Rulers of the relays: Steamboat dominates in team events at home track meet
Steamboat Springs High School track athletes function better as a team. Sure, there are some impressive individuals in a Sailors uniform, but where Steamboat really shines is relays.
The boys won the three relays they competed in, the 4×100, the 4×200 and the 4×400, helping the Sailors to a team victory in Saturday’s home meet at Gardner Field.
Elise Colby, Marcada Baker, Kelsey Hamilton and Aliyah Reimer teamed up to finish second in the sprint medley, 4×100 and 4×200, earning a new school record in their beloved 4×200.
The same four girls have competed together for years, setting and breaking new school records as they go. With Saturday’s second-place finish, the new school record is 1 minute, 46.01 seconds.
“We are a good team. We do better as a team, not as individuals,” said Reimer, who runs the last leg of the 4×100 and 4×200 relays.
Relays are special because athletes have to sacrifice individual events in order to participate, since each athlete is allowed to do only so many events in one day. However, when success comes, it is shared and all the more sweeter.
“Relays are the greatest privilege on our team,” Steamboat track head coach Lisa Renee Tumminello said. “You have to earn your way onto a relay and have a selfless attitude and heart about it. Just seeing them succeed and knowing their drawing energy from each other and giving energy back to each other, that’s cool.”
Hayden High School’s Keaton Knez finished third in the 1,600, while Kale Johnson took fifth in the 800. Brayden Dale barely missed the top five, taking sixth in the 200-meter dash. Andrew Kleckler earned sixth in discus.
Alison Rajzer won triple jump, and Isabella Simones was fifth. Simones was also fifth in the 100, and Jillian Bennett won the 200. Sadie Dunckley finished fifth in the 100 hurdles and third in the 300 hurdles. Dakota Munden earned third in discus.
Soroco High School’s Marissa Martindale won long jump with a distance of 16 feet, 2 inches. Lexi Vandenberg took second in the 100 and third in the 200. Rose Karrow finished third in the 1,600 and 10th in high jump, while Kayedence Bruner earned fourth in high jump. Daisy Hoff finished fourth in shot put.
Spencer Ashley earned third in pole vault.
The men’s relays are a slightly different group each time with Chris Morris, James Lahrman, Jameson Tracy and Hamilton in the 4×100, and Tracy, Lahrman, Hamilton and Connor Prost in the 4×200. In the 4×400, Lahrman and Prost joined Bowden Tumminello and Thomas Lewer.
No matter the combination, the teams win over and over, proving to be the strongest on the Western Slope. Going to state, they will see far stiffer competition. They are confident they can make some noise on the big stage, though.
“I think we put in the work last season when most teams didn’t. I give a lot of credit to Lisa Renee,” Lahrman said. “We used Final Surge, a training app. We did a lot of running. The senior class is full of a lot of hard workers, which is what our relay team is, mostly seniors. It’s caught me by surprise, but it’s awesome to be a part of the relay teams.”
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The Steamboat Springs Track and Field team honored its seniors during a home meet at Gardner Field on Saturday afternoon. (Shelby Reardon)
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Steamboat Springs runner Elise Colby hands off to Marcada Baker in the 4×200 relay during a home track and field meet at Gardner Field on Saturday afternoon. (Shelby Reardon)
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Steamboat Springs pole vaulter Michael Lake competes during a home meet at Gardner Field on Saturday afternoon. (Shelby Reardon)
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Teammates cheer on Steamboat senior Aliyah Reimer in the 4×100 relay during a home track and field meet at Gardner Field on Saturday afternoon. (Shelby Reardon)
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Steamboat Springs pole vaulter Olin Webster competes during a home track and field meet at Gardner Field on Saturday afternoon. (Shelby Reardon)
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Steamboat Springs senior Chris Morris wins the men’s 100-meter dash during a home track and field meet at Gardner Field on Saturday afternoon. (Shelby Reardon)
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Steamboat Springs distance runner Autumn Oslowski competes in the 1,600 during a home track and field meet at Gardner Field on Saturday afternoon. (Shelby Reardon)
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Steamboat Springs senior Jameson Tracy anchors the men’s throwing 4×100 relay during a home track and field meet at Gardner Field on Saturday afternoon. (Shelby Reardon)
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Steamboat Springs senior James Lahrman runs in the men’s 4×200 meter race during a home track and field meet at Gardner Field on Saturday afternoon. (Shelby Reardon)
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Steamboat Springs senior Aliyah Reimer catches a Coal Ridge runner while running the final leg of the 4×100 relay during a home track and field meet at Gardner Field on Saturday afternoon. (Shelby Reardon)
Four members of the successful relay teams will be running in college next year. James Lahrman, who is still looking to crack the 400-meter school record, will attend Georgia Military College where he earned an ROTC scholarship and will run cross-country to boot.
