Devils girls track wins opener
Special to the Daily |
RIFLE — Let’s face it, Eagle Valley track and field coach Jeff Shroll had to feel like a kid on Christmas morning as Joslin Blair competed in her first varsity track meet.
Everyone saw what she did during cross-country season.
“Of course,” Shroll said. “I’ve been coaching Joslin, Shelbi (Lubbers) and Jewel (Scrivens) for a long time in WECMRD. To have them at the high school level is a lot fun.”
And adding the youngsters to a veteran group lifted the Devils ladies to a win over Battle Mountain, 95-84.5, during Friday’s Rifle Invitational. The Eagle Valley boys took fourth, while the Huskies were sixth.
Blair won the 400 meters, an interesting race placement, given her distance background, yet, at the same time, a testament to her talent. The Devils were first and third in the 800, Taylor Hermosillo and Avery Doan.
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Hermosillo closed in at 2 minutes, 21.91 seconds, which is noteworthy because she didn’t reach 2:21 until May of last spring. Yes, it is unseasonably warm all across the state, but that’s hard work, too.
Lubbers is starting the season at 5 feet, 2 inches in the high jump, a very good place. And the Eagle Valley boys crushed the pole vault, led by Trever LaFramboise.
“It’s and exciting way to start the season,” Shroll said.
Huskies pleased with opener
Battle Mountain track and field coach Rob Parish was pleased with his charges’ performances at Rifle on Friday.
As Claude Rains said in “Casablanca,” “Round up the usual suspects.”
The ladies of the state-champion cross-country team are off to a good start. Naomi Harding won the mile and Kaela Fahrney was victorious in the 3,200. Elizabeth Constien was third in the mile. Go down the usual list, although the Huskies are still transitioning from winter sports.
However, Battle Mountain got a nice surprise in camp. In what is called combine, the Huskies compete in six different events, and Sabrina Sutter beat the Huskies cross-country team in the 800. Do file that note away. Sutter finished second in the triple jump on Friday, and it’s been a while since the Huskies have gotten points there.
Both the Devils and Huskies will be at Broomfield on Friday.
Sports Editor Chris Freud can be reached at 970-748-2934, cfreud@vaildaily.com and @cfreud.
