| Athletes from region eight come over the hurdles as competition at the region championships kick into high gear. |
The region eight championships took place at Carbon High on Thursday, May 8 with strong competition and great sportsmanship.
“We had a great track and field meet with the other teams in our region, said assistant coach Stew Foster. “Emery High School placed as a team in the boys division and North Sanpete won the girls division.”
Kent Olsen placed second in the 3200 meter run and Kaleb Kulow placed seventh. Kaleb also placed seventh in the 800 meter run.
“Olsen came back in the afternoon and ran away from his competition in the 1600 meters. He then ran a strong 800 meters to finish a close second to Emery’s Tyler Killpack. Olsen will go to state in all three middle distant races.
Jared Richens placed fourth in the 800 meters and fifth in the 1600 meters, with personal best times in both events.
Richens will go to state in the 800 meter run. Andrew Bates had a personal best time and placed eighth in the 1600 meter run.
In the hurdles both Brett Wells and Brock Morley will go to state in the 300 meter event. Wells will also go to state in the 110 meter hurdles. Wells placed third in both hurdle events and Morley finished second in the 300 and fifth in the 110 meter hurdles.
“Carson Tatton, a ninth grader, showed great promise as he finished sixth in the finals of the 100 meter sprint,” said Foster.
Andrew Quinton placed seventh in the 200 meter sprint.
| A Carbon track star reaches for the sky and clears the bar at region. |
In the field events Dallin Garvin had a personal best throw in the discus to place seventh overall.
Ryan Rasmussen placed fourth in the high jump with Jed Prettyman in sixth. Prettyman also placed sixth in the javelin. Jordan Tatton was limited due to physical injuries, but still came through in the relays with a fifth place finish in the long jump.
“He really did a great job with his physical limitations. Coach Jimmy Jewkes was really impressed,” said Foster.The relay teams going to state are the 4×100 which placed second, the 4×400 and the medley relay team which placed first.
The 4×100 relay team is made up of Jordan Tatton, Carson Tatton, Chris Rummel and Ryan Rasmussen. The 4×400 meter relay is Robert Lowe, Chris Rummel, Brett Wells, and Brock Morley.
The first place 1600 meter medley team includes Ryan Rasmussen, Bradan Watkins, Robert Lowe, and Chris Rummel.
“The relays were really exciting to watch,” said Foster. The girls were led by Patricia Smith who placed second by 7/100 of a second in the 1600 meter run.
“Both her and the girl who was first came across the finish line at the same time,” said Foster. In the 800 meter run, “Smith took the lead from the start and never looked back, as she crossed the finish line 40 yards ahead of competition,” stated Foster.
Felicia Olmos placed fourth in the 200 meter sprint. She led for most of the race and got beat out five yards from the finish. She also had a great long jump and finished third over all,” said Foster.
Angela Merris and Nanny Lowe had great runs in the 3200 meters by placing fifth and sixth respectively. Kristen Jewkes placed seventh in both the 800 meter run and the high jump. Erica Potts placed seventh in the shot put and Megan Garvin placed sixth in the shot put, fourth in the high jump, and surprised the field by finishing third in the javelin.
The girls relay team finished second in the 4×400 meter relay and was made up of Krissia Nelson, Lydia Jeppson, Patricia Smith, and Felicia Olmos.
The athletes who placed first through fourth in their events will go to the state championships at BYU in Provo on May 16 and 17.