GHS track brings home state glory

Madelyn Stice competes at the state tournament.

The GHS track season ended in glory last weekend with three state placers. Ten athletes made the state cut and competed in the meet, which took place at the Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood. Originally slated to run from Thursday through Saturday, a late May snow dump pushed races into a chilly Sunday. 

The top finisher for Gunnison was senior Melita Ferchau who brought home the state championship in discus. She also placed fourth in shot put. The discus result was long sought after as Ferchau has placed second twice in state during her high school career, but it was the first time she has placed in shot put. 

Danica Froehlich, also a senior, placed seventh in the 100-meter hurdles. 

“She actually PRed in the prelims, getting one of her best times of the year,” said Head Coach Stacey Mickelson. “But it was so cold that Sunday morning that no one ran well.”

The third placer was freshman Angela Hindes who earned herself ninth overall in the high jump, sticking a 5-1, a personal record. 

“She actually tied with six, seven, eight, and nine but because of misses she dropped down to ninth,” Mickelson said. 

The 4x800-meter relay team came within steps of placing, finishing 10th overall in the finals. 

Jackson Baker made it to the finals in the men’s 3200-meter run, finishing 11th overall. 

Madelyn Stice, another freshman who broke the school record last week, finished in 12th place in the women’s 3200- meter run. 

Next in the line up was Jonathan Pierce who finished 14th in the prelims in the 300 meter hurdles. Connor Zumach made it to the finals in the 800 -meter run and finished 16th overall. 

“I think they all performed really well,” Mickelson said. “They did their best so I think it was good.”

Looking ahead, Ferchau, Zummach, Froehlich and Baker will all graduate out of the GHS track program. Mickelson says they’ll be missed but is sure of the talent coming up from the younger athletes. 

“We have a really good group coming back,” she said. “There were several freshmen close to making it to state in some of those events. Next year they probably will.”

(Jacob Spetzler can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or jacob@gunnisontimes.com.)