MEEKER | Bad weather prevented Meeker from fully participating in the Coal Ridge track meet last Thursday but the sun came out Saturday in Rio Blanco County and the lady Cowboys took full advantage of the sunshine, winning the Rangely Invitational, while the boys finished second.
The Cowboys have three meets left to qualify for the state meet in May, including Friday’s meet in Moffat County.
“We were supposed to go to Coal Ridge last Friday but due to weather they moved the meet to Thursday and we had some issues taking the whole team but we were able to send our vaulters,” Meeker head coach John Strate said of the schedule change. “Saturday the weather was excellent and the whole team went to Rangely.”
“Kenzie Turner had a great day in Coal Ridge, going 8 feet 1 inch in the pole vault to place second,” coach Strate said. “This sets a new school record and puts her in a good spot to qualify for the state track and field meet.”
Coach Strate said freshman Colby Clatterbaugh also had a “good showing” going 10-1, a height which may qualify him for state and Cooper Main set a personal record with a vault of 8-1. Tevin Pelloni also placed but did not match his personal best of 11-2.
Coach Strate said the field of nine teams was “the perfect sized meet” and the weather was “excellent.”
“We continue to get great production out of our throwers, with Sydnie Main throwing a season best 116 feet in the discus, which currently makes her the top discus thrower in the state.”
Megan Shelton finished a close second to Main and is currently the third ranked discus thrower in 2A and she jumped up to the first ranked shot-putter in the state with a toss of 37 feet.
Strate said both were busy in other events too.
“They both ran on the girls 4×200, which took first with a time of 1:55,” Strate said. “Sydnie took second in the high jump and Megan was on the 4×100, which took first too and is currently sitting second in the state.”
Gracie Bradfield, Sierra Williams and Kirstin Brown also run with Shelton on the 4×100. Bradfield won the 200 and 400-meter dashes and also anchored the 4×200 relay and Brown won the triple jump and took second in the long jump, while Williams took third in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:38.
Karlee Nielsen scored third place team points with her personal best of 30 feet in the long jump, while Julia Dinwiddie placed second in both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles.
Madison Kindler placed fifth in the 3,200-meter run and Brynlee Williams placed seventh in the same race for the lady Cowboys.
The boys finished second behind Vail Christian by five points and were led by a first place finish in the 4×800-meter relay and a second place finish in the 4×100.
Ashino Mohr, Josue Martinez, Ashdon Siebert and senior Matthew Beck ran “a hard fought 4×800 to win first,” according to their coach. Beck also placed fourth in the 3,200, while Siebert and Martinez finished seventh and eighth, respectively in the same race.
Coach Strate said Jake Shelton had a “monster day” in the discus with a new career best of 132-2, more than eight feet better than his most recent best, earning him a second place finish in Rangely and putting him in a “comfortable” position to qualify for state, according to his coach.
Shelton teamed up with Jeremy Woodward, Andy Kracht and Tannen Kennedy for a second place finish in the 4×100 relay, moving them up “nicely in the rankings.”
“Kracht had a good day in the jumping events as well, with his new career best of 5-8.5 in the high jump, taking fourth and in the long jump, his mark of 18-3 earned him fifth, with Jeremy Woodward right behind him with a mark of 18-2, for sixth.”
Kennedy and freshman Spud White placed fourth and fifth respectively in the 400 and then teamed up with Woodward and Kracht to win the 1,600-meter relay.
“They will need to keep improving to qualify for state but they are sitting in a good spot right now,” coach Strate said.
Brayden Woodward took second in the triple jump, while White took third and Carter Strate finished seventh in the same event.
“The kids responded really well,” Strate said. “We have three more opportunities left to qualify for the state meet.”
