RHS team qualifies 10 for state meet

RANGELY | “The Rangely track and field team did great last week at the Western Slope Regional meet,” Panther head coach Stephanie Kahler said of her team’s performance, which was good enough to qualify 10 athletes in 13 events, including three relay teams. “We went from four qualifiers last year to 10 this year.”
The 2012 all-class Colorado State Track and Field Championships will be held in Jefferson Stadium in Lakewood again this year.
The Panthers were led by junior Holly Lepro and Andrew Morton who both won individual events at the regional meet. Lepro set a personal record with a distance of 38-1.5 in the shot but and Morton won the triple jump with a hop-skip and jump of 40-7.5. Lepro also qualified in the state meet in the discus and Morton will compete in the high jump and as a member of the 4×100-meter and 4×200 relays.
Morton and junior William Scoggins both qualified for the state meet last year and this year Scoggins placed second in both the 1600 and 3200 runs and also qualified as a member of the state-qualifying 4×800 relay teammates with Tanner and Dale Nielsen and freshman Ethan Allred.
According to coach Kahler, junior Colton Coombs “stepped up” and finished second in the 100 and 200-m dashes and is also on the 4×100 and 4×200 relays with Morton, Dylan McCrorey and Connor Phelan. Phelan qualified for the state meet in the 400, with a fifth place finish at the regional meet.
Rangely’s other qualifier is sophomore Aimee Hogan, who ran a personal best in the 1600. Kahler said Tessa Slagle and Marshall Way also had personal bests at the regional meet but did not qualify.
“We are so proud of all our athletes that participated this season,” Kahler said.