Fort Sumner cruises in 3-1A

MELROSE — Floyd’s girls nearly slipped up and stole a Class 1A state track championship a year ago, falling three points short of heavily-favored Fort Sumner.

The Lady Broncos’ job will be much harder this year, but they have hopes of doing well in next weekend’s Class 1A state meet in Albuquerque.

“We have more girls (than last year), but they have a lot more girls,” Floyd senior Noel Carpenter said of the Vixens, who cruised to the team title in Saturday’s District 3-1A meet with 192 points to 114 for the Lady Broncos. “It’ll be a lot tougher.”

Carpenter captured three individual events while also helping Floyd win the 800 relay and take second in the 1,600 relay. She was one-half point behind Fort Sumner senior Sandy Fortner (26-25 1/2) for the meet’s individual point championship.

Junior Kelli Johnson added wins for the Lady Broncos in the 1,600 (6:10.06) and 3,200 (13:17.71). Anyone who hadn’t qualified for state in an event could do so on Saturday by finishing first or second.

Carpenter has qualified for state in 10 events, including all four relays. Coach Sean Wootton isn’t sure which five he’ll elect to put her in next week.

“The main thing to be happy about right now is we have no injuries,” Wootton said. “But it’s different this year. What hurts us is we’re not that deep — we just have nine girls.”

The Vixens brought a squad of 25 girls, including six eighth-graders who added to their point total. They have someone qualified for state in every event except the 1,600.

Carpenter, who won a state long jump title as a freshman and is the defending state 800 champion, set a personal-best in winning triple jump (33-0) but fell short of her goal of 2:25 in the 800, winning at 2:33.74.

She plans to run track at NCAA Division II Adams State (Colo.) next year.

“I think I could have gotten some more personal records today, but you can’t always do that,” Carpenter said. “I like having competition. That really tests you to see what kind of heart you have.

“I hope to break all my PRs in whatever I’m in next week.”

Top finishes for area boys on Saturday were wins by Floyd’s Brad Lee in the 1,600 (5:18.64) and Jonathan Mitchell in the 800 (2:15.97), and seconds by the Broncos in the 800 (Jason Martinez in 56.36) and the medley relay (4:02.93).

MEET AGATE

Prep Track

District 3-1A meet

Saturday at Melrose

Boys

Team standings: 1. Fort Sumner 184; 2. Melrose 158; 3. Floyd 50; 4. Elida 16; 5. Dora 15.

Dora, Elida, Floyd results

Field events

Javelin: 6. Carrillo, Floyd 105-1 1/2. Triple jump: 3. Lopez, Dora 33-2 1/2. Long jump: 3. Gilmore, Elida 18-2 1/4; 4. Anderson, Elida 17-9 1/2. High jump: 4. Gonzales, Dora 5-0.

Track events

100: 4. Anderson, Elida 12.54; 5. Lopez, Dora 12.74. 400: 2. Martinez, Floyd 56.36. 1,600: 1. Lee, Floyd 5:18.64; 3. Lopez, Dora 5:29.20. 400 relay: 3. Floyd 48.57. 800 relay: 3. Floyd 1:41.09. 800: 1. Mitchell, Floyd 2:15.97; 4. Hale, Floyd 2:25.80. 300 hurdles: 4. Gilmore, Elida 48.64. 1,600 medley relay: 2. Floyd 4:02.93. 200: 4. Anderson, Elida 25.92. 1,600 relay: 3. Floyd 4:08.69.

Girls

Team standings: 1. Fort Sumner 192; 2. Floyd 114; 3. Melrose 80; 4. Dora 29; 5. Elida 9.

Dora, Elida, Floyd results

Field events

Javelin: 5. Dement, Floyd 81-4. Triple jump: 3. Pettigrew, Dora 30-3; 4. Bilberry, Dora 29-10. Long jump: 2. Pettigrew, Dora 14-8 1/2; 3. Moss, Floyd 13-6 3/4; 4. Bilberry, Dora 13-6 1/2; 6. Paiz, Floyd 12-8 3/4. High jump: 3. Smith, Elida 4-4; 5. Cole, Elida 4-2.

Track events

100 hurdles: 4. Reed, Floyd 21.06; 5. O’Connor, Dora 21.65. 100: 4. Paiz, Floyd 14.17; 5. Swift, Floyd 14.30; 6. Paul, Floyd 14.32. 400: 3. Paul, Floyd 1:05.56. 1,600: 1. Johnson, Floyd 6:10.06; 3. Wilhite, Floyd 6:31.21; 4. Hudson, Elida 6:36.81; 6. Najera, Floyd 7:04.45. 400 relay: 2. Floyd 53.94; 3. Dora 59.42. 800 relay: 1. Floyd 1:54.46; 4. Dora 2:08.4. 800: 1. Carpenter, Floyd 2:33.74; 5. Wilhite, Floyd 2:46.23; 6. Najera, Floyd 3:04.38. 300 hurdles: 1. Carpenter, Floyd 50.07; 5. O’Connor, Dora 57.92; 6. Reed, Floyd 1:03.17. 1,600 medley relay: 2. Floyd 4:53.21. 200: 2. Moss, Floyd 28.35; 6. Paiz, Floyd 29.88. 3,200: 1. Johnson, Floyd 13:17.71; 3. Wilhite, Floyd 14:17.13; 5. Arbaca, Floyd 15:47.60; 6. Martinez, Floyd 16:58.29. 1,600 relay: 1. Floyd 4:22.93.