West Cottonwood hosts track and field championships

speed racer:
Clayton Christensen uses his textbook running form to win the eighth grade boys 100m and 200m races, appearing to move visibly faster with each step.

Athletes from West Cottonwood Jr. High, Anderson Middle School, Junction, Mt. View, Shasta Lake, and Grant schools competed in the NVAC Jr. High School Track and Field Championships at West Cottonwood last week, wrapping up their season.

Athletes qualified for championship events during the regular season.

Student athletes gathered at West Cottonwood during mid-day. Field events started at 1 p.m. and the running events immediately followed. Pop-up shade shelters lined up along the track and cold drinks sold quickly out of the snack bar.

West Cottonwood's Jenna Storms won the distance events in the sixth grade girls division. Jenna took first in the 800m race with a time of 2.51.4. Jenna won the 1600m race more than a minute ahead of her competition with a time of 6:00.3.

Chase Savage cleaned up with a first in the long jump, and two second place finishes in both the 100m and 200m sprints.

Seventh grader Aubrey Mendonca wrapped up her season with three first place wins and a second place for the West Cottonwood team. Aubrey's first place wins included the 100m race with a time of 14.1, the 200m in 29.7, and the high jump.

The seventh grade discus event was dominated by the Cottonwood boys with Hunter Jackson throwing 81'8" for the win. Derrik Knight, Austin Steele, and Josh Davaris took second, third and fourth places respectively. Teammate Sean McComas won the high jump event for the seventh grade boys, earning him a first in every high jump competition this season.

Megan Canavan crossed the finish line first in the eighth grade girls 400m. Jessamyn Panza wrapped up the distance events placing first in the 800m and 1600m races. Aimee Miramontes won the high jump and 100m, and took third in the 200m behind teammate Dani Hayward who clenched first place.

Logan Lawrence threw for a win in the eighth grade boy's discus with a throw of 106'11". Additionally, Logan took third place in the shot put event. Clayton Christensen used his textbook running form to win the eighth grade boys 100m and 200m races, appearing to move visibly faster with each step. Clayton's times were 11.8 and 24.8 respectively.

The track and field season was considered successful by all involved. New personal bests and new school records were accomplished giving students motivation to return next year to achieve new heights, distances, and times.