Meeker girls first while boys are third at track meet held in Rangely

MEEKER I Despite snow, wind and rain in Meeker on Saturday, Meeker High School Cowboy track coach John Strate said, “Both teams had a great day in Rangely,” where the girls won the team title and the boys finished third in a field of eight teams.

But the highlight of the day for the team, according to coach Strate, was many team members running the 100-meter dash with senior teammate Marcus Archuleta, a Special Olympian.
“Marcus is preparing for the Special Olympics 100-meter dash, which will be run at the state track and field meet,” Strate said. “Marcus competed against other athletes from Meeker.”
“Rangely was in the 60’s with no wind,” Strate said. “The girls’ team won the meet decisively, led by a strong group of sprinters, jumpers and hurdlers.
Sprinter Halle Ahrens won her “season debut” in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.48, and she was the anchor on the 4×100-meter relay team (Linda Olivas, Madison Russell, Peyton Burke and Ahrens), which also won.
The 4×400-meter relay team (Olivas, Sierra Williams, Russell and Avery Watt) and 4×800-meter relay squad (Julia Eskelson, Delenn Mobley, Maggie Phelan and Williams) teams also crossed the finish line first.
Eskelson also won the 800-meter run with a time of 2:39, Burke won the 100-meter hurdles and Russell won the 200-meter dash.
Sarah Gerloff led the throwers, placing third in the discus and sixth in the shot put.
For the boys, Jake Henderson continues to produce team points, winning the 110-meter hurdles, finishing second in the 300-meter hurdles and he placed in the high jump.
Coach Strate is happy to have Russell’s twin brother, Austin, healthy again.
“Austin returned from a lower back injury and won the 1600 meter run, with his time of 5:08,” Strate said. “The team really missed Austin’s work ethic; it’s great to have a kid like him back. Unfortunately, the distance team is missing Marshal Pool, due to illness.”
Pool may have been missing, but distance teammate Clay Anderson finished third in the 1600. Strate said Noah Overton again improved on his season’s best in the shot put, placing second with a distance of 40-8 in the event.
The Cowboys will compete in Moffat County on Friday.
“As the season winds down, each meet becomes crucial for our athletes to improve their time in order to stay in the top 18 in 2A,” coach Strate said.
The top 18 in each event will qualify for the 2015 Colorado State Track and Field Championships in Denver.