Thanks to impressive performances by several of its athletes, including star junior Jordan Elder and star senior Cael McHenry, the Dolores High School boys and girls track teams placed near the top at the San Juan Basin League Championship track meet in Ignacio on April 30.
Elder led the way for the girls as she has throughout the season with first-place finishes in the high jump (4 feet, 9 inches), long jump (16-1½) and 200-meter dash (27.63). The Dolores standout also finished second in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.32 seconds.
Also cracking the top-three in multiple individual events for the Lady Bears was up-and-coming freshman Sam Castillo, whose strength and ever-improving technique were on display during third-place finishes in the discus (90-10) and the shot put (29-4).
Rounding out Dolores girls team members who earned top-three individual finishes was sophomore Anaya Martinez, who showed guts and grit during a second-place finish in the 3200-meter run (15:37.87).
Top-performing relays for the Lady Bears included the 4x200-meter relay made up of Grace Burress, Delpha Houston, Akira Edwards and Sydney Smith, which finished second overall with a time of 2:05.62.
The team’s 4x800-meter relay, comprised of Erin Brown, Edwards, Castillo and Martinez, also turned in a second-place finish (12:39.09).
The girls team finished second overall in the nine-team meet behind Del Norte High. Because Del Norte is not a San Juan Basin League member, however, Dolores was awarded the SJBL’s team championship.
While the Dolores girls team shown bright, the boys team was nearly as impressive as senior Cael McHenry added to his already impressive season with first-place finishes in the 110-meter hurdles (17.10) and 300-meter hurdles (45.65).
Junior sprinter Alden Adams also delivered a standout performance with a first-place finish in the 100-meter dash (11.36) and a second-place finish in the 200-meter dash (23.35). Teammate Ryan Nowlin also ran well in the sprint events, as the junior came through with a 2nd place finishes in the 100-meter dash (11.51) and 400-meter dash (58.82).
Other top-three finishers in individual events for the Bears included senior Phillip Hufman, who placed second in the 800-meter run (2:10.57), and senior Josh Petrow, who crossed the line 3rd in the 400-meter dash (1:03.40).
The Bears’ 4x200-meter relay team, made up of Shane Potter, Nowlin, McHenry and Adams, placed first overall (1:38.36), and the team’s 4x800-meter relay, comprised of Levi Fuller, Petrow, Potter and Hufman, placed second overall (10:11.08).
The Dolores boys team finished second in the team standings behind Mancos High School.
Next up for both Dolores teams will be the Terry Alley Invitational, which will take place in Pagosa Springs on Saturday.