Tigers win big

Although their numbers were few, the Encampment High School track team boasted a five-time conference award winner and three top-five placers at the weekend Snake River and Shane Brock Invites.

Out of the five participating track stars, Alyssa Barkhurst proved to be a standout athlete as the one to receive the overall female conference athlete award, as well as four all conference awards for her times in the long jump (15’9.50”- first place), 100 meter dash (13.50- first place), 100 meter hurdles (17.96- first place) and 200 meter dash (28.11- first place). Barkhurst received those times at the Snake River Invite in Baggs.

“Alyssa won the overall female conference athlete award because she scored the most points (40) out of any other girl competing in the 1A Southwestern Conference at the 1A Southwestern Conference meet in Snake River,” coach Kegan Willford said. “Alyssa also won four all conference awards to go with the overall female athlete award because she placed in the top two in each of her events.”

Willford was impressed Barkhurst was able to achieve so much as a freshman.

“Alyssa was able to accomplish things in this meet that very few freshmen are able to achieve,” he said. “I know that these were a few of Alyssa’s goals going into the year, and she did a great job accomplishing these goals. Alyssa has great natural ability, which has allowed her to be very successful to this point in her short track career, and in the future we will work at fine tuning her technique so she can achieve even greater success in the coming years.”

Although the number of participants could have been higher, Willford was grateful for those who were able to make it out and try their hardest. Other top placers included Kyle Wessel, with a third-place time of 19.73 in the 110 meter hurdles, and Mandy Harris, with a fourth-place time of 30.80 in the 200 meter dash and fifth-place time of 1:11 in the 400 meter dash.

“We only had five athletes this past week due to the fact that the rest were on a school science trip, but I appreciate the athletes that decided to participate in track this past weekend,” Willford said. “It tells me a lot about where they want to be at the end of the season. Out of our five that we took a lot of the strengths I see are trying to gain more experience and improvement as we move into regionals, and because this is a big time of the year these athletes wanted to take advantage of that.”

Willford said also he thought all of the athletes that participated over weekend saw improvement in several areas.

“Most of our athletes saw personal bests in their events this past weekend, and that means that we are heading in the right direction going into regional week,” he said. “I am always proud of any of my athletes that place at a track meet, but I am also always proud of all of my track athletes as long as they are out there working hard and giving it their all. You can’t ask for much more than that.”

Encampment High School Track Results from Snake River

Boys’ Results

Kyle Wessel- 110 meter hurdles- 19.73- third place

Cameron Duzik- long jump- 13’2”, 100 meter dash- 14.70, 200 meter dash- 30.73, 400 meter dash- 1:05.41

(Team points not yet available)

Girls’ Results

Mandy Harris- 100 meter dash- 14.82- fifth place, 200 meter dash- 30.80- fourth place, 400 meter dash- 1:11- fifth place

Alyssa Barkhurst- long jump- 15’9.50”- first place, 100 meter dash- 13.50- first place, 100 meter hurdles- 17.96- first place, 200 meter dash- 28.11- first place

(Alyssa also won the overall female conference female athlete award. She received the all conference award for the long jump, 100 meter dash, 100 meter hurdles, and 200 meter dash).

Taylor Pedersen- long jump- 9’11”, 100 meter dash- 17.76, 200 meter dash- 37.82

(Team points not available)

 

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