Many track and field athletes from Durango High School had their best performances of the season on Saturday during the team’s home meet, the Ron Keller Invitational.
The DHS boys ended up winning the meet with 215 points, followed by Montezuma-Cortez (126), Dove Creek (79), Bayfield (74), Pagosa Springs (53), Del Norte (46), Dolores (19), Ignacio (17), Mancos (16), Monument Valle (8), Farmington (2) and Telluride (DNP).
The DHS girls also finished first as a team with 180 points. Pagosa Springs (150) finished second, followed by Bayfield (63), Montezuma-Cortez (47), Del Norte (44), Dove Creek (41), Mancos (40), Dolores (27), Ignacio (21), Farmington (14) and Monument Valley, Lake City and Telluride (DNP).
“The kids are progressing and that’s what you want to see at this time of year,” said DHS head coach Johnny Bertrand. “It’s always nice to win your home meet, and we had some good times in the wind.”
Durango’s boys won four events, while Bayfield won a pair of relays and two throws.
The DHS girls, meanwhile, had six first-place finishes. Bayfield’s girls won three events, including an elite performance from Alaysia Kremer in the shot put.
In the boys’ events, Maddox Bryant cleared 6 feet, 0 inches to win the high jump for DHS.
Brodie Dorko won the 800-meter race in 2:06.74, helping DHS claim the top four spots.
Luke Swenk finished second behind Dorko in the 800, but won the meet’s opening race, the 3,200, by 45 seconds in 10:08.73.
The DHS boys also won the 4x400 in 3:31.38, with Allan Hardee, Nolan Pace, Fancher and Marquez running for DHS.
Deegan Barnes won the discus for Bayfield by over 25 feet with a top throw of 138-1.00.
Gabriel Archuleta of BHS won the shot put with a throw of 36-8.50, finishing just three inches ahead of Kyle Rima of Ignacio in second.
Bayfield also won the 4x100 (44.75) and 4x200 (1:33.48). Barnes, Ayden Casillas, Jonathan Chapman and Mark Torres ran on both relays for the Wolverines.
Zander Cruzan of Montezuma-Cortez dominated the sprints, winning the 100 (10.75), 200 (21.26) and 400 (49.28).
Jaxon Fancher of Durango finished second behind Cruzan in all three events with his fastest times of the year (11.36, 100; 22.50, 200; 50.34, 400).
Seb Tripp of DHS lowered his 100 time by .62 seconds to win his heat and finish third overall in 11.42.
Casillas finished third in the 200 (22.98). Branden Marquez of DHS crossed third in the 400 (52.28), fourth in the 100 (11.48) and fourth in the 200 (23.22).
Kade Hankins of Dove Creek won two events for the Bulldogs. Hankins won the 110 hurdles in 16.69, followed by Ethan Flores of DHS in second (17.73).
Hankins also jumped 19-6.50 to win the long jump, beating Austin Wood of MCHS by one inch.
Dove Creek also got a first-place finish from Queden Huffaker in the triple jump (40-3.25). He was followed by Wood (39-1.50) and Xavier Sutherlin of DHS (38-5.50).
Del Norte won the boys’ 4x800 (9:15.00) and the pole vault with Riley Orr clearing 11-0. Nash Vareta of DHS cleared 10-06 to take second in the pole vault.
Ben Hoffman of MCHS won the 1,600 in 5:06.86; Corey Gomez of Ignacio crossed fourth (5:30.21) and Porter Sutherlin of Bayfield too fifth (5:36.30).
Raul Soto also won a gold for MCHS in the 300 hurdles (43.75), followed by Zastrocky (44.89) and Flores (44.93).
In the girls’ competition, Sofia Voss won the 3,200 (12:00.0) and the 400 (1:01.91) for DHS.
Ayumi Lambert crossed first in the 800 (2:39.96) just ahead of teammate Seneca Wilson (2:43.62).
In the pole vault, three girls cleared 8-0 to tie for first, which included Wilson, Del Norte’s Aden Howell and Shelby Vanzalinge.
In the 1,600, Mira Quayle was in second after one lap, but took the lead on the second lap and kept pulling away to cross first in 6:10.59.
Jessica McVaugh won the 300 hurdles in 52.09, just beating Trista Barnett of Dove Creek (52.79). McVaugh also placed fourth in the 100 hurdles, just behind teammate Klara Absolonova in third (17.38).
For the Wolverines, Nykole Meshaw won both the high jump (4-10) and the long jump (16-2.50). Jeanne Campbell of DHS placed second in the long jump with a leap of 15-7.50.
Alaysia Kremer also picked up a gold for BHS, winning the shot put by more than six feet with a throw of 37-1.75. It was one of four elite performances at the meet, according to co.milesplit.com, along with Cruzan’s sprints.
Pagosa Springs won seven events. Dolores won the 4x800 (11:40.22) and Dove Creek won the sprint medley relay (2:09.97). Del Norte claimed gold in the discus with Abriana Peerman’s heave of 99-0 beating Kremer (98-6) and Rylee Hickman of Dove Creek (97-7).
Rylie Carr of Pagosa Springs won the 100 (12.58) and 200 (27.03). Mariah Maestas crossed second in the 200 (27.66) and fourth in the 100 (13.19) while Campbell tied for fourth in the 100 (13.19) and crossed fourth in the 200 (28.35).
Pagosa also won the 100 hurdles (Chantelle Caldwell, 16.71), triple jump (Elio Groves, 31-6.50) and the 4x100 (54.89), 4x200 (1:53.95) and 4x400 (4:25.59).
Maci Barnes led Ignacio with three top-five finishes. Barnes placed fifth in the 200 (28.82) fourth in the 400 (1:05.98) and fourth in the long jump (14-09.50).
Several other athletes from La Plata County also finished near the top in the respective events. With the wind blowing off and on, however, not all of the times recorded were wind legal.
For complete results, visit https://co.milesplit.com/meets/505031-ron-keller-invitational-2023/results#.ZEgxlOzMI_U