Lahrman knew that was the plan for months. Morris, Hamilton and Reimer had last-minute recruitments to college programs catch them by surprise.
Hamilton, who is one of the fastest sprinters in the state, had the humble goal of breaking the 200-meter school record. Now, he’s realizing he might be able to set loftier goals since he’ll be running in college.
“My expectations for this season were mediocre, I’d do OK, maybe I’d win a meet or two, but now I’m winning all the time,” he said. “I’m getting offers all over from (Division III), some (Division II).”
Reimer got an offer from Western Colorado University in Gunnison, a school that is also interested in Hamilton.
“Our game plan is to go run at Western Colorado University,” she said. “We just push each other. We’re so competitive with each other. When I got the offer, I was like you need to come in and come run with me. We just put each other to a whole other level. I think that’s something really special about us.”
Morris, who won the 100-meter race Saturday, will attend Middle Tennessee State University. He said his breakout year on the track is due to a mental change.
“I learned to change my mindset. I’d say, ‘Maybe I’ll do this; maybe I’ll do that.’ Now it’s, ‘I will do this.’ I feel like I’ve improved my performance and my attitude about things.”
Morris was one of six Steamboat boys to win an individual event Saturday. Casey Wolf won the triple jump, Hamilton won the 200, Thomas Lewer won the 800 with a time of 2:01.02, Sumner Cotton won the 1,600, and Prost won the 400. Prost took the lead in the final stretch and was also the runner who gave the Steamboat men the lead in the 4×200 race.
“Connor, there’s a fire in his belly,” Tumminello said. “No matter what race you put him in, he’s going to turn himself inside out. He just chose today to turn himself inside out.”
Steamboat Springs Invite
Boys team scores: 1. Steamboat Springs 174. 2. Moffat County 95. 3. Coal Ridge 94. 4. Summit 68. 5. West Grand 65. 6. Middle Park 63.5. 7. Hayden 19. 8. North Park 14.5. 9. Vail Christian 12.5. 10. Soroco 5.5.
100: 1. Chris Morris, SS, 11.56. 2. Wyatt Howell, WG, 11.81. 4. Brayden Dale, 12.02. 7. Casey Wolf, SS, 12.29. 16. Layton Morrison, SS, 12.7. 25. Henry Dismuke, SS, 14.85. 27. George Slowey, SS, 15.28. 28. Jason Heid, SS, 15.86.
200: 1. Hamilton, SS, 22.99. 2. Ben Opatril, MP, 23.75. 4. Morris, SS, 23.86. 6. Dale, H, 24.75. 10. Chance Kibler-Fulk, SS, 25.37. 12. Sawyer Ryan, SS, 25.59. 17. Olin Webster, SS, 26.74. 24. Jason Heid, SS, 33.06. 25. George Slowey, SS, 33.32.
400: 1. Connor Prost, SS, 51.75. 2. Jaydon Fryer, SS, 52.57. 3. Omar Vergara, CR, 53.46. 8. Roman Elvidge, SS, 58.82. 9. Webster, SS, 58.93. 10. Justin Heid 1:00.53. 11. Andrew Kleckler, H, 1:01.16. 14. Michael Lake, SS, 1:02.1.
800: 1. Thomas Lewer, SS, 2:01.02. 2. Dominykas Remeikis, S, 2:02.36. 3. Bowden Tumminello, SS, 2:03.2. 5. Kale Johnson, H, 2:13.93. 13. Xander Dalke, SS, 2:23.53. 18. Logan Silva, H, 2:37.34
1,600: 1. Sumner Cotton, SS, 4:52.08. 2. Jeremiah Kelley, SS, 4:52.67. 3. Keaton Knez, H, 4:56.9. 4. Wolf, SS, 5:02.12. 5. Dalke, SS, 5:03.41. 12. Kleckler, H, 5:30.31. 13. Logan Silva, H, 5:35.92. 15. Tomas Niedermeier, SS, 5:42.07. 17. Alan Mayer, S, 5:59.73.
