Before running the hurdles at the District 4-4A track meet asking Izak Dominguez 100 places where he might end up arguably the last place the Hereford junior would have said was down on a track reeling in pain from a broken collarbone.
And, for good reason.
“Izak had never fallen running the hurdles during a meet or even in practice in his high school career,” said Hereford track coach Charlie Garza. “And our hurdles coach Sonny (Umstead) has been with him since junior high and never seen him fall.”
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But sure enough, one of the best Class 4A hurdlers this year in Texas, and, arguably the best-ever hurdler in Hereford High history, found himself off-balance late in the 300-meter hurdles race in the 4-4A meet in Borger.
As Dominguez valiantly tried to gain his balance and literally push over a hurdle, he tangled with the hurdle and was thrown to the ground.
Garza watched in disbelief as Dominguez tumbled and immediately his concern centered on the health of his star hurdler.
“I’m thinking I hope it’s not a concussion,” Garza said. “The last thing I was thinking was something would be broken. … and then I see the eyes of our trainer Sarah (Baulch) and I knew it wasn’t good.”
“I wanted to get up but there was just too much pain,” Dominguez remembers. “Yeah, it sucked and I was very upset and disappointed. I was walking off the track and you know I kind of felt the bone sticking out a bit and I thought I was done, for sure.”
Dominguez had already won the District 4-4A 110-meter hurdles in 14.35 and was trying to add a second event – the 300 hurdles – to qualify for at the upcoming Area meet a week away.
Instead of heading home to Hereford after the April 3 meet, Dominguez stayed in Amarillo that Thursday night under professional care to avoid further damaging the jagged bone break.
Dominguez had surgery Friday morning where a plate was put in to help strengthen the collarbone on his right side.
“The doctor said do nothing for two weeks,” Dominguez said.
Nothing meant everything to Dominguez.
The news meant Dominguez couldn’t compete in the Area meet and meant no chance of qualifying for regionals and his year-long wait to erase the miniscule missing of the state track meet by three hundredths of a second last year.
Life can be brutal. Dominguez was crushed. All that hard work. His dream. Gone with a fall. Answering his phone soon changed Dominquez’ outlook.
“Early the next week I get a phone call from the doctor and was told you can run if you want if the incision looks good, you are good to go, baby,” said Dominguez, a smile breaking out on his face as he remembers hearing the good news.
Baby, Dominguez was good to go. Real good to go.
Coach Garza said they soon learned the biggest challenge facing Dominguez would be getting out of the blocks because of the pain and pressure putting weight on Dominguez’ body as he leaned forward getting set to bolt out at the start.
“I think on that Wednesday he went over two hurdles,” Garza said. “He didn’t feel great but that was good to see. And his style of running he really doesn’t use the right arm too much. So that was good.”
On that Thursday, the day of the Area meet, things were a go and Dominguez felt better in the blocks. Incredibly, with Dominguez carefully keeping his right arm close to his body he won the 110-meter hurdles six days after having surgery to repair his collarbone.
“When I got that call that said I could run I couldn’t stop smiling,” Dominguez said. “I was so happy God gave me an opportunity to run again. There were a little bit of nerves when I ran over that first hurdle. But God got me through it.”
Dominguez wasn’t a little bit fired up qualifying to run at the Region I-4A meet in Lubbock. This track meet had been on his personal bucket list as he had a full year to think over and over and over about missing the state meet by three hundredths of second as a sophomore finishing third at regionals in 2024.
“Ever since last year missing by three hundredths of a second it has been fuel to the fire to get back to regionals and try to make it to state,” Dominquez said. “Breaking my collarbone was definitely an obstacle but I learned something and that to take every race for what it is and not for granted.”
His long-awaited 110-meter hurdles race at regionals went smooth. He didn’t wince coming out of the blocks even though the pain is still real as he puts weight down on it awaiting the start. Although he was challenged by runner-up Midland Greenwood junior Kasen Brooks and Dumas senior Reece Waddell in third place, his 14.61 earned him the gold and a ticket punch to the state meet in Austin on Thursday.
“I was definitely nervous,” Dominguez said. “I just had to tell myself to calm down and just run my race. This was a goal for me from ever since I finished the regional race last year. I’m super proud of myself. Like I said last year was kind of a letdown and then handling everything. I’m super proud and so grateful for the people around me who were able to lift me up and bring me back here.
“Coach Umstead and Coach Garza they have walked me through great workouts, and they are great coaches. Coach Umstead and I have been going at it since 7th grade in the hurdles and have built a strong relationship unlike any coach I have ever had.”
Dominquez runs the hurdles in style and with grace, showing impeccable form as he glides over the hurdles. Running hurdles lives deep in his heart and soul.
“Hurdles was just something I could get away from and get to the track and run, jump a couple of hurdles and everything would be good in life,” Dominguez said of finding his passion for running the hurdles.
Over the years Herd athletics has brought many great experiences and highlights to the city of Hereford, hurdlers aren’t one of them.
Dominquez is changing that in a major way.
Records show not since the mid-1970s has Hereford had a hurdler qualify for state. As well, Garza and Umstead are working to convert times run in yards back in the 1970s to determine what they believe is Dominguez holding the school record in 110-hurdles at 14.35 set at district this year.
School record holder, or not, Dominguez will be in the blocks Thursday evening in Austin for the boys 110-meter hurdles run and fans will see an athlete dressed in Hereford maroon for the first time in almost 50 years.
And what a trip it took get there.
“I just prayed and prayed and prayed,” Dominguez said of overcoming the broken collarbone to reach his goal.
Dominguez knows his trainer, his family, and his friends each will be filled with emotions as he runs against eight other athletes for the medal stand, including the favorite senior Swayde Griffin of Lago Vista owning an impressive 13.54 qualifying time (“There are some beasts down there at state,” Dominguez said showing all-out respect of his competition.)
Also giving 100 percent attention to Dominguez will be 33-year Herd head track coach Charlie Garza and hurdler coach Sonny Umstead watching on with pride, admiration and amazement.
After all, a little less than a month ago their guts at been punched as their star was sitting on a track after crashing into a hurdle learning he’d broken a collarbone.
“It’s going to be so special,” Garza said. “We have told him he needs to know he has already won just getting to state. At this point, after everything you have gone through this is the cherry on top.
“Man, seeing Izak in the blocks we are going to be so excited and so nervous for him and so emotional. It’s going to be awesome.”