Trying to capture better weather the organizers of the Star Valley High School track invitational, named after former SVHS and BYU standout, Dave Draney, pushed the event one day to Thursday April 18.
NEED A REMINDER OF WHO DAVE DRANEY WAS? CHECK OUT THIS READ FROM THE DESERET NEWS –
The gamble paid off as Wednesday’s spring flurries gave way to bright blue skies and the appearance of sunshine. That still didn’t stop the early competitors in the field events from competing in technically freezing temperatures at 30 degrees.
Head coach Ty Draney quipped that the track meets in Wyoming on days like this often come with the threat of both sunburn and frostbite. While the former was likely, thankfully the latter was not reported as 11 schools came to the SVHS oval to try and punch in some prime performances with the State meet just over a month away.
Not surprisingly, senior Valerie Jirak, was one of the standouts of the meet as she won the 100-meter, 400 meter and the high jump. Her time in the 100 shaved one-hundredth of a second from her own school record as she re-set the mark at an official 12.05 seconds.
Kammi Merritt was second in the race and also won the 200 meter and her signature 300-meter hurdles.
For the boys, Habtamu Wetzel won both the 400 meter and 1600 meter events. Jase Burton won the 800 meter run. Cash Bazil won the long jump and placed second in the 100 meter dash.
Team Scores were not kept.
The Star Valley track and field team will send athletes to two events next week with the Evanston Invite taking place Tuesday April 23, and others heading to the Tiger-Grizz in Idaho Falls on Friday and Saturday April 26-27.
• Dave Draney Invite Placers
Girls
100 Meter
Valerie Jirak 12.05* 1st
Kammi Merritt 12.35 2nd
Grace Collins 13.31 4th
Camryn Mackey 13.38 5th
(* = New School Record)
200 Meter
Kammi Merritt 25.66 1st
Grace Collins 28.59 4th
Catie Nichols 28.98 8th
400 Meter
Valerie Jirak 57.46 1st
800 Meter
Carlee Angell 2:42.59 4th
1600 Meter
Carlee Angell 5:53.68 1st
3200 Meter
Gracie Visser 12:35.94 2nd
Madison Strgar 16:06.90 4th
100 Meter Hurdles
Peyton Hokanson 18.46 6th
300 Meter Hurdles
Kammi Merritt 44.74 1st
Grace Collins 54.61 6th
High Jump
Valerie Jirak 5’ 4″ 1st
Madison White 4’ 10” 4th
Adeline Christiansen 4’ 10″ 5th
Dallas Erickson 4’ 8” 6th(t)
Torrie White 4’ 8” 6th(t)
Long Jump
Madison White 15’ 4” 6th
Triple Jump
Madison White 32’ 4” 7th
Shot Put
Abigail Carrillo-Zarate 32’ 3″ 7th
• Dave Draney Invite Placers
Boys
100 Meter
Cash Bazil 11.59 2nd
Preston Ross 11.69 3rd
Smith McClure 11.74 5th
200 Meter
Preston Ross 23.90 5th
Smith McClure 24.10 7th
400 Meter
Habtamu Wetzel 54.84 1st
800 Meter
Jase Burton 2:02.30 1st
1600 Meter
Habtamu Wetzel 4:25.24 1st
Peter Lorch 4:44.23 5th
Colton Cranney 4:49.28 7th
3200 Meter
Beau Skinner 10:58.21 5th
Brigham Hahn 11:07.83 6th
110 Meter Hurdles
Krew Morgan 17.82 2nd
300 Meter Hurdles
Roman Erickson 46.88 5th
High Jump
Khale Clinger 6’ 0” 2nd
Sam Gaskell 5’ 8” 3rd
Long Jump
Cash Bazil 20’ 8” 1st
Khale Clinger 19’ 7” 4th
Triple Jump
Khale Clinger 40’ 4” 3rd
Pole Vault
Ethan Hobbs 10’ 6” 5th
Discus
Jonah Manu 119’ 6” 5th
Shot Put
Cooper Lawson 43’ 11” 3rd
