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Among the 63 amateur track and field teams and about 4,000 youngsters who participated April 3 and 4 in the Phoenix Invitational was a posse of accomplished athletes representing the Tonto Apache tribe.
When the final team results were in, the Tonto Apaches had staked claim to second-place behind the powerful 3A Track Club of Los Angeles, Calif.
"They were just too strong this year," Tonto Apache coach Billy Joe Winchester said.
Although the Tonto Apache crew had to settle for the silver, the coach was elated with the team's performances.
"I am very proud of our team," he said. "We had a lot of new kids and this is a very big meet."
One of the adjustments the team members were forced to make in the meet at Glendale Community College was the long waits between events.
"They had to wait up to three hours," Winchester said. "Most events had over 30 kids in each age group."
In the team's showing, Winchester praised the efforts of his team's eldest member -- 72-year-old Tom Cooka. In addition to being a member of the Tonto Apache team, Cooka is a highly successful athlete on the Senior Olympic circuit.
Winchester also lauded the performances of Valentino Doka and Cody Waterman in the midget boys' shot put. Doka won the event with a toss of 10.63 meters. With an effort of 9.18 meters, Waterman was second
"They were up against the national champ and the national third-place shot putters," he said. "Val knocked off both of them."
In addition to winning the shot put crown, Doka was the gold medalist in the discus and took third in the mini-javelin. He was named most valuable player in the throwing events.
The Tonto Apache team returns to the track May 8 and 9 at the Flyers Invitational meet to be held in Las Vegas, Nev.
Phoenix Track Meet Results
Midget Boys - Shot Put
1st Valentino Poka
4th Cody Waterman
13th Trever Thomas
Midget Girls - Shot Put
12th Hannah Quade
Young Men - Shot Put
3rd Matt Johnson
Young Men - Javelin
3rd Josh Quotskuyva
Young Men - Discus
1st Josh Quotskuyva
Inter Boys - Shot Put
3rd Charlie Lopez
Youth Boys - Discus
5th Shane Levine
6th Jordon Hinton
14th Jared Beqay
19th Landis Quade
20th Santana Curtis
Youth Boys - Shot Put
4th Shane Levine
6th Jordon Hinton
11th Jarred Beqay
Midget Boys - Discus
1st Valentino Poka
3rd Cody Waterman
Midget Boys - Mini Javelin
3rd Valentino Poka
8th Cody Waterman
16th Heath Quade
Midget Girls - Discus
4th Hannah Quade
Youth Girls - Shot Put
10th Marquel Waterman
Bantam Boys - Shot Put
4th Skyler Thomas
Bantam Girls - Shot Put
10th Cassie Johnson
100m - Sub-Bantam - Girls
23rd Davida Guerra
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