Personnel numbers not yet up to speed 

With a best heave of 34 feet, one inch, thrower Kyle Rima got Ignacio’s Spring 2023 track-and-field season underway placing third in the shot put Friday, March 17, at the Bayfield Invitational. 

Only BHS junior Gabriel Archuleta (40’0.5”) and Dove Creek senior Asher Nye (34’6”) threw farther as the veteran junior earned six of IHS’ 12 team points at the meet, relocated to Durango High School (DHS) due to conditions inside Wolverine Country Stadium. Overall, the Bobcats placed eighth in the boys’ standings, while DHS (244 points) had no problem grabbing first place. 

Montezuma-Cortez bettered Dove Creek 98-79 in a much closer race for runner-up status, Pagosa Springs (54) edged Bayfield (50) for fourth place, and Mancos (26) and Dolores (17) bridged the gap back to Ignacio. 

IHS sophomore Kendrick Nossaman finished 11th in the 400-meter dash, but with several Durango entrants’ times excluded after the Demons clocked the four fastest times and nine of the top ten, his 57.54 was worth four team points. Freshmen James Martin and Dillon Brann finished 11th (2:45.59) and 12th (2:45.99) in the 800, but did not factor into the specialty’s scoring. 

Martin, however, did earn two points via his seventh-place 5:55.15 in the 1,600. Brann did not compete in the event, but did run the 110-meter hurdles and placed 10th in 22.70 seconds. 

Also, Nossaman placed 21st in the 200 meters with a 26.64, while Brann (30.88) and Martin (32.15) came in 32nd and 33rd overall. Freshman Zane Pontine ended up 34th in the 100 (14.78), and freshman Evan Perkins took 22nd in the shot (16’11”). 

Numbers were lacking even more for the score-less Lady ’Cats, but junior Moriah Ashley just missed earning a point via her ninth-place 3:50.62 in the 800 – won in 2:26.34 by Durango sophomore Sofia Voss. Ashley also placed tenth in the 1,600, her 8:01.67 trailing Voss’ winning 5:25.77 (runner-up Teagan Archer, a Mancos sophomore, was more than 23 seconds behind). 

Freshman Samantha Riddell was entered in the high jump, but was one of six not clearing the minimum height. 

In the team standings, Durango and Pagosa Springs reportedly each totaled 179.5 points. M-CHS (64) then followed, pursued by Mancos (55), BHS (52), Dove Creek (35) and Dolores (24). 

IHS is set to next see action Saturday, March 25, in Farmington, N.M., at FHS’ Scorpion Invitational. Competition inside Hutchison Stadium is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. As of press time Monday evening, March 20, Ignacio was one of seven squads registered, with no fewer than 13 others – including several teams present in Durango – slated to attend.