Rembrandt’s Luna captures pair of medals during Day 1 of state meet

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AUSTIN — Vanguard Rembrandt’s Mario Luna waited four years for his state moment. The senior had fallen short of a state bid three times before finally breaking through this season.

The Spartans’ runner made the most of his state appearance, earning a pair of bronze medals during Day 1 of the UIL state track and field championships Thursday at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

“I actually have four third-place regional medals,” Luna said. “It’s a little annoying that I was that close, but you can only do so much. I am just happy and glad that all my hard work finally paid off in my senior year.”

Luna set the tone for a strong state meet during the morning events, capturing the RGV’s first state track medal of 2025 during the Class 3A boys 3,200-meter run.

He clocked in at 9 minutes 42.26 seconds for the bronze, with Holliday’s Noah and Ryder Strohman taking first (9:27.85) and second (9:30.62), respectively.

“I was definitely a little confident knowing I PRed last time here during the Texas Relays,” Luna said. “It was a little windy, but I came into the race pretty confident. I knew I was one of the best out here. I just trusted my hard work and all the hard work my coach put in to get me here, too.”

Nearly 12 hours later, Luna took the track again during the Class 3A boys 1,600-meter run. The race turned into a battle between Luna and the Strohman brothers once again, with the trio finishing roughly one second apart.

Luna finished third with a time of 4:26.59, with Noah taking first (4:25.48) and Ryder taking second (4:26.48).

Luna’s two medals during Day 1 were the most among RGV competitors, with only one other athlete reaching the podium.

“It is definitely an exciting and good feeling knowing all my hard work paid off,” Luna said. “I’m still left with a little bit of hunger, but I gave it everything I got. I can’t complain after winning two medals at state. That is a pretty big accomplishment for myself. It’s just awesome especially for a small school. I had officials asking me where Rembrandt was at and that they’ve never seen us out here before. It was definitely a cool experience. I wish I could have represented the Valley a little better, but I ran to the best of my abilities and that’s all I can really do.”

Joining Luna on the podium during Day 1 was La Feria junior Armando Morales.

The Lions’ distance runner captured the bronze during the Class 4A boys 3,200-meter run with a time of 9:17.00.

The medal marked the second of his career, as he also captured bronze in the same event last year.

Pharr IDEA senior Noemi Cotero was the RGV’s lone female competitor during Day 1 of the competition, running in the Class 3A girls 3,200-meter run. She finished seventh in the event with a time of 11:52.87.

Meanwhile, Lyford’s Adrian Chavez tied his season best mark during the Class 3A boys high jump, clearing 6 feet, 4 inches on his second attempt. The Bulldogs’ senior finished sixth in the event.

The UIL state track and field championships continue today with Class 2A, 5A and wheelchair divisions. The day is loaded with Valley athletes, with 25 events set to feature at least one RGV competitor.

Day 2 begins with the field events at 9 a.m., with the running events set to follow at 5 p.m.

For a full look at how the RGV’s athletes fared during Day 1 of the state track and field championships, visit click here.

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