MEEKER | The Cowboys’ track and field team was busy last weekend, competing in meets in three different locations, with personal bests posted by athletes in all three meets. The Cowboys will compete in Glenwood Springs this weekend, with the pole vaulters competing Friday and the rest of the meet held Saturday.
The complete team traveled to Grand Valley then split the team last Saturday, with most of the team competing in the Frank Woodburn Invitational in Stocker Stadium in Grand Junction, while the pole vaulters competed in Eagle Valley.
“Grand Valley was a large meet, with 16 teams attending,” Meeker head coach John Strate said. “It was cold and it ran late but the kids did a great job of posting a number of personal records.”
“Brayden Woodward had a huge day in the triple jump, improving by move than two feet, with his jump of 37 feet 7.5 inches, earning him a third place finish,” coach Strate said. “Andy Kracht also had a big day in the jumps with his personal best of 18-10.75 and a third place finish in the high jump, with a new personal best of 5-9.
Coach Strate said Tannen Kennedy ran a “solid 800” for this point in the season and freshman Ashiano Mohr won his heat in the 800 meter with a time of 2.24, “showing potential for him to help out on the 4×800 relay later in the season. Freshman Damien “Spud” Kent ran a season best in the 400 meter, with a time of 56.08.
“This is an excellent time for a freshman,” coach Strate said. “With continued hard work, it will be exciting to see what he can run by the end of the season.”
Meeker sophomore Kirsten Brown earned a second place finish in the triple jump and placed third in the long jump, while Sierra Williams, Megan Shelton, Brown and Gracie Bradfield won the 4×100.
Coach Strate said Bradfield “appreared to win the 200 but due to a timing system failure, there is not time or results,” and Karlee Nielsen ran a personal best in the 400.
Coach Strate sent pole vaulters Tevin Pelloni, Colby Clatterbaugh and Cooper Main, along with Sydnie Main and Kenzie Turner, to Eagle Valley last Saturday to compete.
“Tevin improved on his career best by nearly a foot, clearing 11-2 in a downpour,” coach Strate said. “This will assure him a spot in the state track and field meet and earned him eighth place in a very competitive field. The top vaulters were more than a foot below their best due to the weather, so it was great to see Tevin step up and face the adversity. Our kids always perform well in adverse conditions.”
Clatterbaugh set a personal best of 8-8 and Main, his freshman classmate, cleared the opening height for the first time this season.
Main’s sister Sydnie and Turner both cleared 7-8 which is close to Main’s best and a personal record for Turner by almost a foot. Main placed fourth and Turner was sixth. Main also placed second in the discus, with a throw of 98-7, her best mark so far this season.
Kennedy ran a career best in the 400 in Grand Junction and Jake Shelton had a season best throw in the discus with a 120-7 which earned him a fourth place. Ridge Williams had another personal best in the discus and has set a personal best at each meet this season.
For the girls, coach Strate said Bradfield “had a record setting day.”
“She started out her day breaking the school record set last year by Maggie Phelan in the 400, with her time of 1:00.46,” coach Strate said. “Gracie won the event by a half of a second and she also took top honors in the 200. Gracie’s technique work she did last summer, as well as her countless hours in the weight room are really showing. She is on track to set a number of school records and is one of the top sprinters in the state.”
Coach Strate said Megan Shelton had a “good day” in the discus with her throw of 112-2, close to her season best and a second place finish.
“We were a little short on the girls’ side, due to state FCCLA and splitting the teams so we did not have any relays,” coach Strate said.
