by James Tate
Cavemen capture boys’ and girls’ titles
On a pleasant but sometimes windy day at Timpanogos High School, the 2023 Alpha Invitational track meet saw the American Fork Cavemen display excellence on the track. Cavemen sophomore Desirae Riehle won the 400m and was part of the winning 4×200 relay team. Riehle also placed third in the 200-meter dash in a personal best time of 25.54 seconds. Cavemen junior Avalon Mecham won the 800 meters in 2:16.29 seconds and the 1600 meters in 4:57.22 seconds.
photo of Madelynne Taggert, Madi Durrant, and Desirae Riehle
Girl’s sprint and hurdle events
Lehi High School senior Sarah Ballard’s spectacular meet included winning the 100m, 200m, 4×100 relay, and long jump. Ballard’s winning time of 11.97 seconds in the 100m was a new Alpha Invitational meet record.
Corner Canyon High School senior Madelynne Taggert captured the girl’s 100m and 300m hurdle events. Her winning times were 15.20 seconds in the 100m hurdles and a personal best time of 43.94 seconds in the 300m hurdles.
Boy’s sprint and hurdle events
Roy High School senior Colby Anderson has now qualified for the state meet in the 100m, 200m, and 400m after winning the 100m event in 11.03 seconds. Mountain View High School senior Kellis Taylor edged out Anderson in the 200m in a winning time of 22.26 seconds. Lone Peak High School senior Ethan Valletta was the boy’s 400m winner with a personal best time of 48.96 seconds.
Spencer Kirkham of Corner Canyon won the boy’s 110m hurdles in 15.09 seconds and the 300m hurdles in 39.41 seconds. Both times for Kirkham were personal best times in both events.
Girl’s distance events
Finishing second to Meacham in the 800m and 1600m events was Mountain View High School sophomore Julie Moore. Moore’s finishing times were 2:18.50 in the 800m and 5:09.30 in the 1600m.
The 3200m event saw American Fork junior Natalia Boltz cross the line in 11:20.87, winning by ten seconds. Springville High School junior Emily Sumsion finished second in 11:30.57
Boy’s distance events
Herriman High School senior Kadan Allen won the boy’s 800m event by running the state’s second-fastest time and a personal best this season in 1:55.63. Allan’s teammate, senior Noah Jenkins, captured the 1600m title in a winning time of 4:20.48.
The boy’s 3200m event winner was Owen Burnett from Kemmerer, Wyoming, in 9:33.25. Sophomore Kyle Steadman from Mountain View placed second in 9:37.26.
photo of Summer Christensen of Timpanogos High School
Girl’s field events
Jordan High School senior Kirsten Oldham finished second in the long jump to Ballard with a similar leap of 17′ 11.5″. Oldham made the jump on her third attempt to Ballard’s first attempt. The mark were personal bests for both jumpers, and they qualified for the state meet.
Competing at her home school, Timpanogos High senior Summer Christiensen cleared 5′ 3″ in winning the high jump event. Corner Canyon senior Kalo Fefita won the discus and shot-put events. Fefita’s winning throws were 109’9″ in the discus and 34′ 3.25″ in the shot put.
St. Joseph High School senior Sarah Snell won the javelin event with a state season-best throw of 129″ 8.5” on her final throw. Lone Peak High School junior Lucy Jeppson won the pole vault event with a vault of 11′.
Boy’s field events
West Jordan High School junior Dominic Overby won the long jump event with the state’s best jump of 22′ 8.75″. Springville senior Walker Deede won the javelin event was a throw of 172′ 11. Box Elder High School junior Brock Bissegger captured first place in the shot put with a winning throw of 49′ 8.75″.
Lone Peak freshman Matthew Bryant won the discus event with a 140′ 7″ throw. Lehi senior Noah Begay took first place in the high jump clearing a personal best 6′ 7″.
photos courtesy James Tate