Fri Mar 30th, 2018
Joel Priest
Special to the Drum
Categories: Sports, Sports, Track
Tags: 2018 Abel Velasquez Invitational, Aliyana White, Fruita Monument, Kiana Valdez, Vanessa Gonzales, Warrior Invitational
Thrower scores first-place points in the shot
Fruita Monument certainly overwhelmed the field Saturday, March 24, at the Warrior Invitational in Grand Junction, with their 204 points leaving 4A Palisade’s 103 in another area code and obliterating 3A Basalt’s 83. But there was one event the 5A Lady Wildcats couldn’t claim.
In the shot put, Aiga Petelo tried – maxing out at 34 feet even and out-distancing PHS’ Morgan Sellden by 1.75 inches – but tops in the specialty went to 2A Ignacio’s Aliyana White. Competing in the second of two flights, with all competitors’ bests then comprising the final placings, White heaved the heavy sphere 36 feet, 4.25 inches and opened more than a few eyes inside Ralph Stocker Stadium at Lincoln Park.
She also scored one point in the discus – meaning she earned 11 overall for the group – with her second-heat 88’6” holding up for eighth place (the top eight placers all came out of Flight No. 2, as did seven of the top eight shot throwers), where IHS would also finish in the final team standings.
In the high jump, Kiana Valdez showed well and earned four of the Lady Bobcats’ 17 points with her fifth-place 4’4”, and she also garnered two with her seventh-place 29.57 time in the 200-meter dash. Goings in the earlier 100 had proven a little more challenging, as she clocked 14.90 seconds and finished a non-scoring 16th (teammate Vanessa Gonzales took 13th in 14.77).
Following Spring Break (March 26-30), Ignacio will resume the season hosting the 2018 Abel Velasquez Invitational on Saturday, April 7, beginning at 9 a.m.
2018 G.J. CENTRAL WARRIOR INVITE GIRLS’ TEAM STANDINGS