Sanpete schools grab 13 medals, 5 gold at state track
PROVO—There were good vibes all around as Sanpete’s track and field teams performed magnificently at the UHSAA State Track and Field meet in Provo last weekend.
Led by two individual gold medal wins by Manti senior Levi Smith, the county’s local athletes combined to win five different events and finish third or better in 13 total events.
North Sanpete track and field finished eighth overall in the 3A meet with 60 points, just ahead of Manti, who finished with 56 points for ninth place. While the Hawks’ boys finished 14th, it was the Lady Hawks who carried the team, medaling in five different events to finish sixth.
Gunnison Valley finished the 2A meet in eighth place overall with 60.5 points.
Smith took home the gold in the 3A boys 100-meter with a time of 11.05 seconds, beating second place by .19 seconds. This was his second time winning the event against state competition after he won it in the BYU Invitational earlier this month.
Smith also won the long jump with a measurement of 6.66 meters, approximately three centimeters better than his winning jump at the BYU Invitational.
Manti’s Levi Smith crosses the finish line at the UHSAA State Track Meet to bring home the gold
in the 3A boys 1000 meter.
Smith was not the only one from Manti to take home gold. In an astounding performance, freshman Cadee Alder claimed first place in the girls javelin event with a throw of 40.60 meters, beating out second place by only eight inches. Alder did not participate in the event at the BYU Invitational, yet she won the event as the only freshman participant and was one of only five freshmen in 2A and 3A combined to win a state title.
North Sanpete’s best finish came on the field, courtesy of senior Gavin Iund. Iund won the discus throw in dominant fashion with a throw of 47.14 meters, beating out second place by nearly 12 feet and besting his throw at the BYU Invitational by about two feet.
The Hawks Gavin Lund (at right) watches to see where his discuss
lands at the UHSAA State Track meet. Iund’s brought home the
gold for his 47.14 meter throw
Manti’s Cadee Alder preparing
to throw the javelin at the UHSAA State Track meet where
she placed first for her 40.60
meter throw.
Gunnison joined in the gold rush when senior Jack Hansen claimed the win in the 2A long jump with a measurement of 6.37 meters, beating out second place by just an inch and a half and improving on his finish at the BYU Invitational by over two feet.
Gunnison’s girls relay team took sixth in the 2A girls sprint medley relay with a time of 4:58.50. Their boys relay team took fourth in the 2A boys 4×100-meter with a time of 45.15 seconds.
Manti’s girls relay team placed in nearly every relay event, taking seventh in the 3A girls sprint medley relay with a time of 4:27.55, fifth in the girls 4×100-meter with a time of 51.80 seconds, and eighth in the 4×400-meter with a time of 4:21.06. Manti boys relay team took seventh in the sprint medley relay with a time of 3:44.97 and eighth in the 4×400-meter with a time of 3:36.07.
North Sanpete girls relay team took third in the 3A sprint medley relay with a time of 4:24.19 and third in the 4×400-meter with a time of 4:12.81.
Individual scoring finishes for local athletes are as follows: Gunnison junior Zaya Hilton finished sixth in the 2A girls 3200-meter, while Wasatch Academy sophomore finished seventh.
Manti sophomore Sadie Nielsen finished eighth in the 3A girls 3200-meter.
North Sanpete junior Madelyn Christensen finished second in the 3A girls 1600-meter with a time of 5:22.43.
Gunnison sophomore Addilyn Anderson finished third in the 2A girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.02 seconds.
Jack Hansen shows off his gold
medal that he won in the 2A
long jump with a measurement
of 6.37 meters.
North Sanpete Sophomore Journey Toomey finished eighth in the 3A girls 100-meter hurdles.
North Sanpete sophomore Abri Benson finished eighth in the 3A girls 100-meter.
Gunnison sophomore Jet Hill finished sixth in the 2A boys 100-meter.
Manti senior Sharlie Alder finished seventh in the 3A girls 400-meter.
Anderson finished fifth in the 2A girls 300-meter hurdles.
Toomey finished seventh in the 3A girls 300-meter hurdles.
Gunnison junior Cody Hammond finished fourth in the 2A boys 300-meter hurdles.
North Sanpete senior Morgan Bowles finished fourth in the 3A boys 300-meter hurdles.
Christensen finished third in the 3A girls 800-meter with a time of 2:25.89.
Hill finished second in the 2A boys 200-meter with a time of 23.31 seconds.
Gunnison junior Lexee Kiesel finished sixth in the 2A girls high jump.
North Sanpete junior Tylee Henrie finished tied for second in the 3A girls high jump, clearing the bar at 4’11”.
Hansen finished second in the 2A boys high jump, clearing the bar at 5’10”.
Henrie finished fifth in the 3A girls long jump, while Manti junior Kaylee Gowans finished eighth.
North Sanpete Junior Emma Johansen finished fifth in the 3A girls shot put, while Manti senior Jasmin Murillo and Manti sophomore Lacie Christensen finished seventh and eighth, respectively.
Murillo finished sixth in the 3A girls discus.
Manti freshman Kaylex Cox finished seventh in the 3A boys javelin.