The GHS track and field team opened its season at the Banana Belt Classic in Pueblo on March 15.
The Cowboys competed with a smaller squad as key athletes recovered from lengthy winter sports seasons. Still, standout seniors Angela Hindes, Sienna Gomez and Jemma Petrie earned top placements, and Head Coach Stacey Mickelson said the meet provided key varsity experience for the large group of underclassmen.
“Our younger kids did really well, and got to compete against huge schools and see what it’s like to race at a high school meet,” Mickelson said. “We have a really great group of underclassmen coming up, but it will be really exciting to see how our seniors do this year.”
Hindes, coming off a fourth-place finish in the high jump at the 2024 state championships, stepped into her final campaign with a newfound hunger. The senior signed a letter of intent to jump at Houston Christian University next fall, but has a GHS record to beat before trading in her high school spikes. Hindes started right where she left off, and earned a first-place finish in Pueblo with a top height of 5 feet, 2 inches.
Petrie also returned in top form, and starred in the 1600-meter run. The senior distance runner took fourth, notching a blazing time of 5:40.04. She also placed ninth in the 800-meter. Three-sport athlete Sienna Gomez returned to the track with a second-place finish in the long jump, with a distance of 16-6. Lee Brunsting capped off the girls performance with a fifth-place leap in the triple jump.
On the boys front, cross country breakthrough athlete Jackson Dalleck led the team with a ninth-place finish in the 1600 meter. Senior thrower Shane Mensing added a 15th-place discus toss to the Cowboys team score, and capped off a positive opening meet for the GHS athletes.
The Cowboys will return to the spotlight at the Mickey Dunn Invite in Grand Junction on March 3.
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@gunnisontimes.com.)
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