David Moenning found himself in the middle of a historic race Friday.
The Durango High School junior placed third in the boys 800-meter run at the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 4A state track and field championships at Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood. He crossed the finish line in 1 minute, 55.60 seconds.
Moenning ran an incredible race of his own, shaving three seconds off his personal record, but what happened in front of him made Colorado track and field history.
Cheyenne Mountain’s William Mayhew set the Colorado record across all classifications when he crossed the finish line in 1 minute, 50.74 seconds.
“It was really unbelievable. The 800 as a whole,” DHS head coach David McMillan said. “Jordan set the whole tone, but David ran an incredible race, too.”
Moenning, son of Amy and Joshua Moenning, said he wasn’t too focused on what was happening in front of him, but he knew something special may have been brewing.
“I knew (Mayhew) would be doing something amazing. I raced him before, and I know he is fast,” Moenning said. “It’s really humbling and really amazing to be part of that race. To know I ran a 1:55 and still got third is incredible. Those kids who got first and second, it was just one of those things you had to be there for.
“For me, I feel like I finally accomplished my goal, and I can sit back and be happy about that.”
Moenning called it a “huge stress relief” to take third in the 800. He and coach McMillan sat together in a hotel room Thursday night going over preliminary sheets and devising a game plan.
McMillan said Moenning had made a mistake in previous races by taking the inside lane around the last turn and getting himself boxed in before he could make a break. This time, Moenning took the second lane.
Moenning crossed the finish line just ahead of rival Justice Ramos of Montezuma-Cortez, who took fourth.
“There were a couple of people who could’ve gone up front, but it played out perfect,” McMillan said. “David ran conservatively, pretty quick but still far enough back and out of trouble. When he started moving up, he got beautifully positioned and chased hard. He was sixth or seventh coming around the turn, but he went to the second lane and had an unbelievable finish to the home stretch to catch arch-rival Justice Ramos at the line for third.”
Durango’s boys team is in a four-way tie for fifth place at 15 points with one day remaining in the meet. Palmer Ridge is first with 45 points, followed by Mountain View (38) and Erie (21).
The DHS girls 800-sprint medley relay team took ninth and earned one point Friday. It crossed the line in 1:49.74. Lewis-Palmer won the race in 1:46.37, setting a new Class 4A record in the process.
The DHS girls team has seven points and is in 21st place. The girls will run in the 4x400-meter relay Saturday after setting a season-best time in qualifying Friday. Breann Hawman also will compete in the shot put.
Bayfield High School
The Wolverines’ boys track and field team may have slipped from third to fifth in the team standings Friday, but it wasn’t because of a lack of podium finishes.
Aubry Brown placed third in the discus at 155 feet. The senior was ranked first in the state going into the event but was outdone by Eaton’s Garrett Coalson, who threw 163-02. Adam Dawson of Lutheran was second at 160-05.
BHS pole vaulters brought home a pair of fourth-place finishes. Senior Michael Voss soared over the bar at 12-feet, 3 inches for the boys fourth-place medal. Victor Zimmerman of Sterling won the event at 13-06.
BHS junior Katie Watkins was the girls fourth-place finisher in the pole vault after she cleared 8-09. Maddie Smith of Gunnison won at 9-03.
Bayfield’s Morgan Allred also tied for fifth in the girls pole vault at 8-03.
The best finish for a Wolverine on Friday was by senior Jessica Cusick, who placed third in the girls 800-meter run in 2:30.03. Salida’s Taryn Ceglowski was first in 2:17.33, and James Irwin’s Kiara Mattern was second in 2:19.19.
Rounding out the finals results from Friday for BHS was Emily Bauer, who was 12th in the long jump finals. The sophomore went 15-04.
Ignacio High School
Junior Chrystianne Valdez placed fifth in the pole vault when she cleared 8-feet, 1-inch. Breanna Kuskie of Lyons won by clearing 10 feet.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
