GOLD SHOT

AUSTIN - Rio Grande City's Stephen Saenz killed two birds with one stone.
Saenz won gold in the Class 5A shot put at the UIL State Track and Field Championships with a throw of 64 feet, 9¾ inches on Saturday at Myers Stadium.
As a result, the Rattlers' junior might have saved himself from buying a Mother's Day gift for his mom today.
"That one was for my mom,"' Saenz said with a huge smile on his face. "I told her I would win her a medal today as a Mother's Day present. I hope I don't have to buy her anything else now."
With his second-to-last toss, Saenz exploded and threw the shot put right down the middle for the winning mark.
Moments before the throw, Saenz had a word with his throws coach Larry Howell.
"He just told me to compete," Saenz said. "I wasn't competing with anyone else but myself out there. I just had to come out and give it my best effort."
Saenz improved on his silver-medal effort here last year.
Coming into the season, gold was the only thing on Saenz's mind.
"It all paid off," Saenz said of the work put into the season. "This (winning gold) makes it all worth it. It feels complete. Now I have to protect it next year."
Houston Jersey Village's Michael Barbas won silver with a toss of 62-4¼ and Pasadena South Houston's Weekendfer Saurit won bronze with a mark of 58-2½.
About an hour before the shot put took place, Saenz won bronze in the discus with a toss of 180-1.
Saenz had the third-best throw after the three preliminary tosses but scratched on every one of his three throws in the finals.
"That one is for dad," Saenz said. "My mom and dad are my biggest supporters and they've been there for me 100 percent all season."
This season, Saenz established himself as arguably the Valley's best thrower of all time breaking both throwing records.
Saenz threw the discus 204-0 at the District 30-5A meet last month to set a new record. And a couple of weeks ago at the Region IV-5A track meet in San Antonio, Saenz won gold in the shot put with a toss of 67-6¾ breaking the Valley's record. That mark also set a new regional record.
"It's such an awesome feeling," Saenz said of winning gold. "This is what I wanted. It's a phenomenal feeling and I'm on top of the world, again."
In other field events, Weslaco's Mishak Rivas finished in fifth in the Class 5A long jump with a mark of 23-2 ½.
Garland Rowlett's Marquise Goodwin won gold with a jump of 26-1 ½. Houston Nimitz's Richard Knotts was second (23-10) and Fort Bend Hightower's Isaiah Sweeny was third (23-10).
In the Class 5A girls discus, Brownsville Rivera's Laura Ochoa also finished in fifth place with a toss of 126-3.
DeSoto's Skylar White was first with a throw of 154-6. Clute Brazoswood's Akua Senchery was second with a 133-2 and Taylor Rosser from Converse Judson was third with a 130-9.