Maddie Stice pursues other racers during the 3200 meter on Friday. Her time would break the GHS school record set in 1994.Gunnison High School track battled it out in the final regular season meet last weekend at the Friday Night Lights Cyclone Invitational in Pueblo. The Cowboys saw an abundance of success all around — 10 athletes emerged with qualifying state times and two, Maddie Stice and Melita Ferchau, broke school records.
Stice broke the Gunnison High School record for the two mile race (3200 meter) with a time of 11:39.93 — beating a record which was set 28 years ago in 1994 by Najeeby Quinn. Stice earned second in the race on Friday, and ranks eighth overall for the 3A divison heading into the state meet this weekend, May 19-21.
With a 133’10’’ throw, Ferchau broke her own school record in discus, one she set last year at 132’5’’ which broke a record set in 1993. She took first place at the meet on Friday, and comfortably ranks first overall in the 3A division. Ferchau is certainly a contender for a state championship in discus. Considering it’s her senior year and her last chance to nab top honors as a high schooler, she’s gunning for it.
Back to last weekend’s meet, three other athletes placed in top three spots. On the women’s side, Sienna Gomez took third in the triple jump and Angela Hindes placed third in the high jump. Jackson Baker was the only one on the men’s team to place in the top three, taking second in the 3200 meter. Jonathan Pierce was close, placing fourth in the pole vault, and Connor Zummach took seventh in the 800 meter.
There were plenty of personal bests owing to late season performance and good weather.
“It was a great meet, they had a great time,” said Head Coach Stacy Mickelson. “It was really good weather, and there were a lot of people there too, so there was a lot of competition.”
With the results from the weekend, 10 GHS athletes rank in the top 18 for their events — the cut to qualify for the state tournament which will take place this upcoming weekend in Denver.
On the men’s team, Baker made the cut in the 3200 meter and is ranked ninth. Zumach qualified in the 800 meter, and is ranked 18th, while Pierce made it in the 300-meter hurdles also ranked 18th.
For the women’s team, Ferchau qualified in both discus and shot put and Stice in the 3200 meter. Ferchau ranks first in discus and sixth in shot put. Stice ranks eighth in the 3200 meter. Hindes qualified in the high jump where she ranks sixteenth, and Danica Froehlich made the cut in both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles in which she ranks fourth and 16th respectively. Also headed to state is the women’s 4x800 meter relay team.
Mickelson says outcomes for the state tournament are always hard to predict. Gunnison sits on the low end of the 3A division which includes schools with anywhere from 300-700 students, which means, on average, they’re competing with much faster times than lower divisions. Plus, all of the top times, from first through 18th, are so close that any small change in performance can make or break the day.
“You don’t really know ‘til you get there,” Mickelson said. “I think all of them have a chance to place if they come out and compete and do their best. “
The state tournament will take place this weekend May 19-21 at the Denver/Jeffco Stadium.
(Jacob Spetzler can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or jacob@gunnisontimes.com.)
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here