Southwest Region Report
Results from multiple sources
Ninth-Graders Turn Heads in Utah
I'm sure you know all of this, but.....
On January 4, 1896, Utah became the 45th of these United States. It's known as the Beehive State and it's official tree is the Blue Spruce.
The December 2000 population was 2,233,169, making it the 34th largest state in number of residents.
Taking up 84,904 square miles, it is the 13th largest. It is 12th in land with 84,904 square miles and, surprisingly, only 16th in water with 2,736 square miles. I'm sure the Great Salt Lake is great, just maybe not as big as those of us far away believe.
The Sego lily is the state flower, also known as calochortus nuttalli. I suggest you remember that as there may be a short quiz below.
What nobody seems to know is why Utah has become a real hotbed of freshman track talent this season.
Here is what some of the yearlings accomplished at the Brigham Young University Invitational last Saturday (5/6.) Spanish Fork's Nachelle Stewart won the 400 in 54.78. Justin Hedin of Mountain Crest ran a winning 48.49/1:52.97 double. Snow Canyon's Adam Timo won the high jump at 6-6. Ogden's Katelyn Jenson won the long jump at 18-3.25. Leima Moala won the girls shot put with a heave of 40-2.75. Ian Janson of Juan Diego Catholic won the pole vault at 14-8. Mindi Robins of Orem won the 300-meter low hurdles in 43.69. And Judge Memorial's Luke Puskedra didn't actually win anything, but he was 2nd in the 3,200 in 9:39.05 and later Saturday was fourth in the 1,600 in 4:29.49 at altitude.
What are those kids fed? Calochortus nuttalli? Perhaps it has some mysterious powers. And at risk of an untimely rhyme, who would be eating flowers? We'd have to call them the flower children, if they did that.
Whatever we call them, this is an impressive freshman group for the 34th largest state. It would be impressive for any state.
Arizona
Ten athletes accounted for 11 Dyestat Elite qualifying marks at various regional meets last weekend. All but Kari Hardt's two marks were in were in 5A competition. Queen Creek is a 4A school. Event by event, they are:
Boys
100 - Dontay Moch, Hamilton, 10.63, Fiesta Regional at Chandler
4 x 100 - Hamilton, 41.85, Fiesta Regional at Chandler
300IH - Cylend Simmons, Westwood, 37.56, East Valley Regional at Westwood
300IH - Dion Jordan, Chandler, 38.24, Fiesta Regional at Chandler
SP - Micah Parker, Gilbert, 57-10, Fiesta Regional at Chandler
Girls
200 Kenyanna Wilson, Peoria, 24.42, Desert West Regional at Centennial
1600 Kari Hardt, Queen Creek, 4:59.15, East Sky Regional at Queen Creek
3200 Kari Hardt, Queen Creek, 10:42.11, East Sky Regional at Queen Creek
HJ - Whitney Dosty, Salpointe Catholic, 5-7, Southern Regional at Flowing Wells
PV - Jaci Perryman, Desert Vista, 12-6, Central Regional at Basha HS
DT - CJ Navarro, Desert Ridge, 136-9, Fiesta Regional at Chandler
For full results see: http://arizonatrack.com/arizona/2006_Results/2006_Track/meetschedule.html
Colorado
Roosevelt was the boy winners and Erie eked out a 4-point win over Roosevelt, 94-90, to take the girls competition at the 5/6 Patriot League meet at Erie HS.
For full results go to: http://www.directathletics.com/results/track/3712.html
Wray was an easy winner in the girls championship of the LPAA League meet at Sterling HS on 5/6, but the boys had to beat Wiggins in the meet closing 4 x 400, taking third to Wiggins' fourth, to win by a 145-144 scores.
For full results go to: http://www.directathletics.com/results/track/4517.html
Nevada
Marie Lawrence, Reno's nationally known distance running star, ran a quality 2:14.77/5:01.31 double in the Northern 4A qualifier on 5/8. For just about anybody else in the west, those would be great finals performances.
For full results see: http://www.nevadatrack.org/media/uploadedforms/Northern4APrelimResults493.htm
A pair of quadruple winners were in the spotlight at the Meadows Invitational at the Meadows School on 5/6.
Casey Burtenshein paced the Pahrump Valley girls to the team championship by winning the 100 and 200 and running legs on the winning 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 relays.
Pahrump Velley's boys also were victorious despite Spring Mountain's Jesse Pullems winning the 100, 110 and 300 hurdles and the high jump.
For full results see: http://www.nevadatrack.org/media/uploadedforms/TheMeadowsInvitational492.htm
New Mexico
The Estancia boys were a close 68-57 winner over Sandia Prep in the New Mexico AA State Track and Field Championships. The other small schools battles were more one-sided with Hagerman taking the A boys with 94 points over Fort Sumner's 63, Cimarron's girls winning A over Jal, 72.5-49, and Santa Fe Prep winning girls AA 69.5-37 over Hope Christian.
