The Mancos track and field team competed Friday and Saturday at the annual B & B Invitational in Aztec, N.M.
In a meet during which the staff anticipated Kenny Philpott to knock off some rust, the senior dominated the high jump with a mark of 6-06. The mark breaks the Mancos High School record set more than 20 years ago by Jared Elliss.
Moments later, Philpott missed 6-07 by a narrow margin, clipping the crossbar with his heel.
Kenny is a great kid with a bright future, Mancos coach Alan Mathews said. He recently got accepted into the (Colorado) School of Mines in Golden, and we couldnt be prouder in how far he has come. The greatest thing about his jump of 6-06 is seeing how much more he has left in the tank. I dont predict the future, but to think that he could go much higher and bring back a state title is well within reason.
Philpott was the 2A runner-up at state last year in the high jump.
The Bluejays had several other notable performances during the weekend. In the boys 800-meter dash, Brandon McKie was eighth-place with a time of 2:12.79. McKie also ran a strong mile (1,600) and was clocked at 5:10.38. In the boys 3,200, sophomore Justin Burton worked for a 11:27.47 effort, a new personal best.
The distance runners, as a group, are working hard and knocking off time. They are a focused, tight-knit group that is always working together and it will show by the time we head to the state meet, Mathews said. As a whole, our staff is encouraged by where we are right now. We lost some great athletes to graduation, and it is taking some time, but we are getting reloaded and working hard. Each athlete we have is doing their best and putting in the work in practice that will get them to where they need to be in May.
Mancos will compete Friday at noon in Cortez in the Panther Invitational at Panther Stadium on the campus of Cortez Middle School.