MEEKER | The Meeker High School track and field team competed at the 1A/2A Western Slope League Championships, held May 1-2 at Coal Ridge High School, posting several podium finishes and a league title highlighted by a record-breaking performance in the girls 4×800-meter relay.
The Meeker girls 4×800-meter relay team of Josey McClain, Norah Loar, Midy Camargo and Braydin Raley captured first place in 10 minutes, 24.37 seconds, setting a new school record.
The 4×100-meter relay team of McKenna Berthelson, Julie Kracht, Addie Knowles and Loar placed third in 53.07, while the 4×400-meter relay team of Loar, Kracht, Camargo and Raley finished fourth in 4:22.86. The 4×200-meter relay team of Berthelson, Kracht, Knowles and Camargo placed seventh in 1:55.67.
Individually, Berthelson placed fifth in the 100 meters in 13.34 seconds, and Raley finished sixth in the 400 meters in 1:02.18.
In the field events, senior Addie Knowles led Meeker with a first-place finish in the discus at 112 feet, 10 inches and a second-place finish in the shot put at 31 feet, 3 1/4 inches. Freshman Raegan Clatterbaugh placed second in the discus at 112 feet, 8 inches.
Sophomore Hailey Schwartz placed second in the triple jump at 32 feet, 9 1/4 inches and ninth in the long jump at 14 feet, 6 1/2 inches. Sophomore Iris Holmes finished 10th in the triple jump at 25 feet, 6 inches.
In the high jump, freshman Jemma Bair cleared 4 feet, 5 1/2 inches, and Knowles placed sixth in the pole vault at 7 feet, 9 inches.
The Meeker girls placed fourth in both the 1A standings with 20.5 points and the combined 1A/2A standings with 70.5 points.
For the boys, Meeker was led by its relay teams. The 4×200-meter relay team of Jake Grieser, Lawson Anderson, Holton Harvey and Sam Smithers captured first place in 1:35.08, while the 4×100-meter relay team of Grieser, Anderson, Harvey and Smithers placed third in 45.58.
Grieser said consistency and attention to detail have been key to his success this season.
“What has really worked well for me in high jump is staying consistent with practice and focusing on my form and approach,” Grieser said. “For relays, it has been practicing our handoffs. We got to a point where they were really good, and adjusting the order of our relay also helped.”
He said balancing multiple events has required both physical and mental growth.
“I try to manage my energy and stay focused between events,” Grieser said. “The workouts have helped me get faster and more in shape, and I’ve worked a lot on my form. Mentally, I’ve grown a lot too. I’ve been able to focus better and not be as nervous.”
Grieser added that the team’s performance at Coal Ridge reflected its preparation.
“Everything came together the way we wanted at Coal Ridge, and we performed the way we knew we could,” he said. “We have a great relay team, and it’s been exciting to see us get faster each meet. It will be fun to see what we can do in the postseason.”
The 4×800-meter relay team of Landon Damitz, Bradley Conrado, Ryan Hanberg and Dublin Price finished fifth in 9:08.80.
Individually, freshman Lawson Anderson placed sixth in the 200 meters in 24.37 seconds, and senior Holton Harvey finished seventh in the 100 meters in 12.24. Freshman Landon Damitz added a ninth-place finish in the 800 meters in 2:11.45.
In the distance events, sophomore Ryan Hanberg placed fifth in the 3,200 meters in 11:10.67, followed by sophomore Bradley Conrado in sixth in 11:22.24.
In the field events, Grieser placed second in the high jump at 5 feet, 9 1/2 inches. Junior Trent Sanders finished fourth in the triple jump at 39 feet, 3 inches, while freshman Liam Thomson recorded a mark of 34 feet, 5 1/2 inches.
In the pole vault, sophomore Holt Pelloni placed seventh at 9 feet, 7 inches, and freshman Corbin Grant finished ninth at 9 feet, 1 inch.
The Meeker boys placed sixth in the team standings with 17 points and seventh overall in the combined 1A/2A standings with 48 points.
Meeker will compete in its final opportunities to qualify for the state meet this week, traveling to Grand Junction for the Wild West Twilight Last Chance meet on Wednesday, May 6, followed by the Cardinal Invitational in Parachute on Saturday, May 9. Both meets are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
Meeker freshman Jake Grieser clears the bar in the high jump during competition at the 1A/2A Western Slope League Championships at Coal Ridge High School. Grieser placed second in the event as one of the Cowboys’ top performers at the league meet. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO
