MEEKER | The Cowboys’ track and field team split up again last weekend to compete but they will all be in one place starting today in Grand Junction for the three-day Western Slope League meet at Stocker Stadium in Grand Junction. Many Cowboys improved their times and distances in Craig last Friday, with many improving their state qualifying chances, while the pole vaulters did the same the day before in Kremmling.
Meeker junior Kenzie Turner continued to break her own school record in the pole vault, clearing eight feet, three inches for a third place finish in the High Country Pole Vault Championships in Kremmling.
“This keeps her comfortably in the top 18,” Meeker head coach John Strate said of his record-setting vaulter. The top 18 athletes or relay teams in each event, will qualify for the 2018 Colorado State High School Championships in Denver.
Sydnie Main also had a personal best, clearing 7-9 to keep her currently qualified for the state meet and place seventh in Kremmling. Meeker freshman Colby Clatterbaugh is in contention for state qualification, as he cleared 10-3.
“Things went very well in Craig,” coach Strate said. “The weather was outstanding and the kids had a number of personal bests, with many of them moving up in the rankings.”
Meeker’s girls’ 800-meter medley relay started the day, with senior Sierra Williams, juniors Megan Shelton and Gracie Bradfield and sophomore Kirstin Brown, running together for the first time this season.
“Brown ran the 400-meter leg of the race in outstanding fashion,” coach Strate said. “We needed her to step up and she did, running her fastest split by more than two seconds. Their time of 1:56 puts them comfortably in the state qualifying position.”
Bradfield, Williams, Brown and Main ran the 4×200-meter relay and their time of 1:51.44, also puts them in a comfortable qualifying position and a third place finish in Craig.
Shelton and Main finished first and second in the discus throw and are currently ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the state for 2A throwers. Shelton had “an excellent day” with a throw of 118-1, for a personal best and Main was close behind with a throw of 115.
Coach Strate said Williams is making a push to qualify in the 800 and her fifth-place time of 2:35 is “getting close.”
“On the boys side, sophomore Jake Shelton continued to push himself further up into the ranking in the discus,” Coach Strate said. “For a second week in a row, he hit a personal best of 134-5, which puts him sixth in the state and placed him sixth in the meet.”
Coach Strate said the boys’ 4×200 and 4×800-meter relays are both “close to qualifying.”
Tannen Kennedy, Jeremy Woodward, Spud Kent and Andy Kracht finished third in the 4×200 with a time of 1:37.46 and Kennedy, Kent, Ahsiono Mohr and Kale Burke placed fifth in the 4×800 in a time of 9:08.
The pole vaulters will be featured Thursday and the rest of the Western Slope League meet will take place Friday and Saturday.
“We will load the kids up on events this week and see which ones we can score league points in, as well as try to move up in the ranking for state qualifying,” coach Strate said. “After the league meet, there will be one more chance to qualify before the state meet.”
