CORTEZ- The last athlete competing Friday afternoon at Montezuma-Cortez’s inaugural Bob Archibeque Invitational, was the Panthers’ Houston Hurst.
With only a small assembly of spectators, coaches and event volunteers remaining inside mostly-empty Panther Stadium, the junior officially shut the whole show down by clearing 11 feet, 3 inches in the pole vault, then failing three times at 11-6.
The first height was a new personal record, certainly pleasing enough to the meet’s namesake, observing nearby.
Hurst’s achievement was about the only thing that could have trumped the boys 1,600-meter relay, the invitational’s final scheduled event that had run its course earlier with Ignacio out-sprinting Montezuma-Cortez 3:47.98 to 3:49.70.
Bringing the baton across the finish line as Ignacio’s anchor, freshman Cayson Burcham completed a perfect 3-for-3 day. He won the 800 meters (2:08.33) and anchored the 3,200 relay team, which clocked a scorching 8:57.02 and blew away second-place Shiprock, New Mexico’s time of 9:14.21.
The three wins earned 30 of Ignacio’s 98 points, and the Bobcats placed fourth.
Montezuma-Cortez piled up 136 team points to edge runner-up Pagosa Springs (133). Durango (100.5) placed third, despite much of its roster being in Lakewood for the two-day Pomona Invitational at Jeffco Stadium.
Bayfield totaled 42 points and finished seventh out of 10 attending teams.
Additionally for Ignacio, senior Kyle Rima swept the shot put (37-11.5) and discus (106-11) throws. Senior Corey Gomez, sophomore Lincoln deKay and junior Kendrick Nossaman each ran a 1,600 leg. Nossaman, sophomore Trace Crane and Gomez did so in the 3,200.
Finishing second to Hurst in the pole vault, sophomore Zane Pontine needed fewer tries than Bayfield's Zach Hufnagel to clear 9-6, with Wolverine Kyle Russell (8-6) placing fourth.
Ignacio freshman Thunder Windy Boy also scored second-place points. His time of 12:35.81 in the 3,200 meters was only 1.22 ticks slower than Montezuma-Cortez junior Corbin Myers’ time.
Gomez (2:15.87) and Crane (2:15.90) were third and fourth, respectively, in the 800, and deKay placed third in the 110 hurdles (17.57). Lincoln Gillespie (12.15) took fourth in the 100, and Crane was fifth in the discus at 95-5.
Bayfield, which was also shorthanded, also had some strong results. The boys 800 relay team (Lane Hunter, Hufnagel, Keegan Johnston and Russell) clocked in at 1:42.65 and placed fourth. combined for a fourth-place 1:42.65.
Individually, Hunter Carroll (13:14.92) placed fifth in the boys 3,200 run.
Durango junior Malakai Baier (21-3) won the long jump, beating Pagosa Springs’ Colton Lucero and Creede Dozier (who tied for second place) by 5 inches.
Baier also placed second in the 400 (53.94), while Rocco Enea took second in the 1,600 (5:09.74) with Jack Purcell (5:10.70) right behind.
Demons sophomore thrower John Vickers (36-7) placed second in the shot put and placed third in the discus (100-6). Gus Halls finished third in both the 100- (11.91) and 200-meter (24.65) sprints.
Durango’s boys 400 relay team (Gavin Thorpe, Flint Gervais, Halls, Gage Voiles) placed second in 45.74 seconds. Durango’s boys 3,200 relay team (Baier, Enea, Benjamin Lively, Purcell) took third overall at 9:19.93.
