Paulina Lucero was named the MVP of the field events at the Desert Valley League track and field finals last year. But she still wasn’t satisfied.
The Coachella Valley High School senior returned to the DVL track and field finals this week with a school record in mind. Anything less, she said, wouldn’t be enough.
On Thursday, she got the school record in the triple jump, with a distance of 35-feet-11.25 inches and again claimed MVP honors in the field events.
“It’s been a good day,” Lucero said. She also took first in the long jump (17 feet).
Coachella Valley’s Fernando Avina, who won the boys’ field events MVP last year, also repeated as MVP of the field events on Thursday. He won the boys’ triple jump (43-11.25) and long jump (21-05.25).
Indio junior Damian Durinzi won the boys’ MVP for the track events, winning both the boys’ 110 hurdles (15.42) and the boys’ 400 meters (49.63). Coachella Valley sophomore Jaylynn Hernandez was named the girls’ track MVP after winning the girls’ 100 meters (12.53) and placing first and setting a new school record in the girls’ 200 meters (25.96).
Lucero and Hernandez led the Arabs to a win in the girls’ 4×100 relay, breaking the school record with a time of 51.24. Thursday was a huge day for Coachella Valley High track and field.
“This group has a lot to be excited about,” Arabs coach Bill Johnson said.
Of note, junior Ian Jarrett of Yucca Valley ran a 10.80 100 meters, which was just why of a personal record but still one of the fastest times ever for a sprinter in the valley.
Here are the full results from the 2026 DVL finals:
Results
Girls’ 100 meters
1. Jaylynn Hernandez, Coachella Valley, 10 (12.53)
2. Jazman James, Twentynine Palms, 10 (13.56)
3. Charlee Jones, Yucca Valley, 10 (13.93)
Boy’s 100 meters
1. Ian Jarrett, Yucca Valley, 11 (10.80)
2. Ryan Rumsey, Coachella Valley, 11 (11.12)
3. Coy Wallace, Twentynine Palms, 10 (11.28)
Girls’ 200 meters
1. Jaylynn Hernandez, Coachella Valley, 10 (25.96)
2. Camila Bernal, Indio, 11 (27.50)
3. Jazmyn James, Twentynine Palms, 10 (28.17)
Boy’s 200 meters
1. Ian Jarrett, Yucca Valley, 11 (22.25)
2. Alejandro Gastelum, Indio, 10 (23.46)
Girls’ 400 meters
1. Anea Haynes, Twentynine Palms, 12 (59.71)
2. Camila Bernal, Indio, 11 (1:04.20)
3. Janaya Henderson, Twentynine Palms, 11 (1:09.32)
Boy’s 400 meters
1. Damian Durinzi, Indio, 11 (49.63)
2. Ricardo Perez, Coachella Valley, 12 (50.21)
3. Darian Hernandez-Galarza, Coachella Valley, 11 (53.49)
Girls’ 800 meters
1. Reanna Garcia, Indio, 12 (2:40.03)
2. Evelyn Barajas, Indio, 11 (2:42.07)
3. Alinney Figueroa, Coachella Valley, 11 (2:43.81)
Boy’s 800 meters
1. Jonathan Hernandez, Indio, 11 (2:12.03)
2. Manuel Barajas, Coachella Valley, 12 (2:15.93)
3. Ean Madrigal, Indio, 10 (2:16.67)
Girls’ 1600 meters
1. Reanna Garcia, Indio, 12 (6:08.30)
2. Diana De La Cruz, Twentynine Palms, 10 (6:10.20)
3. Jazmin Vinalay, Indio, 11 (6:12.28)
Boy’s 1600 meters
1. Reanna Garcia, Indio, 12 (6:08.30)
