Manti leads Sanpete County track at Red Rock Invite in Moab
1,600 and 3,200, while Rasmussen won the javelin and posted state-qualifying marks in three events.
Manti turned in the strongest Sanpete County showing Saturday at the Red Rock Invite in Moab, with the Templars boys placing fifth with 56 points and the girls finishing ninth with 31 points in an early-season meet that produced a relay win, multiple runner-up finishes and several state-qualifying marks.
Coby Rasmussen led Manti’s boys with a win in the javelin at 168 feet, 3 inches. He also placed fourth in the high jump at 5-11 and eighth in the long jump at 20-1.5. Paul Gardner added a pair of second-place finishes in the distance races, taking second in the 1,600 meters in 4:32.27 and second in the 3,200 in 9:58.42, while Benson May placed third in both events at 4:36.32 and 10:02.36.
Manti also won the boys sprint medley relay in 3:51.84. The team of Grant Cox, Wesley Peterson, Gardner and May finished first, while the Templars added a seventh-place finish in the 4×100 relay with Wesley Peterson, Boyd Buie, Nathan Stevenson and Porter Worthington. Porter Rasmussen placed seventh in the 800 at 2:09.28, and Kevin Cluff finished seventh in the javelin at 122-4.
On the girls side, Keely Hansen gave Manti its lone individual event title with a winning throw of 31-7.75 in the shot put. The Templars also took third in the 4×100 relay in 53.73 behind Adelie Douglas, Nellie VanOrman, Pearl Wright and Ellie Crouch.
Douglas added a sixth-place finish in the 200 in 27.76. Kylie Hart placed sixth in the 800 at 2:42.10, Sariah Peterson finished sixth in the 3,200 at 13:15.95, Grace Gardner scored 2.5 points in the 100, Ellie Crouch took seventh in the 100 hurdles at 17.55, and VanOrman placed sixth in the high jump at 4-8.
Manti coach Brandon Norris said the Templars came away encouraged by the way they opened the season.
“The athletes represented Manti High School really well and we had a great early season meet,” Norris told the Messenger. “Overall, it was a great meet to start the season with several strong performances, and a relay win for the boys. We’re excited to keep building as the season goes on.”
Gunnison Valley also turned in several point-scoring performances in Moab. The Bulldogs boys finished fourth in the sprint medley relay in 4:25.49, and Talan Dyreng placed fourth in the high jump at 5-11. Ryder Donaldson added an eighth-place finish in the long jump at 18-8.25.
For the Gunnison Valley girls, Autumn Anderson finished second in the discus at 87-7 and sixth in the shot put at 26-11.5. Kemree Bunell also competed in both throws, while Mae Saulter tied for 21st in the high jump.
North Sanpete High School did not compete.