MEEKER | The Meeker High School track and field team traveled to Denver last week to compete in the Colorado State Track and Field Championships at Jeffco Stadium.
This year’s qualifiers included seniors Sam Hightower (high jump, pole vault), Adi Selle (high jump, 300-meter hurdles), Reese Clatterbaugh (triple jump), and Taylor Garcia (200 and 400 meters). Junior Addie Knowles qualified in the discus and pole vault. Sophomore Ruth LeBlanc competed in the shot put, and sophomore Tucker Chinn qualified in the 300-meter hurdles.
Three relay teams also represented Meeker. The boys 4×100-meter relay team — Clay Crawford, Tyler Sanders, Sam Smithers and Sam Conrado — qualified for the state meet. On the girls’ side, the 4×100-meter relay team of Garcia, McKenna Berthelson, Norah Loar and Selle, as well as the 4×200-meter relay team of Garcia, Braydin Raley, Knowles and Selle, also qualified.
It was Head Coach Jordan Brown’s first year leading the program.
“Our athletes demonstrated strong performances at the state track meet, with several earning top placements and setting new records,” Brown said. “We are incredibly proud of all our athletes who qualified, regardless of whether they reached the finals or the podium. Their presence among Colorado’s top competitors is a testament to their dedication and skill.”
Sophomore Tucker Chinn finished in the top 10 in the prelims of the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 43.19 seconds. Chinn spoke about handling nerves and the honor of competing at state as an underclassman.
“Nerves didn’t play a role at all — it just felt like another race. I was able to get any and all nerves I had out before I even walked on the track,” Chinn said. “It meant a lot to be able to compete as an underclassman and represent the underclassmen here as well as all of Meeker.”
Senior Sam Hightower competed in both the high jump and pole vault. He finished 13th in high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 8 inches. In pole vault, Hightower placed third overall with a vault of 13-9 — a new Meeker High School record.
“This weekend was very exciting, and I am very happy with how I did for my last track meet!” Hightower said. “High jump didn’t go as I was hoping, but I was okay with it. I was just very grateful to be there at state because that environment is so fun to compete in!
“I am very pleased with how I vaulted. I felt very mentally prepared and knew that it was going to be a good day from the start. So when I got over that bar, I felt very fulfilled and happy. I remember seeing all the people cheering for me too on my way down, which made me very happy too!
“I am very thankful for all my coaches and supporters that have helped me clear that bar and break that record that I have been waiting for all season!”
Brown highlighted that moment as one of the meet’s standouts.
“A truly special moment belonged to Sam Hightower, who earned third place in pole vault and shattered the school record,” she said. “That vault was the culmination of relentless effort and an unforgettable way to end his season.”
Senior Adi Selle competed in the high jump and 300-meter hurdles. She finished 12th in high jump at 4-6. In the hurdles, she advanced through prelims with a time of 48.49 and placed fourth in the finals with a 46.86 finish.
“My final race I just wanted to go out there and give it my absolute all so I had no regrets. I did exactly that, and I ran as hard as I possibly could,” Selle said. “Honestly, I was pretty upset about the high jump. I really wanted to at least clear my PR of 4-10, if not higher. But I’m also just so blessed to have been able to compete with some of the top athletes in the state in an event I had never even tried till this year.
“Meeker track has allowed me to rely on a higher power. I used to get so nervous and scared before races because I would worry about people’s expectations. Now it’s just a matter of going out there to glorify God and run because it’s fun.”
Brown praised Selle’s resilience. “Adi Selle’s determination shone through as she secured fourth place in the 300-meter hurdles — a testament to her strength and perseverance,” Brown said.
Senior Reese Clatterbaugh finished 13th in the state in the triple jump with a mark of 32-4.25. Fellow senior Taylor Garcia competed in the 200 and 400 meters and was part of both the girls’ 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams. Garcia finished 16th in the 200 prelims (27.46) and 17th in the 400 (1:05.04).
In field events, sophomore Ruth LeBlanc placed 12th in shot put with a throw of 31-4.75. Junior Addie Knowles competed in both pole vault and discus and also ran on the 4×200 relay team. She placed 17th in pole vault (7-4) and finished seventh in discus with a personal best of 113-4. She explained how it felt placing in the state track and field meet this past weekend and some hurdles that she had to overcome.
“Placing and competing in state was amazing. I threw a PR of 113-4, which was good because the competition was tough,” Knowles said. “Going from discus to pole vault to the 4×2 relay all within an hour and a half was pretty tricky but fun.”
“Addie Knowles exemplified true multitasking and resilience,” Brown said. “She handled the pressure of competing in multiple events and still delivered a personal best in discus.”
In the relays, the Meeker boys 4×100 team finished 17th in the prelims with a time of 46.09. The girls 4×200 team placed 10th overall (1:50.68), while the girls 4×100 team placed seventh in the finals with a time of 51.49 after running 51.68 in prelims.
The Cowboys capped the three-day meet with multiple personal bests and strong finishes across events.
“We are immensely proud of how our Meeker athletes performed,” Brown said. “Competing at such a high-pressure event was challenging, but our athletes showed up. Just qualifying placed them among the top 18 in Colorado in their events — and they represented Meeker admirably.”
With the season complete, Brown is already looking ahead to the future.
“Beyond medals and personal bests, the state meet gave our younger athletes invaluable experience,” she said. “Now they know what it takes to compete at this level — and I believe it will fuel their motivation for next year.”
Meeker will graduate eight seniors this spring, who are set to walk across the stage on May 24. To those seniors — thank you for all you’ve given to Meeker athletics over the past four years. You made the community proud and as always go Cowboys!
