The Rangely High School track and field team opened up their season on March 17, 2023, after a long, cold winter at the Rifle High School Invitational. The 41 athletes on the roster were prepared for this first meet not just by lots of running, jumping and throwing, but also a whole lot of shoveling snow off the track.
3Rangely tracksters opened their season March 17 at the Rifle High School Invitational. 41 athletes prepared for the meet with lots of running, jumping, throwing, and also a whole lot of snow shoveling to get snow off their track. | MATT SCOGGINS PHOTO
In girls’ sprinting events, Aubrianna Topia, Tylee Fielder and Emma Smith got things started in the 100-meter, finishing in 14.77 seconds, 15.23 and 15.40, respectively. Fielder also ran the 200-meter in 31.61 along with Paytin Kendall in 34.12. Fielder competed in the 400-meter as well, clocking in at 1:11.17.
Macy Morgan was the lone athlete in the 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter, running times of 7 minutes 38.26 seconds and 16:45.71, respectively.
Anika Cantrell cleared 4 feet 8 inches and Paytin Kendall jumped 3-10 in the high jump. In the long jump Addison Scott leaped 14-03, Emma Smith 12-08.5 and Laurie Ward 11-05.75. Kaelyn Geer and Smith had jumps of 29-01.5 and 28-04.5, respectively, in the triple jump.
Rylee Allred led the lady throwers in the discus with a throw of 89 feet 7.5 inches, with Kyra Phelps just behind her in 88-08, MacKenzie Manchester in 83-07 and Annika Cantrell in 76-06. Phelps then led in the shot put with her distance of 28-10, followed by Manchester in 28-01, Allred with 24-09 and Aubrianna Tapia throwing 22-05.
The girls also put together a 4×100-meter relay that clocked in at 1:04.31, a 4×200-meter with a time of 2:05.31, and a SMR finishing in 2:20.75. The boys ran the 4×200 relay in 1:50.95, the 4×400-meter in 4:08.53, and the 4×800-meter in 9:23.73 which placed fourth.
Kenyon Cochrane claimed the highest finish of the day for the Panthers when he threw the discus 133-03.5 for third place. Chase Cochrane threw 101-9, Justin Allred 72-01.5 and Malcom Osborn 60-05.5. Kenyon also led the throwers in the shot put with a distance of 40-03.5, Chase threw 37-08.75, and Osborn 24-08.
Fisher Winder was fifth in the long jump after a leap of 18-07.5, followed by Andrew Dorris with 17-07, Ayden Christian 16-03, and Robert Murray 14-06. Winder was also the Panthers’ top triple jumper with a distance of 36-08.5, Clay Allred leaped 34-09, Anthony Dorris 32-07, and Logan Peterson 30-10.
James Talbot and Matthew Morgan ran the 1,600 in 4:50.95 and 7:38.89, respectively. Talbot returned to the track for another eight laps in the 3,200 and took home the third place finish in 10:38.69. Andrew Dorris clocked a 2:13.65 in the 800, along with Joseph Valdez in 2:41.91, and 3:19.66.
Chase Cochrane completed the 100 in 12.90 along with Ayden Christian in 13.03 and Robert Murray in 13.58. Lining up for the 200 was Logan Peterson in 28.66 and Murray in 31.22. Justin Allred, Clay Allred and Gage Nielsen ran the 400 in 1:02.37, 1:02.68, and 1:23.03, respectively.
“I was really pleased with everyone that competed this weekend,” said Head Coach Beth Scoggins. “We are certainly a little rusty and working on getting back into track and field shape after a great season in basketball and wrestling for many of these athletes.”
A week later, a handful of the track team made the trip to Hotchkiss for the North Fork Invitational on March 25.
Kenyon Cochrane was the lone senior and the only other non-freshman competing for the Panthers here. Cochrane claimed first in the discus with a throw of 132-06 and fifth in the shot put with a 37-09.5.
Chase Cochrane and his fellow freshman boys made up the rest of the Panthers team. Chase ran the 100m in 12.93, threw the discus 99-08, and the shot put 33-03. Logan Peterson ran the 100m in 13.48, the 200m in 30.13, 400m in 1:07.51, and leaped 32-02.25 in the triple jump. Caiden French ran the sprint triple as well, finishing the 100m in 15.22, 200m in 33:39, and 400m in 1:11.93.
Gage Nielsen and Matthew Morgan each doubled up in the 800m and 1600m. Nielsen led the two in both events, finishing the 800m in 3:16.61 and the 1600m in 7:09.95. Morgan completed the events in 3:31.72 and 7:31.90, respectively.
Logan Benson competed in the long jump with a distance of 7-09, discus with a throw of 26-01, and shot put with a heave of 12-10. Malcom Osborn competed in the throws as well, throwing 72-10 in the discus and 26-01 in the shot put.
“I’m really pleased with those who were able to make it to Hotchkiss and compete this weekend,” said Beth Scoggins. “It was a really cold day, but everyone just bundled up and competed as best they could. It’s been a great first few weeks of training and now competing as well, and I’m excited to see what the remainder of the year has in store for all my athletes.”
UPDATE: The original story was corrected to reflect MacKenzie Manchester’s name listed as MacKenzie Cochrane and her throw of 83-07, not 84-07.
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