MEEKER | The Meeker High School track and field team closed out the regular season with strong performances at two final qualifying meets last week, competing May 6 at the Wild West Twilight Last Chance meet in Grand Junction, hosted by Central High School, and May 9 at the Cardinal Invitational in Parachute, hosted by Grand Valley High School.
At the Wild West Twilight meet at Stocker Stadium, junior Tucker Chinn led the Cowboys with a runner-up finish in the 300-meter hurdles in 42.70 seconds.
In the pole vault, freshman Corbin Grant placed eighth at 9 feet, 4 inches, while sophomore Holt Pelloni finished ninth at the same height.
For the girls, sophomore McKenna Berthelson placed sixth in the 100-meter dash in 13.28 seconds. Senior Braydin Raley finished fourth in the 800 meters in 2:25.63, while junior Josey McClain placed 10th in 2:34.57.
Senior Rylee Sullivan cleared 4 feet, 7 inches to place eighth in the high jump, and senior Addie Knowles placed third in the pole vault at 7 feet, 10 inches.
At the Cardinal Invitational on Saturday, Meeker’s relay teams again highlighted the day for the Cowboys.
The boys 4×100-meter relay team of Jake Grieser, Lawson Anderson, Holton Harvey and Sam Smithers captured first place in 45.37, while the same group placed second in the 4×200-meter relay in 1:34.21.
Junior Trent Sanders led the field events with a first-place finish in the triple jump at 41 feet, 11 1/2 inches, while freshman Lawson Anderson placed fourth at 38 feet, 3 1/4 inches.
In the high jump, freshman Jake Grieser placed fifth at 5 feet, 10 inches.
Sophomore Ryan Hanberg placed fourth in the 3,200 meters in 11:41.48 and also finished eighth in the 1,600 meters in 5:11.42. Sophomore Bradley Conrado placed seventh in the 1,600 meters in 5:11.13.
Freshman Landon Damitz finished eighth in the 800 meters in 2:15.63, followed by senior Dublin Price in ninth at 2:18.48. Sophomore Ashton Tapia added a ninth-place finish in the 400 meters in 1:03.90.
In the pole vault, Grant placed seventh at 9 feet, 8 inches, while Pelloni finished eighth at 9 feet, 2 inches.
For the girls, Berthelson placed fifth in the 100 meters in 13.12 seconds, and freshman Tacey Toon finished seventh in the 200 meters in 29.49.
The girls 4×100-meter relay team of Berthelson, Julie Kracht, Raegan Clatterbaugh and Norah Loar placed second in 52.88, while the 4×200-meter relay team of Valenzuela, Mia Hernandez, Jordyn Garcia and Toon finished third in 2:00.34.
Senior Addie Knowles continued her strong season in the throwing events, winning the discus with a throw of 115 feet, 8 1/2 inches and placing second in the shot put at 31 feet, 5 1/2 inches. Freshman Raegan Clatterbaugh placed second in the discus at 111 feet, 11 3/4 inches and eighth in the shot put at 26 feet, 4 3/4 inches.
Sophomore Hailey Schwartz placed third in the triple jump at 33 feet, 5 1/4 inches and seventh in the long jump at 13 feet, 11 inches. Sophomore Iris Holmes finished seventh in the triple jump at 27 feet, 6 1/4 inches, while sophomore Norah Loar placed eighth in the long jump at 13 feet, 4 inches.
In the high jump, senior Rylee Sullivan placed fourth at 4 feet, 10 inches, and Knowles finished fifth in the pole vault at 8 feet.
The Meeker girls finished fifth overall with 66.5 points, while the boys also placed fifth with 49.5 points.
Meeker coach Terrence Casias said the Cowboys will send a strong group to the Colorado State Track and Field Championships.
For the girls, state qualifiers include the 4×800-meter relay team of Josey McClain, Tinlie Strate, Midy Camargo and Braydin Raley, the 4×400-meter relay team of Norah Loar, Josey McClain, Midy Camargo and Braydin Raley, and the 4×100-meter relay team of McKenna Berthelson, Julie Kracht, Raegan Clatterbaugh and Norah Loar. Individually, Raley qualified in the 800 meters, Hailey Schwartz in the triple jump, Addie Knowles in the pole vault, shot put and discus, Clatterbaugh in the discus, and Rylee Sullivan in the high jump.
For the boys, qualifiers include the 4×100-meter relay team of Jake Grieser, Lawson Anderson, Holton Harvey and Sam Smithers, the 4×200-meter relay team of the same quartet, Tucker Chinn in the 300-meter hurdles, and Jake Grieser in the high jump.
Grieser said recent practice work on relay handoffs helped the group. “During practice this week we really focused on our handoffs and making sure they were perfect,” Grieser said. “This really clicked at the meet on Saturday and allowed us to shave off more time.”
“We are working really well together in our relays. We have good handoffs and everyone gets along very well,” he said.
Individually, Grieser said he has also focused on personal improvement in the high jump.
“I have focused on getting my head right and working on form and approach,” he said. “Our goal is to make finals and place at state. My goal is to jump 6 feet and place in high jump.”
He added that the team’s success would not be possible without support from coaches and teammates.
Chinn said his confidence has grown significantly throughout the season as technical improvements have helped him lower his times in the hurdles.
“I have improved a lot from the beginning of the season and am feeling very confident going into the state meet,” Chinn said. “I was able to cut about 2 seconds off my season start time.”
He credited his progress to better rhythm and form between hurdles.
“I have got my steps down in between my hurdles and focused on my form over the hurdle, which has really helped me progress this season,” he said.
Chinn said his runner-up finish in Grand Junction showed him what he is capable of heading into the postseason.
“The race in GJ, not necessarily even the second place, showed me the potential I have to still drop more time and has given me lots of confidence going into state,” he said.
Looking ahead, he said his goals are focused on both performance and results.
“My goals for state are to break the school record and hopefully get pretty high up on the podium,” Chinn said.
Casias said the goal entering state is simple: finish on the podium.
The Cowboys and Cowgirls will compete at the Colorado State Track and Field Championships May 14-16 at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood.
Meeker sophomore Ryan Hanberg competes in the 3,200-meter run at the Cardinal Invitational in Parachute on May 9. Hanberg placed fourth in the event as the Cowboys closed out the regular season. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO
Rylee Sullivan clears the bar during the high jump at the Cardinal Invitational in Parachute on May 9. Sullivan placed fourth in the event as the Cowgirls wrapped up the regular season. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO