Senior Kai Coblentz came from behind to nearly edge Volcano Vista runner Kaden Hamilton for the win in their heat of the 1600 m. Coblentz and Hamilton were given identical times of 4:41.98 at this weekend’s Harper Invitational at Albuquerque Academy. Photo by Blake Wood
By George Morse
Los Alamos Daily Post
Los Alamos Daily Post
With just three weeks left in the spring sports season, Los Alamos High School’s varsity track and field teams continue to try to earn their way into the postseason with state-qualifying times and distances.
Girls Track And Field
The Los Alamos girls track and field team continues to add to their already impressive list of Class 5A state qualifiers. The Lady Hilltoppers have qualified in 11 individual events and all four running relays. At the Richard Harper Memorial track and field meet April 21 hosted by Albuquerque Academy in Albuquerque, the Lady Hilltopppers took second place with 43.5 points behind Class 6A Cleveland High School, which scored 99 points.
The Los Alamos girls track and field team continues to add to their already impressive list of Class 5A state qualifiers. The Lady Hilltoppers have qualified in 11 individual events and all four running relays. At the Richard Harper Memorial track and field meet April 21 hosted by Albuquerque Academy in Albuquerque, the Lady Hilltopppers took second place with 43.5 points behind Class 6A Cleveland High School, which scored 99 points.
The Lady Hilltoppers won three individual events events at Academy. Rebecca Green won the shot put with a heave of 35 feet, 11 inches. In the discus, Green threw a state-qualifying 109 feet, 4 inches to win that event. Green has qualified for state in both events.
Elizabeth Lockhart took first place in the triple jump with a leap of 36 feet, 8 inches. She has qualified for state with a leap of 37 feet, 9 inches at the Marilyn Sepulveda meet April 17 in Albuquerque.
Zoe Hemez qualified for state in the 1600-meter run at Academy with a time of 5 minutes, 28.24 seconds, finishing fourth in the event. Hemez and teammate Lidia Appel have both qualified for state in this event.
Eighth-grader Appel ran a state-qualifying time of 11 minutes, 43.62 seconds in the 3200-meter run at Academy, finishing third. Hemez has also qualified in this event.
Emily Mercer turned in a state-qualifying time of 48.94 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles, finishing sixth. Jillian Bennet, although she did not place in the event, qualified for state in the pole vault. She cleared 8 feet, 6 inches.
The Lady Hilltoppers improved their state-qualifying times in two relays at Academy. The 400-meter relay team of Elena Abeyta, Claire Ticknor, Lockhart and Ona Gartz turned in a time of 50.15 seconds, finishing sixth. The 1600-meter medley relay team of Kaitlin Bennett, Madeline Beck, Kaitlyn McGrane and Abeyta had a time of 4 minutes, 12.04 seconds, but did not place at Academy.
Other state qualifiers for the Lady Hilltoppers in earlier meets are: Zoe Challacombe (shot put, discus), Sophie Wood, Abigail Beus (triple jump), Abeyta, Lockhart, Gartz (long jump, 400-meter run), Abeyta (200-meter dash, 400-meter dash), Jazmine Tuning (high jump).
Los Alamos has also qualified for state in the 800-meter relay and the 1600-meter medley relay.
Boy’s Track and Field
The Los Alamos boys team continued to add to its list of state qualifiers at Academy. The Hilltoppers scored 14 points to finish 10th in the team standings.
The Los Alamos boys team continued to add to its list of state qualifiers at Academy. The Hilltoppers scored 14 points to finish 10th in the team standings.
Chris Buntain qualified in the 800-meter run and 1600-meter run at Academy. His time in the 800-meter run was 2 minutes, .14 seconds. Teammate Kai Coblentz also ran a state-qualifying time of 2 minutes, .58 seconds in the 800-meter run.
Buntain’s time in the 1600-meter run was 4 minutes, 31.31 seconds.
The Hilltoppers’ 400-meter relay team of Nic Dowdy, Nathaniel Ortega, Isaac Timmerman and Kevin Maresca turned in a state-qualifying time of 43.96 seconds. Los Alamos’ 1600-meter relay team of Timmerman, Elijah Velasquez, Miroslav Betts and Ortega finished sixth with a state-qualifying time of 3 minutes, 29.87 seconds. Macklin Cunico had a state-qualifying throw of 157 feet, 6 inches in the javelin. Arturo Rodriguez threw a state-qualifying distance of 46 feet, 3 inches in the shot put.
Los Alamos’ Liam Johnson won the pole vault event at Academy, clearing 14 feet. Johnson has the best state-qualifying mark in the event this season. He cleared 15 feet at the Marilyn Sepulveda meet April 17 in Albuquerque.
Other state qualifiers for the Hilltoppers in earlier meets are: Ben Schauer (triple jump), Ortega (200-meter dash), Zach Hunt (javelin).
Los Alamos will be competing at the Pinto Qualifier hosted by Moriarty High School Friday in Moriarty.
Los Alamos will be competing at the Pinto Qualifier hosted by Moriarty High School Friday in Moriarty.
