Each and every time Central Catholic’s Carlos Quintana hits the track, he has one goal in mind.
To be the best.
“I feel like I’m the best in Massachusetts,” he said during the winter. “And I want to prove that I’m the best every time, not No. 2 or No. 3. I want gold, and I’m going to do everything I can to win it.”
That mindset led Quintana to new heights, and plenty of gold this past winter.
After a brilliant season on the track, Quintana is our Eagle-Tribune Boys Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. The junior becomes the first Central Catholic athlete to earn the award since it was introduced in 1990.
Quintana made the most noise this winter in the high jump. He soared to a personal record 6-9 (second in area history) to place second at New Englands. He took home titles at the MIAA Division 1 Championship (6-6) Merrimack Valley Conference Championship (6-6), MSTCA Boston Holiday Challenge (6-6) and MSTCA Kalperis Relays (6-4). He was an Eagle-Tribune All-Star in this event last spring, jumping 6-6.
But he was far from just a leaper — which he proved by placing an area-best fifth at the MSTCA Boys Pentathlon with a school-record 3,363 points, winning the high jump (6-5.5).
In the 55-meter hurdles, Quintana was fourth at Division 1s (7.81), second at MVCs (PR 7.73, third in area) — behind just Raider teammate Jeremiah Mateo Mora — and fifth at the Pentathlon (7.94).
Quintana was also a member of the 4×200 relay that won the MVC title (1:32.56) and was fifth at Division 1s (1:32.36). He even placed ninth in the 1,000-meter at the pentathlon (2:52.10).
In the fall, Quintana was a key contributor at defensive back for the Raiders football team that advanced to the Division 1 semifinals.
“Carlos is very motivated and determined to perform,” said Central Catholic head boys track coach Mike Leal. “We are happy for him and proud of his accomplishments.”