Despite the track being covered in snow, Dove Creek is bound and ready to go.
A majority of the of the Lady Bulldogs fifth-place 1A state track and field team returns. Coach Jason Fury has high hopes for his 11-woman roster.
Im hoping that we can at least get in the top five as a team again this year. Maybe, even improve on our placement from last year, he said. We were only one or two points away from fourth-place at state last year on the girls side. Thats what were shooting for. At least top five again and maybe even move up. We need people to step up to do that.
State returners include sophomore hurdlers Shelbie Knuckles and Cori Guynes. They each placed fourth and fifth in the 100-hurdles last year at state, respectively. Sophomores Madison McCourt and Kristin Knuckles were seventh and ninth in the 1,600- and-3,200-meter runs.
Madison Young, another sophomore, is expected to compete for a state spot throwing the discus and shot put. Shes going to have to fill big shoes for the graduated Kyli Banks, who took second at state last year in the shot put and discus.
Were hoping Madison Young will step up and get a lot of those points Kyli got for us last year, Fury said. Were just hoping Madison will be able to get there (to state) and get us some points.
For the boys, Senior Jerod Galyean and junior Cole Baughman will lead the Bulldogs in the throws and hurdles. Each is expected to challenge for state.
Were hoping that maybe he can get the shot put up over 40 feet, Fury said about Galyean. That would be good for us as a team.
The season shoots into action today in Farmington, N.M., at the Piedra Vista High School Invitational at 9 a.m.
Its a well run meet. Its almost always warmer there than it is here, so its nice to get down to Farmington, Fury said. They do a good job down there.
Other notable meets are the Montezuma-Cortez Invitational on March 23, and Dove Creek will host the Southwest Invitational at Cortez Middle School on April 21.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.