RANGELY | The Rangely High School track and field teams wrapped up their season with a historic performance at the Colorado State Track and Field Championships held May 14-16 at Jeffco Stadium.
The Lady Panthers finished second overall, marking the highest finish for a Rangely girls team since the program’s historic state championship team in 1959. Rangely was highlighted by a state championship performance in the girls 4×400-meter relay, where the team of sophomore Kira Jo Benson, freshman Aubrey Yates, junior Taya Wren and freshman Teagan Behunin captured the title in 4:06.01.
After qualifying second in preliminaries with a time of 4:11.14, the quartet stepped up in the finals and shaved nearly five seconds off the school record they had previously set earlier this season to earn Rangely’s first-ever state relay championship.
Head coach Beth Scoggins said the team’s overall performance exceeded expectations.
“It was amazing,” Scoggins said. “I am so proud of each and every one of them and the hard work that they have put in. We had thought the girls team might have a chance of being in the top five, but to come out with a three-way tie for second was not planned.”
Scoggins said the finish is especially significant in program history.
“In 1959 the boys team won second, we have never had a girls team finish this high,” she said. “It is motivating — the girls are already talking about next year and what they might be able to do.”
Scoggins also reflected on the state title in the 4×400 relay, a first in program history.
“We have had several state champions in individual events but never a relay,” she said. “When the girls won the relay it moved us into the three-way tie for second. We were sitting in sixth place. We knew we just needed to place to move up. We had gone into state rated first in the 4×4 so we knew we had a chance of winning. When West Grand ran a 4:08 in prelims we didn’t know if we would have more to give in the relay. The girls wanted first place so they went out and ran their best hoping it would work out.”
She said the breakthrough in the finals came down to trust.
“The 4×400 team cut nearly five seconds off the school record in the finals,” Scoggins said. “I would say it was them believing and trusting each other to run their leg to the best of their ability.”
Wren led the girls distance performances with three medals at the state meet. She finished runner-up in the 3200-meter run in 11:17.50, placed third in the 1600 in 5:16.70 and took fifth in the 800 in 2:21.82. Scoggins praised her leadership throughout the season.
“Taya Wren was on the 4×400 also as our third leg,” she said. “She is hardworking and dedicated to the sport. Other athletes look up to her as she is a leader that leads by example, she works hard at practice and does a great job of encouraging others.”
Freshman Teagan Behunin also played a major role in the team’s success, finishing runner-up in the pole vault at 9 feet, 4 inches.
“Teagan is an athlete that expects to do well and doesn’t quit when things get hard,” Scoggins said. “She has self confidence in her abilities which is rare in a freshman. We are excited to see what she will do in the future.”
Behunin also helped anchor the state championship 4×400 relay and added a 14th-place finish in long jump at 15 feet, 1 inch.
In throwing events, sophomore Taylor Fouch earned fourth in shot put with a throw of 34 feet, 8 inches, while senior Aubrianna Tapia placed 14th at 30 feet, 5.75 inches.
The girls 4×200 relay team of Yates, Fielder, Benson and Behunin finished 14th in preliminaries with a time of 1:51.66.
For the boys, sophomore Tavan Morgan placed 12th in the 800-meter run in 2:03.33, narrowly ahead of sophomore Chance Allred, who finished 13th in 2:03.55.
The boys 4×800 relay team of Allred, sophomore Titus Friedrich, Morgan and senior Joseph Valdez placed seventh in 8:37.65. Scoggins said the group battled through adversity during the season.
“They had been working hard all year long,” she said. “We knew that we could medal in that relay but didn’t know how high especially since Jay got sick. The other three stepped up doing what they needed to do.”
In field events, junior Kacey Allred earned a fourth-place medal in pole vault by clearing 12 feet, 3 inches.
Scoggins said Allred’s performance stood out in a highly unpredictable event.
“It was fun to see him do so well at state,” she said. “Pole vault is a tough event and you never know who is going to do what. You can only control yourself so you go and do your best. Kacey went out with confidence and hoped that he was going to do well.”
Freshman Nathan Peterson finished 14th at 10 feet, 9 inches.
Senior Logan Peterson placed 13th in long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 9.5 inches. Senior Chase Cochrane earned eighth in discus with a throw of 132 feet, 1 inch and sophomore Cutler Mergelman finished 14th in shot put at 40 feet, 0.25 inches.
Scoggins also highlighted the boys’ late-season surge in relays.
“The boys 4×400 got seventh place, which was a surprise since they went in ranked 14th and cut five seconds off our going-in time,” she said. “The two seniors, Logan Peterson and Jay Valdez, wanted to do well and went out and pushed hard. The other two, Tavan and Chance, wanted to make sure they had the chance to run in finals.”
She said the focus for the program moving forward is simple.
“I hope they take away that hard work pays off and that they are all amazing kids and that we are very proud of them,” Scoggins said. “I am very proud of each and every one of these athletes, whether they went to state or not. They are the best and I am very proud to call myself their coach. We will miss the seniors next year but are excited to see where their journey will take them. The season was awesome and we look forward to next year.”
The Panthers closed the season with one of the strongest state performances in program history, highlighted by the girls runner-up team finish and the program’s first relay state championship.
From left, Kira Jo Benson, Aubrey Yates, Taya Wren and Teagan Behunin pose with the baton after winning the girls 4×400-meter relay state championship at the Colorado State Track and Field Championships at Jeffco Stadium. The quartet broke the school record by nearly five seconds to secure Rangely’s first-ever relay state title. BOBBY G’s MEMORIES PHOTO