2. Diana De La Cruz, Twentynine Palms, 10 (6:10.20)
3. Jazmin Vinalay, Indio, 11 (6:12.28)
Girls’ 100 hurdles
1. Jonathan Hernandez, Indio, 11 (4:34.63)
2. Mario Toscano, Indio, 11 (4:35.06)
3. Hector Vela, Indio, 11 (4:48.19)
Boy’s 110 hurdles
1. Damian Durinzi, Indio, 11 (15.42)
2. Scott Frank, Twentynine Palms, 12 (16.17)
3. Logan Frank, Twentynine Palms, 11 (16.86)
Girls’ 300 hurdles
1. Violet Graham, Twentynine Palms, 12 (47.89)
2. Alexia Felix, Indio, 10 (52.61)
3. Charlee Jones, Yucca Valley, 10 (53.46)
Boy’s 300 hurdles
1. Violet Graham, Twentynine Palms, 12 (47.89)
2. Alexia Felix, Indio, 10 (52.61)
3. Charlee Jones, Yucca Valley, 10 (53.46)
Girls’ 3200 meters
1. Dianna De La Cruz, Twentynine Palms, 10 (13:46.13)
2. Alina Flores, Coachella Valley, 11 (14:27.09)
3. Marlene Soto-Zuniga, Indio, 11 (15:00.52)
Girls’ 4×100 relay
1. Coachella Valley (51.24)
2. Twentynine Palms (51.45)
3. Yucca Valley (53.01)
Boy’s 4×100 relay
1. Coachella Valley (43.39)
2. Yucca Valley (44.21)
3. Indio (45.24)
Girls’ 4 x400 relay
1. Coachella Valley (4:30.67)
2. Indio (4:47.31)
Boy’s 4×100 relay
1. Indio (3:35.99)
2. Coachella Valley (3:36.91)
Girls’ triple jump
1. Paulina Lucero, Coachella Valley, 12 (35-11.25)
2. Jessica Jordan, Coachella Valley, 12 (34-03.00)
3. Jada Nelson, Twentynine Palms, 9 (31-03.75)
Boy’s triple jump
1. Fernando Avina, Coachella Valley, 12 (43-11.25)
2. Isai Ramirez, Indio, 11 (41-06.75)
3. Gage Lawler, Yucca Valley, 12 (39-11.50)
Girls’ long jump
1. Paulina Lucero, Coachella Valley, 12 (17-00.00)
2. Jessica Jordan, Coachella Valley, 12 (15-05.50)
3. Sabrina Graham, Twentynine Palms, 10 (15-03.00)
Boy’s long jump
1. Fernando Avina, Coachella Valley, 12 (21-05.25)
2. Ivan Camargo, Coachella Valley, 12 (20-04.50)
3. Salias Bloodworth, Yucca Valley, 10 (19-05.25)
Girls’ high jump
1. Sabrina Graham, Twentynine Palms, 10 (4-10.00)
2. Jessica Jordan, Coachella Valley, 12 (4-10.00)
3. Taylor Soares, Yucca Valley, 11 (4-08.00)
Boy’s high jump
1. Aaron Haney, Twentynine Palms, 11 (6-00.00)
2. Ivan Camargo, Coachella Valley, 12 (6-00.00)
3. Jamian Jimenez, Coachella Valley, 11 (5-08.00)
Girls’ discus throw
1. Jamilah Lee, Coachella Valley, 12 (90-03)
2. Stephanie Torres, Coachella Valley, 11 (87-00)
3. Penelope Martinez, Coachella Valley, 12 (86-04)
Boy’s discus throw
1. Maverick Burkleo, Twentynine Palms, 12 (124-03)
2. Jeremiah Cruz, Coachella Valley, 10 (123-05)
3. Angel Lara, Indio, 12 (112-03.50)
Girls’ shot put
1. Alexia Felix, Indio, 10 (30-00.00)
2. Jocelyn Ortiz, Indio, 11 (28-11.00)
3. Jamaliah Lee, Coachella Valley, 12 (28-08.00)
Boy’s shot put
1. Angel Lara, Indio, 12 (38-10.00)
2. Adrian Gallegos, Coachella Valley, 12 (38-07.00)
3. Alex Diaz, Indio, 12 (37-10.00)
Reporter Andrew John writes for The Desert Sun and USA TODAY. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Huge day for Coachella Valley High at DVL track and field finals
Reporting by Andrew John, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
