The Durango High School track and field team faced its toughest competition of the season Friday and Saturday at the Liberty Bell Invitational in Littleton.
Competing with 33 teams, including 5A powerhouses Valor Christian, Ralston Valley, Highlands Ranch, Pomona and Arapahoe, DHS scored the team title with 52 points, 10 better than second-place Ralston Valley and 11 better than third-place teams Fountain Fort Carson and Poudre.
“It was a huge meet for us and a huge win,” said coach Steve Thyfault.
The Durango girls scored 22 points to finish 14th out of the 34 teams. Pine Creek won the girls team title with 52.5 points.
“The girls did really well as well,” Thyfault said.
The DHS boys won two individual events at the meet.
William Knight won the shot put with a throw of 48 feet, 5.5 inches. Knight also finished second in the discus with a toss of 155-08.
Land Lambert took the title in the 3,200-meter race, crossing first in 9:31.10, five seconds faster than runner-up Dane Eike of Valor Christian. Nathaniel Ellis finished 21st in 10:07.99.
Lambert and Damian Frausto also finished near the top in the 1,600 – Lambert crossed third in 4:17.72, Frausto placed fourth in 4:18.15, and Luke Swenk crossed 18th in 4:39.77.
In the 800, Frausto placed third in 1:57.66.
“Land and Damian both ran real well and scored a bunch of points,” Thyfault said.
The DHS girls also scored a first-place finish in the 4x800 relay. Sofia Voss, Angela McManus Abby Fehr and Avery Cerwin won the race in 9:39.17, beating second-place Battle Mountain by over six seconds.
The Durango girls distance runners also performed well in individual events.
Willow Lott finished sixth in the girls 3,200 in 11:29.67, followed by Brynn Aggeler (15th, 11:54.37) and Nina Quayle (20th, 12:00.85).
In the girls 800, McManus placed ninth in 2:25.24, followed by Fehr (21st 2:31.78) and Tea Forrest (31st, 2:36.02).
McManus also finished 11th in the 1,600 in 5:19.97. Fehr placed 19th in 5:31.16, and Lott placed 23rd in 5:34.85.
“We just ran really well,” Thyfault said. “The distance kids carried a lot of points for us.”
Sydney Flores had the girls best individual performance, placing second in the shot put with a throw of 38-00.
Violet Mazenko led DHS in the discus with a throw of 101-11, and Flores placed 18th (88-05). Mazenko also placed 28th in the shot put (29-01).
The boys 4x400 relay team of Landon Roberts, Jaxon Fancher, Frausto and Maddox Bryant crossed third in 3:26.98, improving their time by about five seconds.
Fancher also placed ninth in the 400 open in 52.52.
In the boys pole vault, Riley Belt cleared 10-06 to finish eighth, while Jacob Fenberg placed 10th at the same height.
In the girls pole vault, Halle Moore cleared 9-00 to place eighth, and Seneca Wilson cleared 9-00 to finish 10th.
Zach Haber just missed the top 10 in the discus, placing 11th with a throw of 133-0, 3 feet ahead of Josh Bates in 15th.
Roberts placed 13th in the long jump with a leap of 20-07.50. Roberts also led DHS in the 100-meter, placing 45th in 11.80.
Fancher finished 28th in the 200 to lead DHS in 23.27.
Jessica McVaugh placed 22nd in the 300-meter hurdles (52.89) and 23rd in the 100 hurdles (17.95). Ethan Flores led the boys in the 110-meter hurdles, crossing 30th in 18.55, two spots ahead of Micah Zastrocky. Zastrocky then led DHS in the 300 hurdles, placing 39th in 47.41, one spot ahead of Flores.
Mason Turner led the girls sprinters, placing 50th in the 100 (14.07) and 36th in the 200 (28.25).
Dewa Ilg had the top 400 for DHS’ girls, placing 37th in 1:08.59.
Charlie Dillman placed 24th in the 800 in 2:04.45, about eight seconds ahead of Brodie Dorko in 53rd.
“The process continues, and we’re getting better and better,” Thyfault said. “The goal is to build on it.”
Complete results from the Liberty Bell at https://bit.ly/38UrRyV
Next, DHS will welcome Southwestern League foes Grand Junction, Grand Junction Central, Fruita Monument and Montrose to town Friday and Saturday for the Southwestern League Championships. Prelims and some finals will take place 4-7 p.m. Friday with the rest of the events contested from about 8-11:30 a.m. Saturday.
