Nine personal bests and two season bests?
Not much to complain about there.
The Durango High School track team looking a little flat from a long trip to Arcadia (Calif.), as a whole ran way above expectations, Demons head track coach David McMillan said of the teams trip to Mullen in Denver on Saturday in a news release.
A few days before todays annual Ron Keller Invitational which starts at 1:30 p.m. today at DHS Stadium Joe Maloney was the highest finisher, who just missed his personal record at altitude, running the 1600 meter in 4 hours, 24.34 minutes, head cold notwithstanding.
In the 800 meter, Garrett Mulkey (2:07.89), Collin Francom (2:10.11), Alastair McMillan (2:09.62) and freshman David Moening (2:02.62) all added to the Demons PR total. It was Moenings first high school open 800.
A real surprise and will add fresh legs and depth to the already competitive Demon 4X800-meter (relay) squad, McMillan said of Moening.
That team, which as about seven athletes vyikng for a spot is ranked third in Colorado Class 4A.
Trent Andrews also PRd with a 54.4 in the 400-meter dash.
For the girls, Hannah Hwang scored a new personal best by almost 3 seconds, cruising through the 400 meter in 59.86. She ran another PR in the 200, finishing in 27.04 close to the magical 26-second barrier, McMillan said.
Dominique Ward put herself in the top 10 in 4A with a personal best 2:21.07 in the 800, fast enough for No. 6 in the state.
Katarina Seibert also nabbed a PR by almost 10 seconds in the 800, crossing the finish in 2:26.36, and Madeigh Winsor ran a season best 2:28.49.
Two Durango high jumpers also put on a good show: Nona Patcheck cleared 4 feet, 8 inches, and Gabe Gilliland placed 7th with a 6-foot jump.
High school athletes such as Gilliand arent the only ones invited to participate in the Ron Keller Invitational, though.
The event also will host open categories in the shot put, 1,600-, 3,200- and 400-meter runs for interested athletes beyond the high school level.
The entry fee for coed teams is $150 and $15 for unattached athletes.
The Demons next varsity race is at noon April 26 at the Coronado Cougar Classic at Gerry Berry Stadium in Colorado Springs.
heraldsports @durangoherald.com
