Competing for the final time during a season that featured great successes on the track and in the field, members of the Dolores High School boys and girls track teams excelled at the Colorado State High School 2A Track and Field Championships in Lakewood May 16-18.
Among the top individual finishers for the Bears was junior Jordan Elder, who tied for third in the high jump (5 feet, 1 inch), placed fifth in the long jump (15-11), finished 10th in the 100-meter dash (13.36), and crossed the line 13th in the 200-meter dash (27.34).
Elder’s four-event performance provided a fitting end to her outstanding season, which included numerous individual event titles, and earned her the distinction of San Juan Basin League Track Athlete of the Year.
Also putting forth an outstanding performance for Dolores at the state meet was junior Alden Adams, who placed sixth in the 100-meter dash (11.47) and 13th in the 200-meter dash (23.61). Adams’ performance concluded a season in which he established himself as the area’s top sprinter and earned San Juan Basin League all-conference honors.
Rounding out the members of the Dolores team who climbed atop the podium at this year’s state meet was senior Cael McHenry, who finished seventh in the 110-meter hurdles (16.66) and 11th in the 300-meter hurdles (43.55). McHenry, who served as a team leader on and off the track, was named to the San Juan Basin League’s all-conference team this season.
Other individual performers for Dolores at this year’s state meet included senior Phillip Hufman, who placed 12th in the 3,200-meter run (10:54.98), and sophomore Ryan Nowlin, who placed 15th in the 100-meter dash (11.85) and 17th in the 200-meter dash (23.81).
The Dolores boys team’s 4x100-meter relay, comprised of Ryan Nowlin, Tyler Nowlin, McHenry and Adams, placed 14th overall with a time of 46.32 seconds. Bryan Escarcega and Shane Potter served as alternates on the relay.
The Dolores girls team placed 24th in the team standings for Colorado’s 2A classification and the Dolores boys team placed 32nd in the team standings for Colorado’s 2A classification.
In addition to the Dolores team’s members of the San Juan Basin League all-conference team that competed at this year’s state meet, Josh Petrow, Anaya Martinez, Sam Castillo, Akira Edwards, Grace Burress, TJ Nowlin, Erin Brown, Brenn Jeter and Sydney Smith also received San Juan Basin League all-conference honors.
With their seasons now complete, members of the Dolores boys and girls track teams will turn their attention to offseason training with an eye toward duplicating, and perhaps even improving on, their results next season.
