The Mancos Bluejays track and field team is getting healthy at the right time.
It showed on Saturday, as the Mancos boys won the Southwest Invitational at Panther Stadium with 160 points. The seven-team meet was hosted by Dove Creek and Bayfield, which won the meet on the girls side with 206 points and were second with 157 on the boys side.
Theyre getting healed up. They did pretty well, Mancos High School coach Alan Mathews said. Were missing probably five of our boys today, but they did well.
The Bluejays recorded five individual first-places finishes. Emilio Marquez won the 800-meter run (2:19.85), Justin Burton won the 3,200 (12:11.96), Kenny Philpot won the high jump (5-10), Anthony Reiners won the long jump (18-05) and Cade Mitchell won the discus throw (115-04). Kyle Buchanan, Cody Colyer, Branson Mitchell and Cade Mitchell won the 4 x 200-meter relay in 1:37.78. The 4 x 800-relay team of Zane Willburn, Marquez, Brandon McKie and Sean Small won in a time of 9:53.75.
The Lady Bluejays finished fourth as a team with 40 points, as they welcomed back team captain Kelsey Corbin from an ankle injury. She won the 1,600 in 5:53.61.
My goal this race was to get through without any pain in my ankle. For the most part, its doing pretty good, Corbin said. My legs are real tired from this week of practice. Im just getting in shape and getting my confidence back up again, because Ive been out for so long.
Aimee Johnson won the high jump for the Lady Bluejays at 4-08.
The Dolores Lady Bears took second with 147 points. Lexi Atkinson led the way with top finishes in the 100- and 200-meter dash races with times of 12.98 and 28.41. She also won the long jump at 15-04. Michelle Kline, Rachel Beverlin and Cydney McHenry won the 400 (66.72), 800 (2:38.92) and 300-meter hurdles (51.52). Atkinson, McHenry, Cortney Brunner and Mindy McCracken won the 4 x 200 (1:54.46); Brunner, McHenry, Kline and Raeanne Watson won the 4 x 400 (4:46.57); and Beverlin, Kline, Regan Umberger and Alex Willis won the 4 x 800 at 11:11.09.
The Dolores Bears placed third as a team with 79.5 points and were led by Alex Bernholtz and Stephen OConnor-Seville.
Bernholtz won the 110- and 300-hurdles in 16.26 and 43.84, OConnor-Seville was tops in the 100- and 400 events in 12.04 and 54.12.
Dove Creek was third and sixth as a team on the girls and boys side with 66 and 22.5 points.
For the Lady Bulldogs, Kristin and Shelbie Knuckles were each second in the 3,200 (14:34.06) and triple jump (28-05.75). Kyli Banks was second in the discus (100-08) and third in the shot put (30-08.50).
Cole Baughman had a strong day in the hurdles for the Bulldogs. The sophomore placed third and fifth in the 110- and 300-hurdles with finishes of 18.54 and 49.52. Tanner Wharton was fourth in the discus with a throw of 104-00.
Kyli got up over 30 feet in the shot put. Were real happy with that. She hasnt thrown for shot put for about three weeks. Cole Baughman dropped some time in the 110s, which is really good. Our kids have competed well, Dove Creek coach Jason Fury said.
Dove Creek, Mancos and Dolores were all at the Cortez Invitational at Panther Stadium on Monday. Results werent available at press time. See Thursdays Journal for more information.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com