Local schools completed the 2010-11 high school sports season last week at the Colorado High School Activities Association state track and field championships in Lakewood at Jefferson County Stadium.
Many of Thursdays events were moved to Friday and Saturday due to inclement weather.
They were long days, man. We didnt get much of a break, Dolores High School coach Nick Kohler said.
Dolores did bring home 2A state championships in the boys 300-hurdles and girls 4 x 100-relay. Senior Alex Bernholtz ended his Bears career on top in the 300-hurdles, winning in 40.38. He also took sixth in the 110-hurdles at 16.60.
Alex was sicker than a dog; just cracked me up, Kohler said. When I say sick, he was sick. Sure enough, he still goes out and does that; as gutsy as a race as Ive ever seen. That was fun.
The Bears took 24th out of 40 teams with 15 points.
Dolores came in as the defending 2A state girls 4 x 100 champs, and sophomores Lexi Atkinson, Cassie Lard and Mindy McCracken, and senior Cortney Brunner, repeated as champions going away. The quartet tied a state record at 50.37 to win, which is also a DHS record.
These girls just blew away the field and tied the record. They looked good, Kohler said. I thought wed be the favorite going in, but we just ran away with it.
Dayspring Christians team took second in 52.28.
As a team, the Lady Bears placed fifth out of 40 teams with 43 points. Lyons won the state championship with 116 points.
Finishing fifth, we were happy with that. Nobody did anything bad. Everyone did just fine, Kohler said.
Atkinson had third- and sixth-place finishes in the 100-meter dash (12.64) and long jump (15-06) for the Lady Bears. Lard took sixth- and seventh-place in the triple jump (34-04) and 200 (26.89). Junior Rachel Beverlin had 10th-place finishes in the 800 (2:30.03) and 1,600 (5:44.42). Sophomore Cydney McHenry placed sixth in the 300-hurdles at 48:58.
The Mancos Lady Bluejays took 35th as a team with two points. Senior Kelsey Corbin was eighth in the 1,600 in 5:39.50. Junior high jumpers Aimee Johnson and Devin Kroeker took 10th at 4-08. Junior Lindzie Theurer finished 14th in the discus throw with a toss of 90-11.
The 2011 San Juan Basin League champion Bluejays were 13th as a team with 23 points. Lyons won the boys title, too, with 88 points.
Senior Kenny Philpot jumped 6-03, which was good enough for a second-place finish in the high jump. Senior Eric Lewis closed out his career in fifth- and eighth-place in the 800 (2:02.54) and 1,600 (4:42.37). Senior Emilio Marquez was 14th in the 800 at 2:11.39. Sophomore Branson Mitchell was ninth in the 400 in 53.07 and senior Cade Mitchell took 11th in the discus at 115-04. Senior Cody Colyer heaved the shot put 40-09.50 to place 10th, and junior Trey Gordenier was 18th in the triple jump, leaping 37-02.25.
In 1A, the Dove Creek Lady Bulldogs were fifth out of 40 teams with 48 points. Merino won the championship with 92 points.
Senior Kyli Banks was the runner-up in the shot put (31-02) and discus (102-09) to lead the way. Freshman Cori Guynes took fifth- and eighth-place in the 100- and 300-hurdles at 17.50 and 52.55. Freshman Madison McCourt was seventh in the 1,600 (6:03.19) and ninth in the 800 (2:42.32). Freshman Kristin Knuckles placed ninth and 10th in the 3,200 (13:41.15) and 1,600 (6:17.93). Freshman Shelbie Knuckles came in fourth in the 100-hurdles in 17.49.
Austin Beanland was the lone Bulldog representative. He threw 87-04 in the discus, which was good for ninth-place.
Montezuma-Cortez High School sent seven to state in 4A. Senior Max Demby and James Sprague led the Panthers in the long jump and 800. Demby was seventh in 21-03.50 and Sprague finished 14th at 2:00.49. The Panthers were 40th out of 49 teams with three points.
Junior Lady Panthers throwers Ashley Lingo and Laura Heaton concluded a strong season. Lingo took sixth-place in the discus, throwing 117-10, and Heaton came in ninth in the shot put at 36-10 to help the Lady Panthers finish 42nd out of 49 teams, totaling five points.
I think overall they competed at the level they could with their best effort, M-CHS coach Bob Archibeque said. It was a good meet for us. We wish we could have scored a lot of points at the meet, but its not how it works sometimes.
Cheyenne Mountain and Mullen won the boys and girls state championships with 73 and 58 points, respectively.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.