Newcomb multi-sport athlete leaves a legacy

ALBUQUERQUE

For a good part of her senior year, Lilah Yazzie spent time improving her skills on the wrestling mat.

The Newcomb multi-sport athlete took third at the New Mexico state wrestling tournament in the 185-pound weight class, compiling a 14-5 record.

With her focus and passion on the wrestling mat, Yazzie missed most of this year’s track season. Nevertheless, she earned two qualifications for the New Mexico Class 3A state track meet.

“I kind of put everything into wrestling,” said Yazzie, who is planning on attending Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah, in the fall and pursuing a nursing degree.

Despite not having a full season, the Newcomb senior walked away with a pair of silver medals in the discus and shot-put events during the two-day state track meet at the University of New Mexico Track-Soccer Complex.

“I’m happy with the outcome because I quit half of the season,” Yazzie said. “I barely came back, so I wasn’t expecting much.”

Of the two events, Yazzie hit a new personal record by throwing the shot put 34 feet, 3.50 inches and, in the process, broke the school record by two inches.

“I’m my biggest competition and I beat my (record) today,” Yazzie said.

She hit the school record on her first attempt in the prelims and that mark set the bar for the remaining throwers.

“I kind of choked in the finals,” Yazzie admitted. “I wasn’t throwing as far, and I didn’t think anybody was going to throw that far.”

It wasn’t until the finals when Las Vegas Robertson’s Pasepa Tuineau surpassed that mark as she captured the state title with a 34-07.25 effort.

“I got done talking to her and she said ‘You pushed me to throw that far,'” Yazzie said of her chief rival. “I was like, ‘All right, that’s cool.'”

In the discus event, she produced a 94-09 effort and finished second to Tucumcari’s Delilah Acosta, who won the state title with a 103-08 attempt.

“Discus was horrible,” Yazzie said. “I did so awful. I was scratching all day.”

With hardly any qualified throws using the spin technique, Yazzie attempted one while standing up.

“That standing throw took me all the way to second,” she said.

With her third-place finish in wrestling and her two silver medals in track, Yazzie said she’s leaving quite a legacy at Newcomb High.

“Nobody ain’t doing it like me,” she said. “I mean, I feel like I’m setting the standard at Newcomb.”

In addition to Yazzie, Thoreau senior Kayla Garcia earned two podium appearances by taking third in the discus (91-02) and sixth in the shot put (30-01.75).

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