Going into the 2026 season, no athlete in the history of the Orestimba High track and field program had qualified for the Nike Outdoor Nationals.

Held annually at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., known as “TrackTown, USA,” some of the best national and international high school athletes all come together from June 18 to June 22. Some Olympic athletes such as Allyson Felix, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Noah Lyles have all competed and made their mark at the gathering.

Orestimba graduate Marian Quevedo and rising junior Israel Ramirez not only competed in, but etched their names as the first athletes in program history to do so. Both athletes were placed in the emerging talents division, where Quevedo competed in the women’s 100-meter hurdles and Ramirez participated in the men’s 110-meter hurdles.

For a program from a rural town like Newman to be represented in one of the sport’s biggest events, the accomplishment was a reflection of both athletes’ dedication, even if not having an adequate resource such as all-weathered track, said co-head coach Charlie Kothenbeutel.

“It’s very impressive on their behalf … they’re definitely the two kids from a smaller town,” Kothenbeutel said. “The fact that our kids are competing on a dirt track with six total hurdles since they’ve been at Orestimba just goes to show how much work they were able to put in and then be successful.”

Quevedo finished 47th after she ran a time of 15.93 seconds in the preliminary 100-meter hurdles. In the preliminary 110-meter hurdles, Ramirez clocked in 14.98 to place 19th.

While both athletes represented their hometown on the big stage, it carried significance for each of them. Quevedo concluded an illustrious four-year tenure as one of the program’s decorated athletes. She held the school’s best time in five events and reached unprecedented heights where she also became the first athlete to represent Orestimba in the prestigious Arcadia Invitational.

“She’s been able to have so much success [and] be able to be on the stage like that,” Kothenbeutel said. “No one deserves it more than Marian.”

For Ramirez, he will look to continue his trajectory as a runner after a breakout sophomore campaign. He finished first in 13 events throughout the season, one of which was in the men’s 110-meter hurdles in Trans-Valley League Varsity Championships. Ramirez became the first Warriors athlete in 38 years to participate in the CIF track and field championships.

“He’s got this level of determination to not let this just be the only year that he’s finding success,” Kothenbeutel said about Ramirez. “He wants to go back to [the Sac-Joaquin Section masters], go back to state, come back to the Nike Outdoor Nationals next year and compete in other high-profile meets.”