With the Class 3A State Track Meet quickly approaching, members of the Montezuma-Cortez High School boys and girls track teams traveled to Grand Junction on Friday and Saturday to compete in the Grand Junction Invitational.
Although the M-CHS girls team’s full roster did not compete, the Lady Panthers still managed to finish 11th out of 20 teams in the field thanks in part to the performance of freshman Avery Wright, who finished first in the 100-meter dash (12.46).
Also cracking the top three in an individual event were senior Aryelle Wright, who crossed the line third in the 800-meter run (2:21.29), and senior Morgan Short, who placed third in the 200-meter dash (26.51).
Other top finishers for the M-CHS girls team in individual events were Casandra McCully, who placed seventh in the 100-meter hurdles (17.41), and Ayanna Silas, who raced to a 12th-place finish in the 1600-meter run (5:58.00).
On the boys’ side, M-CHS was led individually by senior Jens Jorgensen, who placed sixth in the high jump (5 feet, 8 inches). Swayde Noyes finished 17th in the shot put (38 feet, 1½ inch) and the team’s 4-x-200-meter relay made up of Andrew Wood, Jayden Karo, Tyler Cutrone and Titus Jackson placed fourth overall (1:36.14).
The M-CHS boys placed 13th out of 22 teams in the standings. Fruita Monument High School won the girls portion of the meet, and Palisade High School finished atop the boys standings.
Next up for both M-CHS track teams will be the Class 3A State Track Meet at Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood on May 16-18.
