Meeker runners head to regionals

MEEKER — Three Meeker High School cross country runners will compete in the state-qualifying regional meet this coming Saturday in Delta. The trio of runners, led by seniors Terrance Casias and Keenan Walter, along with freshman Tracey Roybal, ran in Rifle last Thursday.
“What was awesome to watch was each runner’s end of their race, everyone had great kicks and passed several people,” head coach Kris Casey said of the Rifle race. “Even better, each runner beat someone that they had been trailing all season.”
Casey said the times for each of her runners were slower than some of their previous times, “but that doesn’t matter much because each course is very different.”
The team, which lost two runners due to injury also recently ran in Aspen. Casias finished in the top 15 in Rifle.
“All in all it was a great race to have right before regionals,” Casey said of the team’s most recent 5-kilometer race.
The regional meet in Delta, will mark the first year in several Meeker will try to qualify for the state meet against 2A and 1A schools, instead of including 3A, as has been the case in years past.
Roybal’s regional race will start at 9 a.m. Saturday, while Casias and Walter will begin their qualifying race at 9:30 a.m.