MEEKER | The track team kicked off a weekend full of meets Friday at Coal Ridge for their annual invitational.
Placing in the top six at Coal Ridge:
The girls 4×100 meter relay took fourth place. The team members are Ellie Hossack, Jayde Turner, Adi Selle and Ainsley Selle.
The men’s 4×100 placed third with a time of 45.42 seconds. The team of Casey Brink, Judd Harvey, Brendan Clatterbaugh and Connor Blunt and are currently sitting in eighth place and have qualified for state at the time being. The girls’ 4×100 is also sitting eighth in the state and are qualified.
“We would like to think that the top 10 might hold but so much changes at the end of the season,” commented Blunt. “I am excited about our relay teams in general and think we can continue to improve.”
For the second weekend in a row Brink broke the school record in pole vault and Connor achieved another personal record (PR). Brink, who won the pole vault competition with a height of 13 feet 1 inch, broke his previous record of 12’ 7” and Connor vaulted 11′ 1” for his personal record, taking fourth. Brink is ranked second in the state behind Shay from Wray Colorado and Connor is sitting 13.
“The vaulters had a really good week, especially with the weather,” said Blunt, “their hard work is really paying off.”
After the down-to-the-bone cold day in Silt, the team came home to a fresh four inches of snow but that snow did not reach Rangely, so the meet was on.
For the weekend the throwers threw 15 PR’s, and all of the girls disc throwers PR’d in one of the two meets or both. Harvey was the only thrower to place in the top six at Rangely, taking fifth.
As teams both the boys and girls took fifth, despite not having all of the team present.
Those Cowboys placing sixth or higher in Rangely:
In the boys events: 100-meter dash, Connor placed fourth; 800-meter run Gabe Smithers placed fourth with a time of 2 minutes 16.29 seconds; 4×100 relay of Jon Cardile, Harvey, Clatterbaugh and Connor took second; 4×200 meter relay took third; in high jump Sam Hightower placed fourth, with a height of 5 feet 4 inches and Clatterbaugh took fifth with a height of 5’2”, and finally Hightower also took fifth in triple jump with a distance of 36 feet 11.5 inches.
The lady Cowboys who placed in the top six are: in the 800 Taylor Garcia took third, Brighton Blair took second in the mile and two mile, and in triple jump Clatterbaugh placed fourth with a distance of 30’ 5.25”.
The girls relay runners were busy and all of them placed; the 4×100 relay placed fifth, the members were Natalie Kracht, Taylor Garcia, Adi, and Reese Clatterbaugh; 4×200 relay of Hossack, Kracht, Adi, and Ainsley took second, the 4×400 meter relay of Hossack, Turner, Ainsley, and Adi placed second, and the 800 Sprint Medley Relay of Hossack, Ainsley, Adi, and Turner took third.
“Right now other than the three vaulters who are qualified, the only other individuals are Reese and Harvey,” commented Blunt.
Reese is qualified in triple jump and Harvey in shot and the vaulters qualified are Brink, Connor and Clatterbaugh.
This week at 3 p.m. on Thursday Meeker will host the Moffat County pole vaulting portion of the meet, which the Cowboys will participate in on Friday.
By TIFFANY JEHOREK | Special to the Herald Times
