Titans track returns to competition

“Everyone’s digging in for the final push”

Despite a four-week break since the Crested Butte Titans track team lined up for a meet, they remain primed for a peak at the end of the season and look to finish the regular season strong with an assault on regionals.
The team returned to action on Monday, April 26 when they headed down to Gunnison for the Gunnison Invitational.
Originally the meet was scheduled for Saturday but weather threatened the event and it was pushed back to Monday.
As a result, several teams from larger schools throughout the state bowed out but 12 teams did show up giving the Titans a better feel for how they may stack up against their competition in the post-season.
“The competition was still really good but it was the size and feel of our region,” says Titan’s coach Laura Puckett.
The Titans closed the Gunnison meet with a series of highs and some lows as several athletes continue to find their niche on the track.
“Some people did really well and some people struggled,” says Puckett.
The toast of this year’s team continues to be the sprint relays. It’s a new turn for the Crested Butte squad, a team that has gained fame for its distance program.
Puckett set the wheels in motion for a stronger relay showing last year and the 4×100, 4×200 and sprint medley disciplines continue to gain momentum this season.
The 4×100-meter relay team of Toni Brown, Jessie D’Aquila, Melanie Whiting and Karleigh Dean posted the first win of a Titans’ 4×100-meter team in the program’s history.
Brown set the pace in her opening leg; D’Aquila and Whiting built a gap on their legs; and Dean sealed the deal on the anchor leg, leaving the competition in the dust.
“They won by a lot,” says Puckett. “I’m really excited as a coach and I want them to feel the confidence of a win.”
The 4×200-meter team of Dean, Brown, Kelsey Beltz and Skylar Kraatz ran their fastest time of the season and Brown, D’Aquila, Dean and Kraatz pulled together once more to set their fastest time of the season in the sprint medley relay as well.
“The relays are really coming together and gaining momentum,” says Puckett.
Kraatz added some top ten individual results to her efforts in the relays, taking ninth in the 200-meter dash and seventh in the 400-meter dash.
While the girl’s 4×800-meter relay team had a tough race, Puckett has her eyes on Madeline Malzahn, who opened the relay with a solid leg, gaining on her opponents with each meet. In addition she took sixth place in the mile.
“She’s really starting to come out of her shell as an athlete,” explains Puckett. “She’s confident and taking risks in her races.”
Ricky Sandoval finished the day jumping 18 feet, eight inches to take fourth place in the long jump and set a personal record (PR) in the 200-meter dash to place eighth.
The distance runners had a rough go of it with high winds battering them on every lap.
Nevertheless, Erin Kelly returned to action in style. After missing the first half of the season with an injury, Kelly won the two-mile race in Gunnison and qualified for the state meet once again.
“We’re stoked to have that taken care of,” says Puckett.
Amber Scott is also fresh off injured reserve. Scott has the base for success and looks to gather steam with each meet leading up to regionals, finishing fifth-place in her first two-mile race of her high school career.
“I’m really excited to see Amber gain confidence and gain speed on the track,” says Puckett.
The team travels to Montrose this Friday, April 30 and to Grand Junction the following week, and then it’s off to regionals.
“They’ve got their eyes on PRs and setting school records,” says Puckett. “This is it. This is the peak of the season and everyone’s digging in for the final push.”