KIRTLAND – Nine high school track and field teams across San Juan County competed in last weekend’s Bill Slade Invite at Kirtland Central.
The Kirtland Central boys team, led by outstanding individual performances from Kyler Joe and Brandon Ockerman, took home first place in the event. Piedra Vista, Bloomfield and Farmington High Schools rounded out the top four teams in the event.
Joe recorded a convincing win in the 400-meter dash, crossing the finish line in a time of 51.12 seconds, more than two seconds ahead of Farmington’s Caleb Allred. The Scorpions also saw Gilberto Gomez finish third in the contest.
Joe finished second in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash races, both times to Farmington’s Michael Beck. Ockerman placed fourth overall in the 100-meter race while also finishing third in the 200-meter event.
Ockerman scored an impressive win in the triple jump event with a jump of 41 feet, 10.5 inches, well ahead of Aztec’s Christian Jacquez and Logan Whitaker.
The Broncos boys team also scored a win in the 1600-meter relay event, with Diovinni Pinto, Angel Acosta and Satchel Hogue racing the course in 4 minutes, 2.62 seconds, outrunning Newcomb and Bloomfield High School’s teams.
Navajo Prep’s Devin Lansing recorded three wins in the event, capturing the 800-meter run in a time of 2:08.75, nearly three seconds ahead of teammate MacAllen Cousens. Lansing also won the 1600-meter race, again beating Cousens with a final time of 4:41.34.
Lansing also won the 3200-meter run, stopping the clock with a time of 10:41.53, nearly three seconds ahead of teammate Aaron Mike.
In the girls competition, Piedra Vista took home the team championship, well ahead of squads from Aztec, Farmington and Kirtland Central.
Riley Wilson scored a win for the Lady Panthers in the 200-meter dash, winning with a time of 27.63 seconds, narrowly ahead of Aztec’s Brianne Roberts. Nicole Pierce easily won the 1600 – meter event with a time of 5:38.11, more than 10 seconds ahead of runner-up Madison Germaine from Farmington.
Devyn Ericksen (16.49) and Lauren Harris ran 1-2 in the 100-meter hurdles event, while the team of Ericksen, Wilson, Naomi Hess and Rachel Rodriguez scored impressive wins in both the 4x100-meter and 4x200-meter races. beating squads from Aztec, Kirtland Central and Bloomfield in those events.
Piedra Vista also finished 1-2 in the high jump event, with Sophia Coleman’s 5-foot leap ahead of Karissa Loudermilk’s mark of 4-feet, 10 inches. Emily Bell won the discus throw event with a mark of 95 feet, 5 inches, ahead of teammate Addie Scanlan.
Dakota Boag was another individual winner for Piedra Vista, easily capturing the javelin throw event with a mark of 95 feet, 2 inches, nearly 10 feet ahead of Kirtland Central’s Don’Alyssa White-David.
Aurora Gamboa again dominated her competition in the shot put event, winning with a throw of 32 feet, 7 inches, well ahead of Farmington’s Cyanna Manygoats.
For more information on the Bill Slade Invitational, check out the official results page at NMMileSplit.com.
