Middle school track athletes finish a strong ‘09 season

Crested Butte’s Middle School Track Team finished up a strong season with many athletes putting in notable performances at five meets across the Western Slope. A short season and the usual Crested Butte spring snow and weather did not dampen enthusiasm or training for these 29 young athletes. The Titans also had tough competition this season. With only five eighth-graders on the team, many of the sixth and seventh-graders stepped up to the plate and ran with the eighth-grade teams.
“This year we had a great team overall, very spirited and loyal, with some very strong runners who worked hard, putting out 110 percent during practice and at their events,” said Christa Merck, head coach.
Here are some season highlights:
—At the Delta Invitational, Ian Boucher had a photo finish in the 400-meter, coming in first place with a time of 60.5 seconds. An exceptional athlete, Ian ribboned in the 100-meter and as a seventh-grader he ran in all of the eighth-grade relay teams, taking the ribbons home.
Sixth-grader Brittany Barefield ran in the eighth-grade 200-meter with a second-place finish in Salida. One of the team’s strongest runners, Brittany ran the 100- and 200-meter, placing in all of her heats, and ran anchor for the relay teams.
Going above and beyond the call of duty, eighth-grader Meed Geary competed in up to six events at many meets running the 800 medley, 4 x 1 and 4 x 2 relays, and he ribboned in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes.
Joining the team later in the season did not stop seventh-grader Monika Olesen from showing her stuff out on the track. She swept the field in the eighth-grade 100- and 400-meter dashes, finishing first in the 200-meter in Salida.
Always ready to give it her best, seventh-grader Ali McGuire placed third in the 100-meter, and was a consistently strong runner at every meet, running anchor for the relay teams with a ribbon finish in the 4 x 2 relay.
A solid and very strong runner all season, seventh-grader Cheyenne Stock ribboned in all of her events: the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes, and ran tough for the relay teams.
The team’s die-hard distance runner, Forrest Smith put the miles in for his teammates at nearly every meet.
In field events, eighth-grader Ryan Costello’s tough training paid off as he set a record in shot put with a distance of 40 ft., 8 inches and brought home ribbons from every meet. He and Tristan Kraatz had a great season in the high jump.
From the long jump to running events, sixth-grader Joe Hayes was a real trooper. He could be found everywhere on the field, participating in multiple events at every meet for his team.
 In the long jump, sixth-grader Jack Duryea took home ribbons at many meets.
2009 Middle School Track Team Athletes: Brittany Barefield, Jack Duryea, Joe Hayes, Lindsay Johnson, Alvaro Martel, Andrea Sainz, Shayla Wilson, Zane Wrisley, Ian Boucher, Kyle Boyle, Shannon Costello, Pharwit Durgan, Suzanna Dumas, Noella Fouquet, Tristan Kraatz, Ali McGuire, Monika Olesen, Madeline Pulley, Talia Reynolds, Michael Ryan, John Mark Sibley, Forrest Smith, Dakota Wiggins, Montana Wiggins, Ryan Costello, Meed Geary, Cheyenne Stock, Leah Wrisley, Sophia Deer.
Head coach: Christa Merck; assistant coach: Brittney Hoots.