3,200: 1. Tyler Parker, CR, 11:58.23. 2. Robert Rusher, SS, 13:39.5.
110 hurdles: 1. Even Atkin, MC, 16.53. 9. Daniel Raper, SS, 19.38. 10. Tommy Hagney, SS, 23.01.
300 hurdles: 1. Ben Opatril, MP, 41.76. 2. Nik Keyek, SS, 44.37. 8. Thomas Miller, SS, 55.63.
4×100: 1. Steamboat Springs (Morris, James Lahrman, Jameson Tracy, Hamilton), 44.77. 6. Steamboat Springs B 49.51.
4×200: 1. Steamboat Springs (Tracy, Lahrman, Prost, Hamilton) 1:32.48. 5. Steamboat Springs B 1:40.75.
4×400: 1. Steamboat Springs (Lahrman, Tumminello, Prost, Lewer), 3:30. 6. Steamboat Springs B 4:00.4.
4×800: 1. Coal Ridge 8:50.1.
High jump: 1. Cam Kalaf, S, 6-3.
Pole vault: 1. Galen Wilkinson, WG, 10-0. 3. Michael Lake, SS, 8-6. 3. Spencer Ashley, S, 8-6. 6. Webster, SS, 8-0.
Long jump: 1. Atkin, MC, 22-0.5. 2. Granger Rowan, SS, 19-0.25. 3. Hamilton, SS, 18-9.75. 5. Tracy, SS, 18. 9. Kayak, SS, 16-9.5. 12. Webster, SS, 15-5. 14. Tommy Hagney, SS, 14-9.5. 15. Sawyer Ryan, SS, 13-6.75.
Triple jump: 1. Wolf, SS, 39-1. 5. Roman Elvidge, SS, 34-9.5. 8. Ryan, SS, 31-5. 10. Niedermeier, SS, 25-8.75.
Shot put: 1. Corey Johnson, S, 43-1. 10. Morrison, SS, 33-2. 16. Cole Moon, SS, 30-9.5. 19. Austin Williams, H, 29-8. 20. Josue Mejia, S, 29-6. 21. Kai Lancaster, SS, 29-4. 22. Eli Moon, SS, 25-4. 24. Henry Dismuke, SS, 22-9.5.
Discus: 1. Johnson, S, 141-1. 3. Morrison, SS, 116-4.5. 6. Andrew Kleckler, H, 106. 7. Morris, SS 101-1.5. 9. E. Moon, SS, 98-2. 9. C. Moon, SS, 98-2. 13. Williams, H, 95-9.5. 18. Mejia, S, 83-4. 19. Lancaster, SS, 78. 21. Raper, SS, 73-5. 25. Henry Dismuke, SS, 63-0.5.
Girls team scores: 1. Coal Ridge 210.5. 2. Moffat County 101. 3. Steamboat Springs 93.83. 4. Soroco 67. 6. Hayden 54. 7. Middle Park 52.66. 8. West Grand 29. 9. North Park 23. 10. Vail Christian 18.
100: 1. Aliyah Reimer, SS, 12.65. 2. Lexi Vandenberg, S, 13.31. 5. Isabella Simones, H, 13.73. 12. Lauren Parks, SS, 14.25. 15. Maren Elvidge, SS, 14.59. 16. Katya Thurston, SS, 14.67. 17. Rose Karrow, S, 14.68. 18. Alison Rajzer, H, 14.71. 22. Mea Jenkins, SS, 14.96. 24. Jordan Ward, SS, 15.18. 26. Shelby Geiger, S, 15.46. 29. Amelie Wild, SS, 16.28.
200: 1. Jillian Bennett, H, 27.24. 3. Vandenberg, S, 28.7. 8. Mia Mikos, H, 30.68. 11. Annika Ort, SS, 31. 13. Isabel Medina, S, 31.09. 14. Jenna Kleckler, H, 31.5. 15. Katie Castor, SS, 31.57. 18. Aspen Bennett-Manke, SS, 32.37. 20. Morgan Yeiser, SS, 34.7.
400: 1. Emaleigh Papierski, MC, 1:01.17. 4. Kenna Harrison, SS, 1:08.11. 6. Medina, S, 1:14.58. 7. Alex Hanna, SS, 1:14.68.
