Flores flourishes in four events: Versatile Memorial track standout rises from the shadows
Before last weekend’s HCIAA Track and Field Championships in Lincoln Park in Jersey City, Memorial track coach Julio Lopez knew that his usual standout, Manny Alonso, was not going to be able to perform up to his usual standards because of a hamstring injury.
The versatile Alonso is generally good to compete in three, maybe four events at every track meet. But the injury was going to limit the brilliant senior to just the 800-meter run.
"I knew I couldn’t count on Manny," Lopez said. "I knew we were going to have to get points from someplace else."
Enter Jorge Flores, a senior who has competed successfully with the talented Tigers’ track team for the last three years, but has toiled in virtual anonymity with more recognized performers like Alonso and former track standout Jonathan Robinson around.
"He’s been running in the shadows of the other guys," Lopez said. "With guys like that, you tend to get overlooked."
"I’m always used to taking the back seat," Flores said. "But that’s okay with me. I just figure I have to try a little harder to get noticed. I don’t mind. It just makes me work hard."
But before the HCIAA meet, Lopez simply looked at Flores. And Flores knew exactly what the coach meant by the look.
"I knew that I was finally going to get my chance to shine," Flores said. "Not that it’s good that Manny got hurt. But it was just my luck to get my chance. I knew it was going to be tough, but I knew I could do it. I knew Coach (Lopez) was going to be depending upon me."
"Jorge has always been the kind of kid to do whatever I ask him to do," Lopez said. "And he never complains. I knew he could handle doing all the events. He’s always come through in the clutch for us, when we’ve needed him. He’s a real clutch performer."
Last Saturday, Flores provided his most clutch performance to date. He won two events and finished second in two others, leading the Tigers to the team championship. It capped a clean sweep season for Memorial’s boys, who also won the HCIAA cross country title in the fall, the indoor championship and the outdoor relay crown.
Flores captured the long jump with a leap of 21-4, won the 400 intermediate hurdles in 57.9, finished second in the 110 high hurdles and just missed winning the high jump, falling to St. Peter’s Prep basketball standout Jarett Love at 6-0.
His 36 team points alone enabled Memorial to hold a commanding 110-75 advantage over runner-up Lincoln.
For his efforts, Flores has been named as the Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week.
Flores, a native of Nicaragua, came to the United States and West New York when he was six years old. He didn’t know a single thing about track and field until he enrolled at Memorial four years ago.
"I was going out for football," Flores said. "One of my friends told me to join track. He talked me into it. Now, I’m glad I did it."
Flores has been so talented and diverse that he has been spotted by the track and field coaches at Rowan University, where he will attend classes in the fall.
"He’s a very good student (B-plus average) and the coaches at Rowan are very excited about having Jorge," Lopez said. "It helps that he’s able to do so much."
Flores has always had the ability to be versatile.
"It definitely helps that I’ve had so much practice doing all the events," Flores said. "So I was definitely ready for the four events last weekend."
Lopez was more than impressed with Flores’ performance.
"Jorge was amazing," Lopez said. "He did the long jump in the rain and the runway was very slippery, but he won on his last jump. I knew that Jorge had a chance to do well in the four events, so it really wasn’t a surprise to me. But he was amazing."
And Flores’ performance is only going to lead to expectations for similar performances for the remainder of the season, including this weekend at the Hudson County Track Coaches Association championships at Secaucus High School. Flores will compete once again in four events and will look to improve on last weekend’s impressive showing.
"Hopefully, I can do better," Flores said. "I really didn’t do too well in the high jump. I can do better in that. And I don’t mind doing all the events or getting the attention now. In fact, I kind of enjoy it. I was just lucky to get this chance. Otherwise, you’d probably want to talk to Manny."
Nope. This one is all for the fabulous Flores.
"Well, I just hope I can keep it going," Flores said. "I would like to try to do well in the state sectionals and maybe get into the Meet of Champions this year. That would be a nice way to end it."
And a nice way to get his name remembered forever in Memorial track lore.