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Soroco High School track and field team looks to continue state qualifying streak

Soroco freshman Kayedence Bruner vaults at track practice on Tuesday, April 9 at Soroco High School.
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STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The Soroco High School track team has athletes in 15 of the 19 track and field events sitting in state qualifying positions. This means, so far, the Rams have athletes currently sitting within the top 18 of their event in Class 2A.

And for a team that has 34 people, that’s no small feat.

“The only girls relay we don’t have qualifying for state is the 4×800-meter relay, but we haven’t run that one yet,” Soroco head track coach David Bruner said. “We’re trying to get as many kids qualified as we can by the end of the year. Since I’ve been here, this is my 13th year, we’ve taken the most kids and had the most pride in taking the most kids to state here in the county.”



Freshman Kayedence Bruner is leaving her mark in the jumping scene. She follows her older sister, junior Kourtney Bruner, in the triple jump. Kaydence’s current best mark is 31 feet, 9 inches, while Kourtney’s is 32 feet 10 inches. But Kourtney has been struggling with a quad injury that hasn’t allowed her to reach that mark yet this season. She hopes to break the school record of 34 feet, 3 inches.

But Kayedence has also leapt her way into the No. 7 best high jumper in Class 2A, reaching a personal best height of 4 feet, 10 inches during last week’s meet in Denver.



“Last week, we were at the Thomas Jefferson Twilight. There were six of them left, and she was the shortest one by 5 inches,” David Bruner said. “It’s pretty cool because the coaches were talking like, ‘Wow, if you guys had the form she had, you would really be good’ — that’s what they were telling their girls.”

Soroco track and field

March 15: at Rifle
March 21: at Rebel Invite
March 29: at Meeker
March 30: at Cedaredge
April 5: at Thomas Jefferson
April 6: at Eagle Valley
April 13: at Glenwood Springs
April 19: at Coal Ridge
April 26: at Moffat County
April 27: at Ram Charger
May 3 to 4: Western Slope League meet
May 9: at West Grand
May 16 to 18: state

Kaydence took up pole vault this year and has been making steady improvements, the upper-body strength involved has to be built over time. But she’s also one of the staple sprinters in various relays.

Kaydence, Kourtney and Chloe Veilleux are the most consistent, top competitors on the girls’ side. Both Kourtney and Veilleux have been to state all three years. Veilleux is also a returning top-three state contender in the mile and 800 meters.

Boys

Senior Grant Redmond has won the high jump for two years at state and currently sits at No. 1. His personal best is 6 feet, 6 1/2 inches, but he hopes to reach the 6-foot-8 mark before leaving for college at the Colorado School of Mines, where he will compete in track.

But there are also several boys who want to make their first state appearances.

Sophomore Alex Colby wants to make his first trip to state in the 2 mile and is currently sitting at 13th in the event.

After making the trip to state cross country, he hoped the experience and mileage would carry over into track. His personal best is 11 minutes and six seconds, and he wants to reach the 10:50 mark.

“I am just getting my mileage up a bit,” Colby. “I also run the mile because it’s a pretty good event to base other times off of. It gets me a little more speed and lets me know what my 2 mile splits could be.”

Junior Nick Estes is eyeing a state appearance in the long and triple jump. His older brother, Alex, often helps him with technique since he’s a jumper at Adams State.

The boys have been without top sprinter Jesse Koler due to injury, but Koler is set to return this weekend to help the boys qualify more relays for state.

“That’s hurt our boys a little bit because he’s our fastest boy, but get him back in, and we should be in good shape,” David Bruner said.

To reach Leah Vann, call 970-871-4253, email lvann@SteamboatPilot.com or follow her on Twitter @lvann_sports.


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