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Track meeting their goal

Rose Howe, Blue Print







Throughout their spring season, the athletes of the Moffat County High School track and field team have pushed themselves toward success despite the snow and cold this spring. According to Coach Lance Scranton, the weather has been one of his discus and shot putter’s biggest setbacks. “[The season] has gone pretty well considering the weather’s been terrible and we haven’t had much time to work.” He is especially proud of his athletes’ performances and improvements through the tough weather. “The kids hang in there even though it’s nasty and work on getting better,” he said. Coach Todd Trapp agrees. “So far, [the season has] been going well though at times tough with the weather,” Trapp said.

Even through the bad weather, the track and field athletes have continued get better. Many of them have beaten their own personal records and are looking to perform well at their final meets. Over the course of two and a half months, the MCHS track team has practiced and conditioned to be able to perform at their best during the Western Slope League Championship at Stocker Stadium in Grand Junction on May 13 and 14. If the athletes place well at that meet, they have the chance to move on to compete in the State Championship the following weekend.

“I’ve improved a lot since middle school,” freshman Kelly Knez said. She competes in the 100, 200, and 400 meter dashes, as well as being a part of the sprint medley and 4 x 400 meter relay teams. Throughout the season, she has worked on endurance and being able to keep pushing herself, even when she gets tired. She will compete in the Western Slope League Championship meet. “I hope to get my best times,” Knez said. “If not, to just improve and get better for next year.” Freshman Marianne Pressley also wishes to do well at that meet. “I hope to at least make it to finals in my events,” she said. Pressley competes in the 100 and 300 meter hurdles, and also participates in the triple jump event. She enjoyed the season and plans on returning next year. “I just like getting exercise and love all the events I’m in,” Pressley said.



Sophomores Dakota Lee and Gaven Spears have made new personal records since the start of the season. Both compete in the discus and shot put events. “I got my best throw ever at the beginning of the season and have been improving in shot put,” Spears said. For Lee, the season has been great. “One of my beginning goals of the season was to beat my PR(personal record), and I did,” she said. She has increased her shot put distance from 23 feet 3 inches to 24 feet 7 inches. “My goal is to throw a 25,” Lee said. She plans on weightlifting during the off season to further her improvement next year.

Junior Miguel Molina has also improved during the course of the season in his 800 meter event. At the Tiger Invitational meet on May 7, Molina ran his fastest time of 2:03. According to Molina, in order to succeed and improve, it takes hard training and commitment. Molina is also a part of the 4 x 800 meter relay team. Molina believes the team is, “…doing great, has good people, and is running good times.” At the Western Slope League Championship meet, Molina thinks the team has the capability to take first. “We won [the event] last year; it would be sweet to win it again,” he said. After the Western Slope Championship, Molina has his eyes set on one final goal. “I hope we do great at state,” he said.



Senior Casey Martin also hopes to make it to the state meet. He participates in the shot put and discus events. So far, Martin’s best throw in the shot put event is 43 feet and 136 feet in the discus event. “At [the Western Slope meet], if I can throw in the 140’s, I can make it to state,” Martin said. Martin believes that his improvements this season can be credited to his hard work. “It takes extra time,” he said, “and doing more than just going to practice, doing what the coach says, and leaving to get better.” Overall, Martin has enjoyed his last year being a part of the MCHS Track and Field team. “It’s been a pretty good senior season,” Martin said.


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