Titans track sees highs and lows at state championships

Amber Scott closes out career with three podiums

Coach Laura Puckett called her teams’ performance at the 2A Colorado state championships a “mixed bag.”
“There were really terrific highs and some things that were disappointing,” says Puckett.

While some relay teams and individuals fell short of hopes and expectations, Titan athletes did step onto the podium 11 times out of the 24 events they competed in.
One thing is for sure: the future remains bright. Two years ago only two Titans made it to the state championships. Last year, 13 Crested Butte track and field athletes qualified. This year, 21 Titans made it to state. Furthermore, out of the 21 who qualified, only three were seniors.
The Titans opened the state championships on Thursday, May 16 with the boys’ 4×800-meter relay team of Forrest Smith, Kyle Boyle, Kai Sherman and Jack Duryea stepping onto the podium, finishing in ninth place with a time of 8:44.66.
Liam Mortell snuck onto the podium as well, placing ninth in the shot put.
The girls’ 4×800-meter relay team just missed the podium, coming in 10th place. Nevertheless, the coaching staff was happy with the end result.
“They ran seven seconds faster than they had all season,” explains Puckett. “As coaches, we know that they gave it their all.”
Amber Scott opened the competition on Friday with a stellar showing in the 3,200 meters (two-miles) setting a new personal record (PR) time of 11:46.46 to place third.
Smith stepped up onto the podium for the second time in as many races as he set a new PR of 10:04.50 in the 3,200 meters to place fourth. Then the girls’ sprint medley team stole the show with one of the biggest surprises of the day.
Ali McGuire, Rosie Ewert, Monika Olesen and Tara Mortell had raced just once before as a sprint medley team at the league championships the week before and qualified for state with their performance.
They came into the championships ranked 11th but fired off a school record time in preliminaries to qualify for the finals.
“That was a pleasant surprise,” says Puckett. “We knew they were on the cusp to make it to finals and they ran a significant school record.”
The relay team rallied in the finals to finish in sixth place for another trip to the podium for Crested Butte.
Scott returned to the track to then sneak onto the podium in ninth place in her first-ever state competition at the 800-meter distance.
“You hope for the stars and when you get the moon, you’re pretty excited,” says Puckett.
Saturday the Titans took the podium by storm, stepping up to receive their due rewards in five different events.

The top Titan relay performance of the meet came from the girls’ 4×100-meter team of McGuire, Ewert, Olesen and Mortell. Seizing on their success in the sprint medley the day before, the foursome fired off a near-perfect 4×100 to take third place and set a new school record time of 51.43.
“They ran really well,” says Puckett. “The handoffs can make or break you in that event and theirs were perfect.”
Scott made one final curtain call on Saturday in the 1,600-meters (mile). After a third place in the 3,200 meters and a ninth place in the 800 meters, Scott ran a 5:24.28 in the mile, just one second off her PR, to place fifth, making her third appearance on the podium. She finished her high school track and field career with six appearances on the podium.
Sprinting has never been the Titans’ forte but Puckett made a commitment when she took over the program to build it from the ground up. Rain Landry is a testament to Puckett and her coaching staff’s commitment as well as his own personal drive.
Landry joined the team this year as a junior and made an immediate impact qualifying for state as an individual in the 100 and 200 meters.
Landry squeaked into the state meet in the 200 meters ranked 17th out of the 18 who made it. He made the most of it, throwing down a new school record in prelims to reach the finals and then finished eighth to make the podium.
“That was a big surprise,” admits Puckett.
He did the same in the 100 meters as well, setting a new school record and finishing in eighth place again.
“It was a super performance for Rain,” says Puckett.
After struggling in the 800 meters the day before, Smith regrouped on his final event to run a PR time of 4:34.96 in the 1,600, finishing in sixth place. Ironically, while Smith ran faster this year than last, he placed lower, a testament to the level of competition at this year’s meet.
“He ran really, really well and set PR’s in all of his events,” says Puckett.
Amidst all of the podium finishes, several Titans, all of whom will be returning next year, were just one or two spots off the top nine in a variety of events, from sprints to mid-distance races.
“The girls’ sprint crew is really strong. I can’t wait to see what they do next year,” says Puckett. “And we’re really deep on the boys’ side—potential is the name of the game. I want track season to start now.”
Meanwhile, Scott, who graduates this year, is looking forward to pursuing collegiate running at Claremont-McKenna College. She looks back at the past season, and her high school career, with mixed emotions.
“For the most part, it’s been a pretty good season,” says Scott. “I’ve always struggled with leaving everything on the track but I’m learning and I’m excited for college now. I don’t know what more I could expect. It’s been a long four years and a huge part of my life.”