To see full Class A & AA Boys/Girls Day one track results, please go to:
http://www.sports-net.org/NM/GAMES/showbrkt0up.cgi?20052006|138
To see full Class A & AA Boys/Girls Day one field events results, please go to:
http://www.sports-net.org/NM/GAMES/showbrkt0up.cgi?20052006|141
To see full Class A & AA Boys/Girls final track results,. please go to:
http://www.sports-net.org/NM/GAMES/showbrkt0up.cgi?20052006|142
To see full Class A & AA Boys/Girls final field event results and team scores, please go to:
http://www.sports-net.org/NM/GAMES/showbrkt0up.cgi?20052006|145
Utah
Bingham cross country and track coach Jeff Arbogast was named a recipient of the Huntsman Award, an honor reserved for those considered to be among the 10 most excellent educators in Utah.
Dyestat patriarc John Dye calls Arbogast one of the good guys among high school coaches. And high school running authority Doug Speck called Bingham the best girls team ever when led by the Zeigle twins they won the first Great American Cross Country Championship in 1999. They are currently considered the second best, behind Saratoga Spring's 2004 Nike Team Nationals winner.
The award carries with it a crystal trophy and $10,000.
He earned the award by spending 12 hours a day at school -- just about every day for the past 26 years. He arrives at 4 a.m. to catch up on work and grade papers -- he also teaches English. His teams practice a little after 5 a.m. and then come back to his room for breakfast.
Having no children of his own, Arbogast has looked upon his students and athletes like they were his children. "Those kids," he says, "watching them athletically and academically become what they can be, it's tremendous. That's what it's all been about."
Brad Bevan, another Bingham teacher, said, "In my 32 years in education he might be the single most outstanding educator I have ever been around."
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In other action at the BYU Invitational, the Davis 4 x 100 girls relay got some payback against Spanish Fork. Tara Anderson, Ashlee Cannon, Lauren Johnson, and Kourtney Sprague were victorious in 47.85, reversing a loss at the Davis invite the week before. Cannon also added a 2nd in the 300 hurdles in 44.26. Bingham's Chelsea Baker, Chaylee Hill, Jessica Neilsen and Kim Quinn teamed to run 4:08.93 to win the sprint medley over Fremont's 4:10.51. Heidi Krebs, Lexie Meyer, Cassie Ricks, and Madison Zaugg carried the baton for Fremont.
Timpanogos won the boys sprint medley in 3:34.50 with Tarnue Ali, Chris Bringhurst, Steve Hart, and Silas Pimental doing the running. Bingham was impressive in second, clocking 3:38.20 with Nathan Anderson, Devan Antczak, Brooks Measom, and Dan Workman.
Judge Memorial's Colin Boevers had another big day in the discus with a spin of 180-6 to beat Spencer Hall of Davis who threw 172-9. Boevers had an off day -- for him -- in winning the shot at 57-2.5.
Boulder City junior Katie Palmer scored an impressive 2:14.74/5:14.20 double.
For full Friday results see:
http://www.nevadatrack.org/media/uploadedforms/BYUInvitational-Friday497.htm
For full Saturday results see: http://www.nevadatrack.org/media/uploadedforms/BYUInvitational-Saturday498.htm
Wyoming
It was an Armstrong day at the Bobcat Pre-Regional 5/5 with Amanda Armstrong winning the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles and Brett Armstrong taking the 100 and 200 for host Thermopolis. Brandy Bullinger of Burlington won the 1,600 and 3,200 and AJ Acebo of Riverton the 800 and 1,600. Green River won both boys and girls team championships.
For full results see: http://209.90.122.252/runner/data/7330/726/result/Results%20preregional%2006.htm
Joe Call of Star Valley scored an unusual double, winning the high jump and 800, in the Shane Brock Invite 5/6 at Lander Valle High School. Jake Muth of the host school won the 100, 200, and ran on the winning 4 x 100 team. Jamis Short of Evanston won both boys hurdles race.
Nicki Shinke of Rawlins took both girls hurdles races, and Amanda Rollin of Rock Springs won the shot (40-4.5) and the discus.
AJ Acebo, who won the 800 and 1,600 the previous day at the Bobcat Pre-Regional, took the 3,200 here.
For full results see: http://209.90.122.252/runner/data/11535/747/result/APResults.txt
Lingle had a pair of quadruple winners at the SEWAC Conference Meet 5/6 in Guernsey. Maggie Ochsner won the 100, 200, 100 hurdles, and ran of the winning 4 x 100 team, while Sam Hensen won the 100, 200, 400, and also ran on the winning 4 x 100 quartet. Bradi Nelson of Pine Bluffs won the 400, 800, and pole vault. And Jennifer Garner of host Guernsey won the long and triple jumps.
For full results see: http://209.90.122.252/runner/data/11123/713/result/SEWAC%20HS%20Results.htm