Track and Field

2012 MENAUL PANTHER TRACK & FIELD WRAP UP

This past weekend both the boys and girls track teams participated in the New Mexico Class 1A State Track Meet. Only a week after defending district titles both teams worked hard Friday and Saturday to earn points that would hopefully accumulate into a team trophy. Both teams exceeded expectations throughout the weekend.

The Lady Panthers had numerous athletes compete over the two-day meet. The following girls competed both Friday and Saturday: Holly Baca (100m, 200m, 4x100m, Long Jump & Triple Jump); Marya Mozumdar (4x200m); Liz Gomez (4x200m); Kelsie Cottrill (300m Hurdles, 4x200m); Ashdyn Monahan (100m Hurdles, 4x100m, 4x200m), and Anne Dunn (400m, 4x100m). While all girls ran in the prelims on Friday it was Saturday that was most important. Both the 4x100m and 4x200m relay teams qualified to run in the finals. Both teams finished in 8th place. While all of the girls ran well, Holly Baca scored the only points of the day when she took 6th in the 100 meters and 5th in the 200 meters.

Over the past 3 years there have been some consistent finishes in 1A boys’ track and field. One of those constants is the Menaul Panthers Track team who, since 2009, has finished in the top ten. This year the team brought home the Runner-Up trophy! The last time a boys’ track team earned a trophy was 1991 which was also the last time the Menaul Panthers won a state track title.

At the beginning of the day the boys were in 4th place. Once the running events started they immediately surged to 3rd and then 2nd after the shot put had completed. With 6 events left, the boys’ team was 6 points away from the leader Ft. Sumner. As the day went along the battle was for second place as Mountainair came within a half of a point from evening the score. As Mountainair inched closer, the final individual runners and throwers for the Panthers stepped up and put any hope of a second place tie out of reach.

All weekend the teams battled. It was back and forth all day long Saturday and even though the team brought home a red trophy and not a blue, the season was more than a success. It was a picture of hard work and determination that led to this finish. Both teams defended their district titles, both teams scored points in the state track meet, and both teams met all of their expectations while exceeding others.

Congratulations to all of the boys and girls track and field athletes that competed this season. This season was the most successful in 20 years. All results can be found at www.nmact.org via the State Championships hyperlink.



Final Results

HOLLY BACA- 100m (6th), 200m (5th), Long Jump (14th), Triple Jump (10th), 4X100m (8th)

LIZ GOMEZ- 4X200m (8th)

MARYA MOZUMDAR- 4X200m (8th)

ANNE DUNN- 400m (11th), 4X100m (8th)

KELSIE COTTRILL- 300m Hurdles (15th), 4X100m (8th), 4X200m (8th)

ASHDYN MONAHAN- 100m High Hurdles (13th), 4X100m (8th), 4X200m (8th)

MATT FEDDERSEN- Triple Jump (2nd), Long Jump (4th), 110m High Hurdles (3rd), 300m Hurdles (4th), 4X100m (2nd)

BRENDAN HARLAN- Triple Jump (4th), Long Jump (3rd), 200m (3rd), 4X200m (6th), 4X400m (3rd)

GEOFF HUTTON- 200m (11th), 4X100m (2nd), 4X200m (6th), 4X400m (3rd)

MARKUS HARLAN- 200m (9th), 4X200m (6th)

CASEY BAKER- 100m (2nd), 400m (5th), 4X100m (2nd), 4X400m (3rd)

MICHAEL PRETTYMAN- 400m (16th)

BRANDYN MONAHAN- SHOT PUT (4th), DISCUS (17th)

DENNIS SMATANA- JAVELIN (2nd), SHOT PUT (13th), DISCUS (13th)

JOHN HOOD- 110m High Hurdles (4th)

DAVID LEVY- 300m Hurdles (6th)

Race Dates and Locations

3-26-11 Laguna-Acoma Invite @ Laguna
4-5-11 Panther Quad @ Menaul
4-6-11 Sundevil Invite @ Sandia Prep
4-12-11 Panther Quad @ Menaul
4-15-11 Estancia Invite @ Estancia
4-16-11 Santa Rosa Invite @ Santa Rosa
4-29-11 District Track @ Menaul

Head Track and Field Coach: Jeff Strohecker
Phone: 341-7226
E-Mail: jstrohecker@menaulschool.com