Eight Herders, four of them seniors, traveled to Kelly Walsh May 19-21 for the 3A State Track Meet and were greeted with snow. When the snow subsided, they got rain, high winds and cold temperatures. In three days, it never got above 50 degrees and the wind and rain subsided minutes at a time. Kelly Walsh coaches in the press box commented that it was the worst three days of weather they can recall for state track.
It wasn’t long before it became clear that Cody was going to run away with the 3A state track and field title and everybody else was fighting for second place. The Lady Herders finished third with 59 points. Powell was second with 69 points.
The Herders won’t be bringing home a 3A State Championship from this weekend’s track meet, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be bringing home some hardware.
Ladies and Gentleman, the Lady Herders are still the best track team in 3A East.
At the final meet of the regular season, Lincoln Butler became the first Herder to pre-qualify in an individual event this season.
I hope the Lady Heders got a good long look at the Torrington track during the Wiseman Invite. I hope Becky Downs and Shayla Wickett smelled the grass of the discus and shot put areas. I hope Paige Steinmetz still has sand in her shoes from the long jump pit, that the relay teams can spot their handoff points by the echoes coming off the bleachers, because everyone is going to be standing in the same spots next weekend.
Not to boast, but Paige Steinmetz knew this day was coming. So did her friends, family, teammates and coaches. She is a humble girl, especially considering she was the best long jumper in Glenrock history when she was still in eighth grade.
For whatever reason, this year’s crop of Herders are really good at the pole vault.