RANGELY I The Rangely Panthers track and field took 16 athletes to the state games held on May 19-22. They were originally scheduled for May 19-21, but because of weather, the competition were postponed for a day.
The meet started Thursday with prelims for several of the events and some finals for other events. The girls sprint medley started the meet off with Hayley Burr, Ryann Mergelman, Miah Wren and Ashley Ducey getting into finals. The 4×200 which was made up of Wren, Mergelman, Emma Smith and Ducey, just missed getting into finals. Burr ran the 100 hurdles taking 10th place. Kastyn Dembowski and Annika Cantrell both high jumped. Neither placed but they did well and it was a good experience for them to be competing in the meet. The boys 4×800 was the last event of the day. The relay team was made up of Timothy Scoggins, Clay Allred, Colton Noel and Andrew Dorris. The team came in 15th place.
On Saturday the meet resumed in the afternoon and the athletes knew it was going to be a long day. Kenyon Cochrane was the first competitor. He took fifth in the discus with a throw of 141-10. James Talbot was the next competitor, he ran the 3,200-meter, taking 10th place with a new personal best of 10:33.74. The sprint medley took eighth place overall. The girls also ran a 4×100. They didn’t make finals but it was a good experience being at the meet. Burr also had prelims in the 300 hurdles and secured a place in the finals. Mary Scoggins was busy with her two back-to-back events. She placed fourth in both long jump (16-7) and the 800 (2:26.26).
With the meet continuing into Sunday, three of the athletes had to make the decision to stay at the meet to compete or go back home and graduate. Burr, T. Scoggins and M. Scoggins decided to stay at the track meet and compete instead of going to the graduation ceremony. It was a tough decision, Burr and M. Scoggins were valedictorian, M. Scoggins was the class president as well and T. Scoggins was to say the opening prayer for the ceremony. All three athletes were honored at the state meet where they walked out with other athletes who had decided to not go back home for graduation.
Sunday was the last day for competition. Rylee Allred and Kyrah Phelps started the meet with discus. Allred was able to sneak into finals where she took 10th place with a throw of 104-07 for a new personal record. Phelps had a good throw of 94-5.5. T. Scoggins placed ninth in the high jump with 5-10. Burr ran the 300 hurdles taking fifth with a new personal best of 48.66. Scoggins had the triple jump where she took sixth with 33.3-5. The last event of the day was the 4×400. Burr, Ducey, Wren and Scoggins ran the race of their life but were unfortunately disqualified.
“It was a great meet. There were tears of joy as well as disappointment, and pride. I am very proud of each and every athlete and we will only get better. We will miss our seniors: Burr, Noel, T. Scoggins and M. Scoggins. They are great leaders, role models and helpers,” said coach Beth Scoggins
Special to the Herald Times
