or the strongest, so much of these events is technique. So, building that confidence is really important.”
Montezuma-Cortez kicked off the season in Farmington on Saturday. The Panthers will also have meets out in Bayfield and Ignacio sandwiched around their annual trip to Chandler, Arizona.
The Panthers’ home meet, named after their coach, will be held on April 12. Montezuma-Cortez will then travel to Alamosa to face Intermountain League foes on April 27.
The Panthers hope to collect more state qualifying performances in their final regular season meets in Pueblo and Grand Junction in early May. The state championships will be held May 16-18 at Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood.
