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Durango track and field caps off fulfilling state meet

Demons 4x400 relay team stuns even themselves
Durango’s Seamus Millett helped lead two relay teams to state placement this year. After winning the 4x800-meter relay Thursday, he helped the Demons to fifth in the 4x400 on Saturday.

Saturday’s action at Jefferson County Stadium wasn’t just the end of a season, it was an end of an era for some of the best runners Durango High School has ever had.

After two days in which the Demons brought two more Colorado High School Activities Association Class 4A state titles back to Durango, the third day brought more opportunities.

The day was highlighted by another epic performance in a boys relay, as seniors Cristian Gonzales, Seamus Millett, David Moenning and Joaquin Valdez took fifth in the 4x400-meter relay in 3 minutes, 20.64 seconds. It was the second-fastest Durango 4x400 time ever behind the 2007 team. The Demons finished 1.7 seconds behind winner Palmer Ridge.

“It was unbelievable,” DHS head coach David McMillan said of the race. “We knew we could be in the mix, but this 4x4 only three weeks ago was struggling to find three kids to join the ensemble with (Moenning). Seamus ran a good time, but we were looking for two more kids. Suddenly, we ran 3:26 last weekend, which was tops for this group.”

McMillan thought the team could make the finals if Moenning could shave off another second, but he never expected the gutty effort from first-year track runner Gonzales and first-time state runner Valdez.

The team ran 3:23 in preliminaries for a new personal record and shaved off another three seconds in the finals.

For Moenning, it capped off a special week as he won the 800-meter run and anchored the 4x800 relay team that took first place.

“It was a great way to go out,” the son of Amy and Joshua Moenning said. “I ran faster than I’ve ever ran a 400. It was really something to see the other members of the team pouring out their passion.”

Valdez started the race and said his legs were shaking in the blocks. The son of Suzanna Valdez and Tim White said he thought of the teammates counting on him and got out to the fastest start he could.

“I flew around the track, I barely remember it,” Valdez said. “I remember two years ago at state coming to watch the guys. I watched the 4x400 team and it was the most inspiring thing I had ever seen. I dreamt of some day being on that team but never thought I could compare to those guys on that level. (Saturday), we ran a time that beat them. It’s insane.”

Gonzales took the baton next. He said he was inspired to run on the team and gave it everything he had.

“It took a lot of heart,” the son of Alberto Gonzales and Erica Rios said. “It was a mental thing. We had a lot of support from fans, family and athletes. I was pretty drained, but it was the last race of my high school career so I gave it my best and hoped for the best.”

Millett ran third, just as he did in Thursday’s 4x800. He was impressed to see so many teams run 3:20 or better.

“We came in as underdogs, and we knew every team there was fast,” the son of James Millett and Jennifer Thurston said. “We knew we had to do something special to even be close, and that’s what we did. I never could have imagined we all would run that fast.”

Junior pole vaulter Camden Garland finished in a tie for 12th in the 4A pole vault competition. Garland cleared the bar at 12 feet, 2 inches for a personal best mark that he is certain to be after next year.

After winning a state title Thursday’s 4x800 relay, William Chandler also posted a 12th-place finish for Durango on Saturday. Chandler’s 1,600-meter run time of 4:27.84 was seven seconds behind winner Ian Meek of Montrose.

For the girls team, senior Breann Hawman’s final discus throw of 109 feet came up short of the final 10 qualifying spots. Hawman placed seventh in Thursday’s shot put and will compete in college for Division II powerhouse Adams State University.

The DHS girls finished 39th overall. The boys finished 10th out of 46 teams despite only scoring in three events.

“I had coach Robin Oliger sitting next to me, and she said it best,” McMillan said. “We were happy like we just had a great Thanksgiving dinner. Every part of our being was filled with an experience that was just captivating. We had a small team, and they all had tears in their eyes. It was one of those meets that every piece was truly special.”

heraldsports@durangoherald.com

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