Competing at the Pine River Invitational in Bayfield on April 15, the Montezuma-Cortez High School boys and girls track teams cracked the Top 10 and put several athletes on the podium.
“In all areas, our kids are improving,” said boys coach Bob Archibeque. “From top to bottom, everyone is improving. That is what sticks out to me.”
Leading the way for the boys was senior Josh Ramos, who won the 800-meter run (2:02.08).
Senior Austin Wagner placed second in the long jump (20 feet. 2 inches) and third in the triple jump (42 feet, 7¾ inches). Senior Skylar Yarbrough placed second in 300-meter hurdles (42.77) and fifth in the high jump (5 feet, 10 inches).
Other Top 5 finishers for the Panthers included senior Blair Rice, who placed fourth in the 110-meter hurdles (17.25) and senior Braden Keetch, who finished fifth in the triple jump (39 feet, ½ inch).
In the 4x200-meter relay, the M-CHS boys team of Elisha Vaquera, Sonny Boren, Trey Yarbrough and Ramos placed first (1:35.04), and in the 4x400, meter relay, Vaquera, Boren, Skylar Yarbrough and Ramos placed first (3:30.92).
“The thing about the relays that is exciting to me is that we have four kids that work well together,” Archibeque said. “We flourish because we run for each other.”
As a team, the Panthers finished third out of 17 teams despite not competing in the pole vault event, which yields roughly 40 total points. Bayfield High School finished first overall.
The M-CHS girls were led by Ashley Wood, who placed third in the 300-meter hurdles (52.38) and fourth in the 100-meter hurdles (17.95).
Other top finishers included Emma Thissen, who finished fifth in the 800-meter run (2:43.00), Trinity McCain, who placed sixth in the high jump (4 feet, 7 inches). Anna Bullock crossed the line seventh in the 100-meter dash (14.08), and Kaleen Boggs, who placed seventh in the triple jump (29 feet, 2¾ inches).
M-CHS finished seventh out of 19 teams. Bayfield finished first.