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New kids off the blocks

MCHS track team will feature several new faces this season

Ben Bulkeley
The Moffat County High School track and field team has more than 60 athletes this season. The team opened its season March 5 in Grand Junction.
Shawn McHugh

At a glance

Returning state qualifiers: 5 (Adrie Camp, Lauren Roberts, Britteny Ivers, Brian Ivy, Maddy Jourgensen)

Athletes to watch:

• Ivy: The senior has his sights set on not only the school’s triple jump record, but a top spot at the state meet, as well. As a junior, he placed third at the state meet.

• Jourgensen: During the cross-country season, she proved she was the heir apparent to Alicia Nelson. This track season, she can continue building off last season’s 11th place finish in the mile and ninth place finish in the 3,200-meter run at the state meet.

• Lindsey Yoast: The senior wants the school’s discus record and to make it to state in her final year of high school.

New faces:

• Jasen Kettle: The senior, who was a standout as one of the varsity football team’s running backs, will add speed to the boy’s squad.

At a glance

Returning state qualifiers: 5 (Adrie Camp, Lauren Roberts, Britteny Ivers, Brian Ivy, Maddy Jourgensen)

Athletes to watch:

• Ivy: The senior has his sights set on not only the school’s triple jump record, but a top spot at the state meet, as well. As a junior, he placed third at the state meet.



• Jourgensen: During the cross-country season, she proved she was the heir apparent to Alicia Nelson. This track season, she can continue building off last season’s 11th place finish in the mile and ninth place finish in the 3,200-meter run at the state meet.

• Lindsey Yoast: The senior wants the school’s discus record and to make it to state in her final year of high school.



New faces:

• Jasen Kettle: The senior, who was a standout as one of the varsity football team’s running backs, will add speed to the boy’s squad.

Looking at the Moffat County High School varsity track team, it’s easy to see what it has lost.

Gone is the three-time state long jump champion.

Likewise for the school’s female record holder in the mile, and a varsity letter earning shot-putter.

But for a team that lost so much, it also has returned enough to again be competitive when the May 20 state meet rolls around.

Back is the third-place finisher in the boys triple jump and the 11th finisher in the girls mile.

“We lost a lot, so were building back up,” MCHS head coach Todd Trapp said. “We’re trying to figure out where we are.

“We have some good individuals back. We’ll take everyone else and add them in.”

Those individuals include Brian Ivy, who finished third in 2009 in the triple jump, Maddy Jourgensen, who finished 11th in the mile, and Lindsey Yoast, who would like nothing more than to end her high school career with the school’s discus record in her name.

Strong individual performers Jeremiah Gordon, Alfredo Lebron, Pablo Salcido and Miguel Molina return for the boys squad, while Adrie Camp, Lauren Roberts and Britteny Ivers return a season after making it to the state meet in the 800-meter sprint medley.

They will be expected to make up for the loss of last year’s senior squad of Erin Urbanoski, Alicia Nelson, Megan Knez and Myiah Bengston.

“We’ll have great individuals on both sides,” Trapp said. “We’ll be able to fit everyone in together.”

This year, the girls team will not be as big as it has been in previous years, Trapp said.

“Numbers wise, we’re a little bit down on the girls side,” he said. “Our boys numbers are up, and we’ve added some kids who haven’t been in track before.”

With more boys able to compete in a variety of events, the team should score well, Trapp said.

“On the guys side, our strength is depth,” he said. “We have a lot of guys who can fill a lot of relays. This year, we can fill most of the events.”

With the season fast approaching, Trapp said only time will tell if this year’s squad can replicate last year’s team.

“At this time of year, we’ve only been practicing for a week and a half,” he said. “It’s hard to say what direction we are headed.

“But I think we’ll have a fun year, and we’ll have some success along the way.”


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