Four high schools from the far southwest corner of Colorado will send representatives to Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood for the state track and field championships.
Montezuma-Cortez will send individuals and relay teams to the 3A championships, with sophomore Marlee Mack entered in four events – the maximum participation allowed by Colorado High School Activities Association. Mack, who will compete in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles and the long jump, also will join the 4x400 relay squad of freshmen Tessa Jackson and Josie Mack, senior Savannah Haselroth and alternate Hayden Matthias.
Jackson also qualified individually in the high jump to round out the M-CHS girls representation.
On the boys side, senior Levi Bramwell earned a spot in the 110 hurdles for his state track debut, while teammates Tay Wheat, Isaac Dozal, Colby McMillian, and Raul Soto form the 4x100 relay, with Houston Hurst as an alternate.
In the 2A classification, Dolores sophomore Michael Rantz, with a school record in the 400 meters just a few tenths of a second better than his career best of 51.62, will eye his opportunity to make DHS history when he races as the lone Bear individual in the field. Dolores placed a pair of relays into the field, as the boys 4x400 relay - with Rantz joining classmates Aaron Nielson and Bridger Beyhan, along with Tray Traweek made the field, while the girls 4x800 relay - consisting of juniors Maya and Elia Lowe, Keira LaRose, and freshman Kendall Chavez also landed a spot on the starting line.
Mancos will send a trio of athletes, with sophomore Aysia Mathews spending her weekend in the jumping arenas, getting to compete in the long jump, triple jump, and high jump for the Bluejays. Classmate Jonah Ritter will be the lone Bluejay to compete on the track, entered in both the 100 and 200 meters, while senior Teya Yeomans will cap her storied Mancos athletic career in the shot put ring.
Dove Creek’s boys team will have the largest representation of any of the area schools, as the Bulldogs enjoy entry in the field in the 4x100, 4x400, and 4x800 relays. Senior Cody Alexander will race in both the hurdle distances, and classmate Colten Fury will make his final state appearance with individual entry into the long jump along with his multiple relay contributions. Junior Sheldon Gardner, who may be pulling a tremendous double duty on Thursday, is entered in the shot put – to be competed on the same day in Lakewood where down the road the Bulldog baseball team will be fighting for a state title.
Junior Ralynn Hickman will represent the D.C. girls team as an entry in the long jump.
The state track and field championships is May 16-18. All five state classifications will vie for podium finishes to close out the 2024 spring season and the high school careers of several area athletes.
