By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

Several members of the St. Cloud Raptors Track Club qualified for the 2010 AAU Junior Olympics at the National Club Championships at the ESPN Wide World of Sports last weekend.

Octavia Gonzalez qualified in three events in the youth girls division. She was sixth (12:25) in the 3,000 meters, fifth (51-7) in the javelin and 10th (2:35) at 800 meters. Gonzalez placed fifth at 800 meters in the state middle school games in May.

Carlos Perez was third (6:49) in the 2,000-meters steeplechase in the young mens division, while Kierra Crane was eighth in the pentathlon and 3,000 meters run in the midget girls division.

Cole Harvey, a receiver for the St. Cloud High football team, was sixth (5-10) in the high jump in the intermediate division.

The top eight from each event qualified for the national meet at Norfolk, Va., next week. Gonzalez is the only St. Cloud member who will compete at Norfolk. She runs next Saturday.

Raptors Coach Jason Luquis said the team did not have funding to send all the qualifiers to Norfolk.

“The Disney meet was so expensive, and add a week in Virginia on top of that, and we just could not raise enough,” he said.

The Raptors (20) improved on last year’s score of two points at the event.

Also competing for St. Cloud were Diana Gatlin, who finished 10th at the heptathalon. She posted personal records in the in the long jump (14-10) and high jump (4-9).

Calixto Bravo, an incoming junior at St. Cloud High, ran  52.42 at 400 meters.

Ralphy Hernandez placed ninth (7:55) in the steeplechase in the young men’s division.

Luquis said Gonzalez, Bravo and Perez will travel next summer to the Puerto Rican Junior Nationals, and the Puerto Rican National Championships.

“It’s a long time away, but we’re already planning,” Luquis said.

Anyone wishing to sponsor the team may contact Luquis at coachluquis25@live.com.