MHS tracksters start in Delta

RBC I The Meeker High School Track and Field team traveled to Delta for their first meet of the season. All involved were excited to start the season. The boys and girls combine for a total of 48 team members. Leading the large group this year are eight seniors and seven returning state qualifiers. The boys’ team started off positively with a seventh place team finish out of 23 teams, but earned first place out of the four participating 2A teams.
Strong performances were turned in by both the 4×100 meter and the 4×200 meter relay teams. Both earned third place behind much larger schools. The 4×100 looks strong, led by senior sprinter Toby Casias. He is leading a much younger group of sprinters: sophomore Sebastian Clarke, junior Tala Atoafa, and rookie Raul Lopez. The 4×200 is again led by Casias, with freshman Raul Lopez, Jake Phelan, and sophomore JC Henderson participating. Casias also had strong performances in the open 100 meter dash placing third, and the 200 meter dash placing second. Clarke also scored points in the 100 dash finishing in sixth place. The Meeker High School triple jumpers also had an impressive first outing. Jake Phelan started off his high school triple jump career earning a sixth place finish. Tala Atoafa followed closely behind in eighth place. Many other members of the boys’ team turned in promising results, but failed to place because of the very stiff competition provided by the larger schools in attendance.
The girls’ team earned a solid overall placing in the middle of the pack. They were led in scoring by thrower Bailey Atwood who earned a seventh place finish in the shot put and a fourth place finish in the discus. Sophomore Aly Ridings had a good day in terms of scoring with her fourth place finish in the 100 meter hurdles and her seventh place finish in the triple jump. Also scoring points for the girls’ team was junior high jumper Jordan Brown placing seventh, and rookie Sydney Hughes earning seventh place with her gutsy performance in the 300 meter hurdles. The girls had many other noteworthy performances that did not score, but show huge potential for the future. Among these were impressive runs in the 400 meters by Emilee Khols, and Piper Haney in the 800 meter run. Next weekend will take the squad to the Hotchkiss Invitational.