Middle school track finishes strong in season’s first meet

Two big wins

The middle school track team competed in its first track meet of the season last Friday in Alamosa, and came home with two big wins. Although the weather was cold and windy and both racers and spectators were bundled-up in winter wear, there were no 15-foot snow banks lining the track.

Those who hadn’t already sprung for spring break ventured down south, for a total of 11 team members.
“Everyone was just excited to see grass and run on a real track,” admits coach Lili Tenney. “The 11 runners held a strong presence for their first meet. There was a lot of great team work and parent support.”
The majority of the team competed in the maximum allowance of four events. The girl’s 800-meter relay team, comprised of Skylar Kraatz, Monika Olson, Ali McGuire and Elisabeth Desmarais, took fourth overall, with a time of 2:12:65.
“Those girls worked naturally together before and during the race and they got the results to prove it,” says Tenney.
Eighth grader Skylar Kraatz went on to take first place overall in the 200-meter dash.
“That is her event,” says Tenney. ”She wanted it and so she went out hard and finished with a 29:98.”
McGuire also had an impressive run in the 400-meter dash and finished first in her heat.
The five Crested Butte boys competing made their mark as well. TJ Curry held down the fort in the long jump and high jump, until he was forced to stop due to a persistent ankle injury. The 1,600-meter relay team, made up of John Bossard, John Marc Sibley, Dakota Wiggins and Montana Wiggins, gave a tremendous effort.
“The Wiggins brothers ran the last two legs and managed an amazing pass in the last 200 meters, with Montana making up time in his 400 meters and Dakota finishing it off,” says Tenney.
The team travels to Gunnison next on April 24. Warmer weather and a nice spring should result in more fun and wins as the season continues.