800: 1. Mikayla Cheney, CR, 2:20.14. 11. Claire Bohmer, SS, 3:02.83. 12. Jazzel Gardea Pinera, SS, 3:05.98. 15. Larhae Whaley, S, 3:16.92.
1,600: 1. Araceli Ayala, CR, 5:56.32. 3. Rose Karrow, S, 6:07.78. 4. Autumn Oslowski, SS, 6:10.07. 7. Eden Mayer, S, 6:28.89.
3,200: 1. Lindsey Whitton, VC, 12:45.15. 3. Zoe Bennett-Manke, SS, 14:09.94.
110 hurdles: 1. Raeanna Nelson, CR, 17.68. 5. Sadie Dunckley, H, 18.92. 6. Kendra Sollars, SS, 19.16. 10. Molly Look, SS, 20.58. 13. Nicole Nolting, SS, 22.15.
300 hurdles: 1. Lydia Karren, CR, 51.86. 3. Dunckley, H, 53.77. 7. Sollars, SS, 57.54.
Sprint medley: 1. Coal Ridge 1:51.36. 2. Steamboat Springs (Colby, Hamilton, Reimer, Baker), 1:51.61. 3. Hayden (Rajzer, Simones, Mikos, Bennett) 1:56.82. 5. Soroco 1:58.26. 7. Steamboat Springs B 2:19.03.
4×100: 1. Coal Ridge 50.46. 2. Steamboat Springs (Elise Colby, Kelsey Hamilton, Marcada Baker, Reimer) 50.69. 9. Steamboat Springs B 59.17.
4×200: 1. Moffat County 1:44.8. 2. Steamboat Springs (Colby, Hamilton, Baker, Reimer) 1:46.01. 8. Steamboat Springs B 2:07.54.
4×400: 1. Moffat County 4:05.23. 5. Steamboat Springs (Harrison, Sollars, Hanna, Castor) 4:52.71.
4×800: 1. Coal Ridge 1:39.69. 2. Soroco 11:20.42. 3. Steamboat Springs (Oslowski, Bennett-Manke, Cuevas, Hanna), 11:34.82.
High jump: 1. Marin Simons, CR, 5-1. 4. Kayedence Bruner, S, 4-9. 9. Katya Thurston, SS, 4-3 10. Annika Ort, SS, 4-3. 10. Karrow, S, 4-3. 12. Rachel Spitzley, SS, 4-3. 13. Mea Jenkins, SS, 4-1.
Pole vault: 1. Phoebe Young, CR, 10-6. 5. Castor, SS, 6-6. 5. Ort, SS, 6-6. 7. Larhae Whaley, S, 6-6. 8. Amelie Wild, SS, 6-0.
Long jump: 1. Marissa Martindale, S, 16-2. 3. Baker, SS, 15-8.25. 5. Colby, SS, 15.7.5. 8. Vandenberg, S, 14-6.75. 10. Geiger, S, 14-0.75. 12. Thurston, SS, 13-11.5. 15. J. Kleckler, H, 12-11. 19. Wild, SS, 11-10.25.
Triple jump: 1. Rajzer, H, 33-11.5. 2. PArks, SS, 31-6. 5. Simones, H, 30-3. 6. Bruner, S, 29-11.25. 8. A. Bennett-Manke, SS, 28-5.35. 9. Z. Bennett-Manke, SS, 28-2.75.
Shot put: 1. Maddie Markovich, CR, 29-6.5. 4. Daisy Hoff, S, 26-8. 10. Dakota Munden, H, 23-2. 14. Nolting, SS, 19-11. 15. McKenzie Clark, S, 19-4. 16. M. Elvidge, SS, 19-0.5. 20. Skylar Cason, SS, 17-5. 21. Jenkins, SS, 16-3. 22. Yeiser, SS, 15-6.
Discus: 1. Addy Davis, CR, 100-10. 3. Munden, H, 91-2.5. 7. Hoff, S, 71-7. 13. Clark, S, 58-8. 16. Ort, SS, 53.4.5. 17. Cason, SS, 53. 21. Parks, SS, 47-5. 23. Nolting, SS, 46-4.5. 24. Jenkins, SS, 45-5. 25. Look, 38.
Shelby Reardon is the assistant editor at the Steamboat Pilot & Today. To reach her, call 970-871-4253, email sreardon@SteamboatPilot.com or follow her on Twitter @ByShelbyReardon.
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