For the second year in a row, the Summit High School girls track and field team has won the 4A Western Slope League meet.

After winning the first league title in program history last spring, the Tigers entered this year’s league meet from Friday, May 2, through Saturday, May 3, in Grand Junction with a target on its back.

Summit scored its first points of the meet on Friday morning, May 2, in the girls 800-meter run thanks to senior Ella Hagen moving down from her usual distance events to the short, two-lap race. Hagen ran aggressively from the gun, putting herself in a position to not only score points for the team, but also run a new personal-best time. Hagen crossed the finish line in 2 minutes, 16.74 seconds to take third overall in the race. The time moved her to No. 2 all time in the Summit High School record books. Coal Ridge High School sophomore Effie Fletcher took first (2:12.13), and Central Grand Junction junior Sage Siegrist took second (2:16.67). Although she took third in the race, Hagen still finished as the 4A Western Slope League champion since Fletcher and Siegrist are in different leagues. Senior Avery Eytel also had a strong race in the 800, taking eighth overall in 2:26.38 for an eight-second season-best time.

Hagen then returned to the start line in the afternoon on Friday for the 3200-meter run. Hagen scored several more points for the Tigers, triumphantly winning the event in a time of 10:51.25 to claim her second title of the meet. Fletcher took second in 11:06.38. Eytel was the second Tiger across the line in the event, taking 16th overall in 12:46.74.

Junior Faith Fox scored the maximum amount of points she could in the girls long jump. The talented junior flew to a mark of 17 feet, 10.50 inches, resetting her school record by 2.5 inches. Fox took first overall in the event with Battle Mountain senior Tyler Heimerl taking second with a mark of 16 feet, 11 inches.

Freshman Ruby Snyder also scored points, taking second overall on the girls high jump with a best mark of 4 feet, 11 inches.

On the second and final day of the league meet, the Tigers truly set themselves apart from the rest of the competition. 

Coming off her league title in the long jump, Fox added an additional two individual league titles to her name on Saturday. Fox set a new school record in the 100-meter hurdles, running 15.38 seconds to become the undisputed league champion. Fox was followed by freshman Avery Russer in fourth (17.04 seconds) and sophomore Norah Kuffner who took fifth (17.95).

Fox then doubled back for the 300-meter hurdles where she once again crossed the finish line as the champion. Fox clocked a time of 44.85 seconds while Snyder took third in 47.59 seconds. Kuffner took sixth overall.

With some heaviness in her legs from yesterday’s races, Hagen took on the girls 1600-meter field on Saturday. Hagen crossed the finish line in 5:02.89 to take second in the race and as the 4A Western Slope League champion. Hagen was followed by sophomore Lily Benbow in 11th with a time of 5:32.91, a two-second personal best. 

The Summit girls also performed well in the sprinting events. Avery Russer took fourth overall (13.40) in the 100-meter dash, junior Saige Heflin finished in fifth (13.79) and junior Hailey Russer finished in sixth (13.80). In the 200-meter dash, Avery Russer took sixth overall in 28.10 seconds. 

In terms of relays, the Summit girls won the 4×100, 4×200 and the 4×800 while taking second in the 4×400.

The Summit girls track team took first overall at the meet with Steamboat Springs taking second and Battle Mountain finishing in third. Beyond finishing as the league champions, Hagen and Fox were named co-athletes of the year.

Summit boys take 2nd

The Summit boys track and field team also had a monumental meet in Grand Junction. After taking fourth last year, the Tigers managed to hop up two places. 

Leading the performances for the team was senior Josh Shriver. Fresh off announcing his commitment to the Air Force Academy, Shriver put together two impressive races in the 3200-meter run and the 1600-meter run. 

In the 3200-meter run on Friday, Shriver utilized everything he has learned over the last four years to take first overall in the race with a time of 9:17.49. The performance was enough for Shriver to secure 10 points for the team and win the event over Eagle Valley junior Dylan Blair (9:23.00). Summit sophomore Lukas Remeikis ran a 10-second personal best in the event, clocking 10:07.39 for eighth overall. 

In the 1600-meter run on Saturday, Shriver once again showed why he is in the running for the top spot on the podium at the state track and field meet from May 15-17. With Blair closely following him, Shriver opened up his stride and perfectly timed his kick to take first in the event with a time of 4:18.84. Blair took second in 4:21.19 with sophomore Jay McDonald finishing in third with a time of 4:23.15. 

Earlier in the meet on Friday morning, McDonald won the boys 800-meter run to earn an individual title. McDonald took first with a time of 1:58.44 with junior Carter Niemkiewicz taking sixth in 2:03.91.

Niemkiewicz was also able to secure a spot in the final of the 400-meter dash, finishing in sixth place with a time of 54.43.

In the sprinting events, Summit had numerous athletes score points for the team. Senior Quinn Breigenzer took third in the 100-meter dash (11.28) with freshman Connor Erwin following in fifth (11.54) and senior Vander Waerlop taking sixth (11.66).

Senior Simeon Ryan made both the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdle finals. Ryan took seventh in the 110-meter hurdles (16.45) and eighth in the 300-meter hurdles (45.48). 

Junior Henry Eslich took fourth in the shot put (42 feet, 5 inches) and sixth in the discus (109 feet, 5 inches). Senior Cesar Sauceda Viniegra took fifth in the discus with a throw of 110 feet, 5 inches.

The Summit boys took third in the 4×100-meter relay and second in the 4×200, 4×400 and 4×800-meter relays. 

The Tigers took second at the 4A Western Slope league meet with Eagle Valley securing the overall team title. Due to the team’s performance at the meet, the Summit coaching staff was recognized as the top coaching staff.

“You don’t see that often,” Summit head coach Jay Peltier said. “… It really speaks volumes to how these student athletes have bought into our value systems. To me it was a blessing to see.”

The Summit track and field team will spend the final week before the state meet trying to secure more state qualifiers. The Tigers will compete at the Joe Shields Invitational in Kremmling on Friday, May 9, and the Teddy’s Last Chance Qualifier in Johnstown on Saturday, May 10.

The Colorado State Track and Field Championships will kick off on Thursday, May 15, at Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood.