Craig Daily Press / Back into the spring of things

MCHS track team runs through season opener in Grand Junction

Moffat County senior J.T. Haddan prepares to throw the shot put during the state championship meet last season. Haddan set personal best distances in the shot put and discus Friday in Grand Junction. Enlarge photo File Photo

By John Vandelinder

March 11, 2008

Heading into Saturday’s meet at Central High School in Grand Junction, the Moffat County High School track and field team wasn’t expecting much in the way of results.

Boys coach Gary Tague and girls coach Todd Trapp each said that scores wouldn’t be kept, and the emphasis was on getting back into the outdoor season rather than winning it all.

But, they couldn’t help noticing the performance of senior J.T. Haddan.

Haddan set new personal best records in the shot put and the discus.

Haddan’s throw of 49 feet 10 inches in the shot put, surpassed his previous best set at last year’s state championships, where he finished third overall.

His toss of more than 144 feet in the discus eclipsed his state tourney throw of a year ago as well.

Haddan earned first in the combined events Saturday.

“I was shocked,” assistant coach Lance Scranton said. “He was shocked. He was really happy. Myiah Bengston threw really well, too.

“Considering the conditions we’ve had to put up with throughout the year with the throwers, Myiah did really well.”

Trapp agreed.

“For this time of year, she’s way ahead of where she was last year,” he said.

Trapp said he was pleased with how the team responded after the poor training conditions leading up to the event.

“Everyone really did pretty well,” he said. “From throwers to jumpers to all of our relay teams. For the conditions we’ve had and the time we haven’t been on the track, it was a good start to the season.”

Tague couldn’t hide his excitement when asked how the weekend went.

“It was awesome,” he said. “We got to see a track. We got to see jumping pits. We got to see rings. And, wow, the performances in the shot and disc for J.T. Haddan and the triple jump for Brian Ivy, I was just tickled with those.”

Tague said Haddan and Ivy were probably ahead of schedule based on their individual performances but that the team was about where he expected.

Spring break begins soon, and the MCHS track and field team has a three-week layoff until it’s next event March 29 at Rangely.

The student athletes will have a break from class but not from the team.

“Oh yeah. We’ll work hard,” Tague said.

“We won’t have organized practice over spring break. But, we’ll ask the kids to do stuff on their own. Oh yes, we will be working them … hard.

“This will be a hard couple of weeks on both sides of spring break.”