MEEKER | Short-handed for a second week in a row, the Meeker High School track and field team competed in the annual meet in Glenwood Springs last weekend but they plan to be back to a full team this week, when they run, jump, throw and vault in Coal Ridge and Rangely.
“We were short-handed again this weekend, this time due to multiple students taking the ACT,” Meeker head coach John Strate said. “We are looking forward to having a full team this weekend.”
According to coach Strate, 20 teams, mostly “large schools,” were in attendance in Glenwood Springs, where the pole vaulters competed Friday and the rest of the meet was held Saturday.
“At the Demon Invitational, it is tradition to do prelims and finals for the 100-meter dash and Gracie (Bradfield) was the only 2A girls in the 100-meter dash final,” coach Strate said about his junior sprinter. “Gracie ran a personal best on a chilly day in the 100-meter dash with her time of 13.06, taking second place.”
Coach Strate said Kirstin Brown also had a “great showing” with a fourth place finish in the triple jump, where she hopped, skipped and jumped to a personal best 33 feet 7.5 inches and her coach said she also had a “solid day”in the long jump, earning eighth place with a jump of 15 feet. Brown was also on the 4×200- and 4×400-meter relays, which finished fifth and sixth respectively.
Brown teamed up with Bradfield, Sierra Williams and Abby Rosendahl for the 4×200, then joined Williams, Bradfield and Karlee Nielsen for the 4×400. Williams also ran and placed eighth in the 800-meter run, with a time of 2:38.
For the boys, coach Strate said Jake Shelton had his best throw of the season, with a 120-7 toss in the discus, good enough for an eighth place finish. Ridge Williams continues to set personal bests each week, adding two feet to his shot put, to mark at 32-6. Brayden Woodward had a “two second improvement”in the 300 hurdles, with his time of 50.62.
The boys’ 4×800-meter relay, consisting of Kale Burke, Tannen Kennedy, Spud Kent and Ashiono Mohr, finished second for the Cowboys.
Last Friday coach Strate said Kenzie Turner had a “solid day,” earning a third place finish and matching her personal best of 7-8. Sydnie Main finished sixth in the pole vault and Addie Joy cleared the opening height in only her second pole vault meet, while Tevin Pelloni scored sixth place points for the boys.
The Cowboys will compete in Silt at Coal Ridge High School on Friday, then in Rangely on Saturday.
“We are looking forward to having a full team next weekend,” coach Strate said. “We have some different things we want to try with our relays.
