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Ignacio's Darlyn Mendoza-Lechuga accelerates during the Bob Archibeque Invitational's 100-meter dash Friday, April 12, at Montezuma-Cortez High School. She was top-five in three of the four running events she entered (and finished sixth in the other).
Ignacio's Kacey Brown, left, receives encouragement from throws coach Damian Brisendine after a successful discus toss Friday afternoon, April 12, at Montezuma-Cortez's Bob Archibeque Invitational. Brown finished third in the event but did not compete in the shot put.
Photo Credit: Joel Priest | Special to the Drum
Photo Credit: Joel Priest | Special to the Drum
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IHS’ Barnes, deKay win in Cortez

Friday - April 19, 2024 by Joel Priest | Special to the Drum

Lady ’Cats third at Archibeque Invite 

Two La Plata County track-and-field athletes brought home a champion’s black shirt from action on the girls’ side of Montezuma-Cortez’s inaugural Bob Archibeque Invitational, Friday, April 12. 

Both individuals wore Ignacio red-and-black. 

And had it not been for M-CHS’ Marlee Mack, the Lady Bobcats would have claimed first place in three more events and thus finished closer to the top of the meet’s team standings. All told, with senior Maci Barnes dominating the 800-meter run and classmate Lauren deKay prevailing in the pole vault, IHS totaled 85.5 points and finished third behind the hosting Lady Panthers (169.5) and Pagosa Springs (179). 

In the 800, Barnes ran 2:37.11 and defeated runner-up Maya Lowe of Dolores by 8.69 seconds. And in the pole vault, deKay needed fewer attempts to clear seven feet even than Durango teammates Sonya Tocco and Rye Standifer. With Maggie Glick managing to clear 6’0” and placing fifth, the specialty ended up being the Lady Demons’ best event of the day, helping DHS – competing with a roster reduced by numerous athletes competing in Lakewood at the two-day Pomona Invitational – total a sixth-place 37.5 points. 

IHS senior Darlyn Mendoza-Lechuga, a soccer/track ‘dualie’ this spring, placed second to Mack in both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles. Her 18.86 in the former trailed Mack’s 17.21, while her 52.31 in the latter trailed Mack’s 49.62. In the long jump, Barnes (15’0”) was also one-upped by M-CHS’ sophomore standout (15’9.25”). 

Free from Mack in the 400 meters, Barnes placed third in 1:05.68. Samantha Riddell finished third in the 200 (29.45) and ended up fourth in the high jump, her 4’8” best equaled by three other entrants. Senior Kacey Brown earned third in the discus with a 77’10” maximum, and took fourth in the 1,600m run (6:40.87). Mendoza-Lechuga placed fourth in the 100, clocking 14.42 seconds, and came in sixth in the 200 (29.73). 

Brown finished sixth in the 800 (3:02.96), and deKay booked IHS’ other top-ten result with her tenth place 1:20.66 in the 400. 

Looking ahead, the Lady ’Cats are set to compete Saturday, April 20, at Durango’s Ron Keller Invitational, and at Mancos’ Blue Jay Invite on the 26th. Results from Ignacio’s scheduled trip to Bayfield on the 17th were unavailable at press time. 

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