Rams take 10th at state track

ALBUQUERQUE — Tyler Anderson has quietly provided a significant boost for the Portales boys track team this season.

The junior, who transferred from Elida in the fall after finishing second in last year’s Class 1A state 100, scored 10 points in three events on Saturday to help the Rams to their best showing in years in the Class 3A state meet — 10th place with 21 points.

Anderson was third in the 110 hurdles in 16.0 seconds, then came back about 20 minutes later for a third-place showing in the 100 with a time of 11.49. He topped that off a couple of hours later by placing fifth in the 300 hurdles in 42.38 seconds.

“Tyler has kind of raised the bar as far as Portales boys track,” Rams coach Glenn Johnson said. “He’s worked hard all year; that’s the type of kid he is. He’ll give you all he’s got.”

Portales, which got a 1-4 showing for 10 points from Jacob Brady and Erett Grubbs in Friday’s discus event, picked up its final point on Saturday when sophomore Devin Stinson took sixth place in javelin at 151-5.

The PHS girls scored in two track finals on Saturday and finished with 15 points, good for ninth place.

Anderson said he had no idea what to expect this year, adding that he’d never hurdled before coming to PHS.

“I kind of went back and forth,” he said. “I wasn’t doing the 100 (this year) until I hurt my back in the hurdles in midseason.

“I’m really happy with the two thirds. I was just hoping to get on the podium (top six).”

Johnson said Brady’s win was the first for him in nine years as the Rams’ coach, and he’s hopeful they can build on their showing at state.

“It was great to see (Brady) go out and compete at the state meet the way he did,” Johnson said.

The Lady Rams picked up three points when junior Kandace Bergseiker notched a fourth-place finish in the 400 in 59.82 seconds. Their 1,600 relay of Dallas Russell, Tara Johnson, Miriam Madrid and Bergseiker was the only one of the three they had in the finals to score, finishing fifth in a time of 4:22.32.

Team champions were the Ruidoso boys with 78 points and the St. Michael’s girls with 72.