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Sailors running hot early

Peters breaks 200, school record

Melinda Mawdsley

Lead by a record-breaking performance from sophomore Jessica Peters, the Steamboat Springs girls tied for first, and the boys finished fifth at the Eagle Valley Invitational track and field meet Saturday.

Once again, sophomore Peters led the way for the Sailors girls, taking first in the 200 and 400 meters and the high jump.

Peters set a school record in the 200 with a time of 25.67 seconds Saturday, breaking Karen Price’s 1977 record of 25.7. Peters also bettered her record in the high jump at Eagle Valley, clearing 5 feet, 5 inches. Peters also won the 400 meters in 59.18.



Sophomore Missy Chotvacs continued her strong season with second place in the triple jump, leaping 33 feet. She placed fourth in the long jump with a distance of 14-7.

Chotvacs teamed up with junior Mackenzie Frank, junior Kelli Parnell and Peters to finish second in the 1,600-meter relay with a time of 4:24.



Junior Jennifer Hooper also finished second in the 3,200 meters with a time of 12:49.

Senior Hannah Gary ran a personal-best 16.63 to take second in the 100 hurdles. Frank ran a 17.15, also a personal best, to place third in the same event.

Junior Katie Conrath finished third in the 800 meters at 2:36. She also placed fourth in the mile with a time of 5:54 and ran a 2:40 split to help the 3,200-meter relay team of freshman Erin Gleason, senior Lindsay Stanford and Hooper take sixth.

Conrath, who was an Alpine and Nordic skier for the Sailors this winter, entered the track practice in better shape than many of her teammates.

“But she’s picked it up another notch this year,” coach Andy Reust said. “Katie had a great meet.”

Junior Kayla Kostur, who suffered a sprained ankle immediately before the meet, placed third in the high jump by clearing 4-10, placed fourth in the triple jump with a jump of 32-3/4 and placed sixth in the long jump with a jump of 14-4 3/4.

“Kayla slid off an embankment as we were walking up to the meet,” Reust said. “We taped it, and she went out there and did amazing.”

Parnell also took eighth in the 800 meters with a time of 2:44.

On the boys’ side, senior Tyler Johnson led Steamboat’s sprinters, but the Sailors’ continue to get strong — and sometimes surprising — performances from its middle- and long-distance runners.

Senior Tyler O’Leary, in his first meet since from offseason surgery, finished first in the 1,600 meters with a 4:54 and took second in the 3,200 with a 10.43.

Johnson took second in the 100 with an 11.1, placed third in the 200 with a 22.83 and fourth in the 400 with a 53.48.

Freshman Matt Hill ran an impressive 2:14 in the 800 meters, as he continues to show promise and potential in that race. Senior Austin Ross also ran the open 800 for the first time and finished in 2:20, which was good enough for eighth place.

Senior David McDonald finished sixth in the triple jump with a leap of 37-3 3/4 and placed eighth in the 100 with an 11.62, rounding out Steamboat’s male scorers, as the Sailors found a way to place fifth with just five athletes scoring points.

Steamboat won’t field a complete boys team this weekend at the Palisade Invitational, but enough athletes should be in attendance to put together some relays, Reust said. The Sailors girls, however, may end up taking more girls to Palisade than they have in any other previous meet if everyone is healthy and can attend.

— To reach Melinda Mawdsley call 871-4208 or e-mail mmawdsley@steamboatpilot.com


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