Forty-four local athletes shined during the CHSAA state track and field championships this week at Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood.
The meet closed Saturday night after the 4x400-meter relays were completed, and the Bayfield High School boys team stood as the top finisher as a team among La Plata County teams.
The Wolverines’ boys scored 33 points to finish sixth overall in the Class 3A team competition. Their meet was highlighted by Conner Kennedy’s 23-foot long jump Thursday, as he soared to first place.
Brian Mashak, a sophomore, competed Saturday in the 100-meter dash and finished in 11.53 seconds, good for seventh place. Miguel Molas of James Irwin won the race in 11 seconds flat, followed closely by Lutheran’s Chris Youngs, who crossed in 11.04 seconds.
Jessica Cusick set the tone for the BHS girls team all week with a third-place finish in the 800-meter run Friday and a seventh-place finish in the 400-meter dash Saturday. She finished Saturday’s race in 1 minutes, 1.31 seconds. Ashley Snyder of Lamar won the event in 58.05 seconds, followed by Platte Valley’s Victoria Zehnder, who finished in 58.81 seconds.
The BHS girls team scored 27 points over the three days to finish 14th overall. Eaton took first with 95.5 points, followed by Lamar (80) and Platte Valley (77.5).
The boys Class 3A title was claimed by Lutheran’s 82.5 points. Platte Valley was second with 63 and Alamosa third with 46.
Durango High School
Durango High School’s top finishes at the Class 4A meet came from Justin Marcum and David Moenning. Marcum placed second in the pole vault Thursday and Moenning third in an electric 800-meter race Friday.
The DHS boys team scored 15 points in all and finished 21st. Palmer Ridge was first with 98 points, and Classical Academy second with 52. Thompson Valley finished third with 50 points.
Alli Davis led the DHS girls with a fifth-place finish in the long jump. She finished with three medals overall, as did Miranda Gallegos.
Breann Hawman added a point Saturday with a ninth-place finish in the shot put with a throw of 35 feet, 9 inches. Valor Christian’s Haley Showalter won with a throw of 47 feet, 0.50 inches.
“Surrounded by her teammates in the early morning sunshine, Bree started shakily with a scratch but then went on to a big heave of 35-09 that propelled her into the finals,” DHS head coach David McMillan said in an email to The Durango Herald. “It was a great performance in her first appearance at state.”
The DHS girls 4x400-meter relay team finished ninth after qualifying fourth in preliminaries. The Demons were almost two seconds slower Saturday, crossing in 4:03.96. Thompson Valley set a Class 4A meet record in the event in 3:59.12.
“We were never quite in the race, but a spirited leg by Alli Davis, who ran the third leg in an almost even 61 seconds, gave a glimmer of hope for Shannon Maloney, our anchor, to move up a couple of spots,” McMillan said. “It was not to be, and with a valiant effort, we claimed the ninth and final set of medals.”
The DHS girls scored nine points in all and finished 30th. Niwot won with 85 points, followed by Mountain View (59.5) and Air Academy (54).
“Hats off to our seniors for putting forth great effort over the past four years,” McMillan said. “You leave our team in a better place than when you arrived. We salute you.”
Ignacio High School
Sky Cotton soared to ninth in the long jump with a leap of 15 feet, 6 inches. That point gave the IHS girls team 4.5 points for the meet.
The IHS boys team got on the board with Kyle Bailey placing seventh in the boys high jump. He cleared 5 feet, 11 inches. That event was won at 6 feet, 5 inches by Ty Zupancic of Rye.
Mike Perez did not qualify for the finals of the 400-meter dash, but his preliminary time of 52.73 seconds was good for 13th in the state.
IHS scored three points in the boys competition. Lyons won the title with 111.5 points, and Cedaredge was second with 100. Resurrection Christian took third with 61 points.
The Class 2A girls meet was won by Paonia’s 132 points. Lyons was second with 73.5, and Highland took third with 65.
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