MEEKER | The Meeker High School track and field team turned in a strong performance at the Clint Wells Invitational, hosted by Moffat County High School, highlighted by multiple relay wins and podium finishes.
Co-head coach Terrence Casias said conditions were challenging but the team still showed progress.
“It was a windy day in Craig which made for some tough running conditions, but we were still able to see some good things that will set us up well going into the league meet,” Casias said.
He highlighted Hailey Schwartz’s continued improvement in the triple jump.
“Hailey Schwartz is very determined with the triple jump,” Casias said. “Her improvement and consistency are really a product of all her off-season work and everyday effort at practice with our jumping coach, John Strate, who has done a great job with all of our triple jumpers. Hailey is so coachable and it’s really fun to watch her succeed at an event she cares so much about.”
Casias also noted a strong performance in the throwing events.
“Raegan Clatterbaugh had a 6-foot PR in discus with a throw of 104 feet, 7 inches, a distance that for now has her top 10 in 2A,” he said.
For the boys, Meeker’s relay teams led the way. The 4×800-meter relay A team of Ryan Hanberg, Landon Damitz, Bradley Conrado and Dublin Price captured first place in 9:29.93, while the B team of Andy Mondragon, Talen Walker, Ashton Tapia and Cameron Hanberg followed with a second-place finish in 10:28.23.
Hanberg said the success of both relay squads reflects the team’s depth and commitment.
“Both our teams performing the way they did really speaks to our grit and desire to perform well,” Hanberg said. “This group as a whole is super talented and very dedicated to the sport, and I think this race was our way of showing what we can do.”
He said preparation and team unity played a major role in the performance.
“There was a lot working well for our relay that day,” Hanberg said. “We were all dialed in and dedicated to performing our very best. We warmed up together as a group, kept each other motivated, and cheered on our teammates during the race, no matter if they were on the A or the B group.”
Hanberg added that mental focus and pacing have been key areas of development for the relay group.
“Approaching the 4×800, the most important part is staying dialed in mentally the whole time,” he said. “It’s really easy to let our pace slip and slow down into something more comfortable. We’ve been working a lot on splitting the race into segments and holding pace through those, along with longer runs to build endurance.”
He said that preparation has translated into better performances in competition.
“Once we lock into those paces, it makes it a lot easier to push ourselves to faster times because we’ve already worked on them in practice,” Hanberg said.
He also highlighted the team’s chemistry and support system.
“As a team, a lot clicks,” Hanberg said. “We all go to school together, practice together, and race together. We’ve developed a companionship that lets us all cheer each other on, no matter how we do. That bond helps us hype each other up even when moments get rough.”
Looking ahead, Hanberg said the group is confident heading into the final stretch of the season.
“As we head toward league and state, it seems like the sky is the limit,” he said. “We’ve all improved so much, and we’re dialing in on the 4×800 to maximize our chances. We’re excited to compete at league and push ourselves to new limits.”
The 4×200-meter relay team of Jake Grieser, Lawson Anderson, Holton Harvey and Sam Smithers added a second-place finish in 1:37.54, and the 4×100-meter relay team of Grieser, Anderson, Harvey and Smithers placed fourth in 46.91.
Individually, Smithers finished ninth in the 100 meters in 11.95 seconds. In the field events, Trent Sanders placed fifth in the triple jump with a mark of 38 feet, 1.25 inches. Grieser finished sixth in the high jump at 5 feet, 5 inches, while Mondragon placed ninth at 5 feet, 3 inches.
For the girls, the 4×800-meter relay team of Josey McClain, Norah Loar, Midy Camargo and Braydin Raley continued its strong season with a first-place finish in 10:57.33.
Loar said her first experience in the event was a positive one.
“This was actually the first time I’ve run the 4×800, and I think it went well,” Loar said. “The girls are super nice and they really helped me with my nerves before the race. I can’t wait to see what the relay will do in the future, and I’m hoping I can work hard enough to be a part of it again.”
Individually, McKenna Berthelson led the Cowgirls on the track with a third-place finish in the 100 meters in 13.38 seconds. Raley placed fourth in the 400 meters in 1:04.22, while McClain (2:43.59) and Camargo (2:47.27) finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the 800 meters. Adailin Valenzuela added a 10th-place finish in the 200 meters in 29.83.
Co-head coach Kirk Hossack said conditions played a major role in performances, particularly in the sprints.
“McKenna had a good time but the wind gauge was not working for all of the girls’ 100s,” Hossack said. “Her time would have her close to qualifying for state but ended up not counting at all.”
He noted continued consistency in the relay group.
“The 4×100 girls are staying consistent this year hoping to run best times this weekend,” Hossack said.
Hossack also highlighted steady improvement across the roster.
“Rylee is getting better every week, she had 4’9” which was a PR for her. It was a good performance for such a windy day,” he said.
He added that younger athletes are contributing significantly.
“The team has been making some good progress. The younger kids are making some great progress with lots of PRs each week,” Hossack said. “This coming weekend will tell us a lot where we stand. Let’s just hope for some good weather and no wind.”
In the relays, Meeker’s 4×100-meter relay A team of Berthelson, Julie Kracht, Addie Knowles and Loar placed third in 54.12, while the B team of Mia Hernandez, Kinnley Smith, Azalea Jessop and Jordyn Garcia finished seventh in 59.12.
The 4×200-meter relay A team of Hernandez, Smith, Valenzuela and Tacey Toon placed seventh in 2:03.79, while the B team of Maria Lopez, Riley Thompson, Aidyn Kirkpatrick and Jemma Bair finished ninth in 2:09.19.
In the field events, Rylee Sullivan placed second in the high jump at 4 feet, 9 inches, while Bair finished seventh at 4 feet, 3 inches. Hailey Schwartz added a second-place finish in the triple jump at 31 feet, 4.25 inches, and Iris Holmes placed ninth at 26 feet, 8.5 inches.
Senior Addie Knowles led Meeker in the throwing events, placing third in the discus at 104 feet, 7 inches and fifth in the shot put at 30 feet, 11 inches. Freshman Raegan Clatterbaugh added a fourth-place finish in the discus at 104 feet, 7 inches.
Meeker will return to action May 1-2 at Coal Ridge High School for the league championship meet.
Meeker junior Trent Sanders competes in the triple jump during the Clint Wells Invitational in Craig on April 24. Sanders placed fifth in the event with a mark of 38 feet, 1.25 inches. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO
