MEEKER | The Meeker High School track and field team competed April 18 at the Panther Invitational, turning in multiple relay podium finishes and several individual event wins.
Meeker track and field coaches were not available for comment prior to press time.
For the boys, freshman Jake Grieser led the way with a first-place finish in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 11 inches. Junior Andy Mondragon added a fifth-place finish at 5 feet, 5 inches.
Grieser said his adjustments in technique helped him secure the win and a new personal record.
“I had a great day on Saturday,” Grieser said. “Leading up to the meet I felt loose and prepared. I worked on my approach and getting my hips above the bar. I spent a lot of time practicing and I’m thankful for the coaches that stay late to help me.”
He added that small technical improvements made the difference.
“I was able to get my hips above the bar this weekend which helped me to get first,” Grieser said. “I’m doing a better job of ignoring the competition and worrying about my own jumps. I’m also getting more confidence compared to earlier in the season.”
Grieser said clearing 5-11 on his first attempt gave him a boost.
“When I cleared 5-11 on my first try I knew I’d be in the top 2,” he said. “It was really exciting to get a new PR and gives me motivation to get 6 foot before the end of the season.”
He said his focus now is continuing to improve as the season progresses.
“My goals are to keep working on my form and to clear the 6 foot mark before heading into state,” Grieser said. “With three meets left in the season I’m really focusing on making my form better and improving my approach.”
In the girls’ triple jump, sophomore Hailey Schwartz continued her strong season with a first-place finish at 32 feet, 4.25 inches. Schwartz said technical adjustments and growing confidence have played a key role in her improvement.
“In triple jump, keeping my knee up and stretching my second phase finally clicked, and definitely contributed to my new PR,” Schwartz said.
She added that a change in her approach has also helped her generate more speed.
“One of my newer adjustments that I’ve made is starting my approach from farther back,” she said. “With more room on the runway, I can get more speed, which will carry my jump farther.”
Schwartz said her confidence has grown steadily throughout the season.
“My confidence has improved throughout the season,” she said. “Jumping farther, moving up rankings for state, and placing better at meets have made me more confident and excited to improve more.”
She said the performance showed her long-term potential.
“I think that this performance shows that I have potential to improve by a lot more this season,” Schwartz said. “This meet showed me that I have the ability to jump farther, and I just need to keep working on each little step to get there.”
Looking ahead, she said her goal is to put everything together at the right time.
“For the rest of the season, I really want to be able to put together all the pieces that we’ve been working on in practice to do the best jump I possibly can,” Schwartz said. “Right now, I’m aiming to go to state and jump 34 feet.”
In the distance events, sophomore Ryan Hanberg placed sixth in the 3,200 meters in 11:23.13, followed by sophomore Bradly Conrado in eighth (11:58.53) and junior Trent Sanders in 10th (13:43.80). Freshman Landon Damitz finished 10th in the 800 meters in 2:17.65.
Meeker’s relay teams delivered strong performances across the board. The 4×100-meter relay team of Lawson Anderson, Jake Grieser, Holton Harvey and Sam Smithers placed third in 46.20, while the same quartet finished third in the 4×200-meter relay in 1:37.17. The 4×400-meter relay team of Anderson, Grieser, Smithers and Liam Thomson placed sixth in 3:49.06, and the 4×800-meter relay finished fourth in 9:36.30.
In the field events, Sanders placed sixth in the triple jump at 35 feet, 3.75 inches, while Thomson finished ninth at 33 feet, 3.5 inches. In the pole vault, freshman Corbin Grant placed third at 9 feet, 4 inches, and sophomore Holt Pelloni finished sixth at 8 feet, 10 inches.
For the girls, Meeker’s relay teams highlighted the meet with multiple top finishes. The 4×100-meter relay A team of McKenna Berthelson, Addie Knowles, Norah Loar and Julie Kracht took first place in 53.63, while the B team of Mia Hernandez, Azalea Jessop, Jordyn Garcia and Kinnley Smith placed sixth in 57.88.
The 4×200-meter relay A team of Berthelson, Kracht, Loar and Braydin Raley placed second in 1:55.47, and the B team of Tacey Toon, Kinnley Smith, Adailin Valenzuela and Midy Camargo finished fifth in 1:58.24.
Meeker’s 4×400-meter relay team of Loar, Tinlie Strate, Camargo and Raley added a second-place finish in 4:28.71.
Individually, Berthelson placed seventh in the 100 meters in 13.57, while Kracht finished seventh in the 400 meters in 1:10.13.
Senior Rylee Sullivan placed third in the high jump at 4 feet, 7 inches, and Loar finished eighth in the long jump at 13 feet, 6 inches. Iris Holmes added an eighth-place finish in the triple jump at 26 feet, 1 inch.
Senior Addie Knowles won the discus with a throw of 103 feet, 5 inches, while freshman Raegan Clatterbaugh placed second at 98 feet, 2 inches. Knowles also placed third in the pole vault (7 feet, 10 inches) and fourth in the shot put (29 feet, 2.25 inches).
Meeker will return to action April 24 at the Clint Wells Invitational in Craig, hosted by Moffat County High School. Events are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
Meeker senior Addie Knowles hands off the baton to sophomore Norah Loar during relay action at the Rangely Panther Invitational on April 18. Knowles and Loar helped the Cowgirls to a first-place finish in the 4×100-meter relay. BOBBY G’S MEMORIES PHOTO
