The M-CHS track team split ways last weekend, with some athletes traveling to Chandler, Arizona to compete in the 76th Chandler Rotary Invitational and some making the trip to Moab for the Red Rocks Invitational.
Boys head coach Bob Archibeque led the group to Chandler – a monster meet that included over 140 teams – and he was pleased with the performances.
Even with stringent competition, the Panthers had success on both the girls’ and boys’ sides.
Senior Tayla Topaha was the high finisher, taking first place in the discus (111-1). Victor Perez led the boys with a third-place finish in the shot put (44-10) and Josh Ramos ran a 2:02.27 in the 800 to place fifth.
Amy Campbell placed in both the 100 and 200, finishing second (12.97) and fifth (27.31) respectively, and Morgan Short finished third in the long jump (15-9.5).
Anna Bullock was the top finisher for the Panthers at the Red Rocks Invitational, placing seventh in the 100-meter dash (14.08) and eighth in the 200 (30.40).
On the boys’ side, Zurel Matteson finished sixth in the 110-hurdles (18.87), Cade Partington was sixth in the shot put (32-11) and Aaron Gaylon’s 87-09-discus throw was good for seventh.
The Mancos Blue Jays also attended two meets last weekend.
On Friday, the Blue Jays traveled to Center for the Center Invitational, and on Saturday they were in Moab for the Red Rocks Invitational, although they took a smaller squad due to Spring Break.
At Center, Kaylee Rose took sixth in the 800 (2:47.91) and seventh in the 1600 (6:35.69), while Emma Most finished fourth in the 3200 (13:51.07).
The boys also performed well in the mid-to-long distance events, as Adrian Hernandez took fifth in the 800 (2:15.48), Simon Kearns was fourth in the 3200 (11:31.84) – with Jake McKie close behind in sixth (12:06.48) – and the 4x8 team of Hernandez, Kearns, McKie and Caleb Yoder finished third (9:20.70).
Andrew Plunkett took second in the high jump (5-8) and third in the triple jump (38-2 ½). Plunkett also placed second in the long jump on Saturday in Moab, with a leap of 18-8 ½.
Other highlights from Moab were Andrew Christensen’s sixth-place finish in the 400 (57.52), Hernandez’ fourth-place finish in the 1600 (4:58.51) and Ro Paschal winning both the 800 (2:02.18) and 3200 (10:20.07).
“We have some veterans of track and field who know what they need to do to make it to the state meet,” said head coach Brady Archer. “And (we have) some kids who are out for the first time and are figuring their races, throws and jumps out week by week and are doing a great job of it.”
Dolores was also working with a smaller group due to Spring Break, but a handful of Bears still made the trek to the Farmington Invitational.
“There were some good schools out of the Albuquerque area and Sante Fe, which was good to see,” said head coach Nick Kohler. “But it was a small group for us, just like this Friday will be, because it’s our spring break.”
Aryelle Wright was the top finisher for the Lady Bears, taking third place in the 400 (1:03.09), with Josie Bernholtz finishing in sixth (1:05.26).
Senior Larissa Umberger placed fifth in the 100-hurdles (18.11) and ninth in the long jump (14-3), and Sierra Schwartz finished 12th in both the 100-hurdles (18.83) and 300-hurdles (55.42).
Tristen Medina placed in the boys’ hurdles, finishing fifth in the 300’s (43.75) and 18th in the 110’s (18.99), and Trevor Robinson was 16th in the discus (99-3).
LaRissa Randolph led the Dove Creek Lady Bulldogs at the Delta Invitational last weekend with a second-place finish in the 100 hurdles (19.27) and fourth in the 300’s (55.18).
She was also on the seventh place 4x100 relay team (58.87), along with Mariah Green, Savannah Ayers and Kiera Baughman.
Green, Ayers, Baughman and Shayla Greenwood also took eighth in the 800-meter sprint relay (2:21.22).
Logan Myers led the boys with a 26th-place finish in the 400 (1:08.01), Daniel Folkner was 31st in the 200 (28.14) and Rhett Quackenbush finished 36th in the discus (62-5).
