MHS team earns first among 2A schools

MEEKER I Warm temperatures and favorable winds led to a good day for the Meeker High School Track and Field Team last Saturday. It was one of the best showings in terms of overall team performance of the season for both the boys’ and the girls’ squads. The girls were able to clinch a sixth place finish out of the 19 teams attending, including first out of the 2A teams attending. The boys grabbed seventh out of 19, also earning first out of the 2A teams competing. The meet brought good results in terms of state qualifying as well. A number of athletes were able to move up their standings into the coveted top 18, putting them in good position for state qualifying as they near the end of the regular season.

The day started with J.C. Henderson leading off the young Cowboy 3200-meter relay with a 2:10 split, a personal best for him by more than 10 seconds. Running with J.C. were Lathrop Hughes, Caleb Lange and Aaron Cochran. The young squad of mid-distance runners currently find themselves in the top 18 with three weeks to go. On the sprinting side of things Toby Casias earned second place in the 100-meter dash, again improving his season best time by clocking in at 11.47. The Cowboy sprint relays also had a productive day. The 4×100, made up of Casias, Henderson, Tala Atoafa and Sebastian Clarke earned sixth place. The 4×200 meter relay, made up of Casias, Atoafa, Jake Phelan and Clarke also finished in sixth place. Finishing the day for the sprinters was Toby Casias’ third place finish in the 200-meter dash. Freshman Anthony Watt also ran a strong 200, winning his heat.
For the male jumpers there were also some good marks. Sebastian Clarke and Jake Phelan both improved their previous bests in the long jump by more than a foot. Clarke leaped 20 feet, 1 inch, while Phelan was able to reach 19-1. Both athletes have pushed themselves into the top 18 for the first time this season in that event.
The girls had a balanced day in Rifle, getting points out of sprints, jumps, throws and middle distance events. Piper Haney ran a new personal record in the 800-meter run, earning seventh place for the team. In the hurdles, Sydney Hughes had a good day improving on her 300-meter hurdle time and her 100-meter hurdles, earning fourth place in both events. Hughes also contributed to the 4×100 meter relay along with Linda Olivas, Aly Ridings and Kathryn Doll. The relay, currently ranked fourth, appears to have a spot secured in the top 18.
Doll and Ridings also had productive days in the jumps with Doll winning the triple jump and Ridings jumping into a third place finish. Bailey Atwood was again productive in the shot, placing second. In the disc, teammate Ohana Mataia finished in eighth place. Next week the team will compete at the Clint Wells Invitational at Moffat County High School.