Buckaroo tracksters finish second and seventh

THE BIRD SCOOP
by Walter & Becky Bird
The long track and field season was concluded in Provo on Friday and Saturday, May 18-19 with the 2018 Utah State Track and Field Championships at BYU’s Clarence F. Robison Track and Field Complex.
BYU generously hosts this major event every year and does so with a great level of expertise. If you’ve never been, you need to go. Weather delays aside, you won’t find a better run, on time event anywhere. The BYU and UHSAA staff do a great job putting on a steady action-packed event.
This year, due to the realignment of athletic classes, the state meet was extended from two days to three to accommodate the crowning of six class champions and 214 different individual / relay team state champions.
In 1A, the teams from the smallest class assembled to compete in 16 events (1A teams don’t participate in the pole vault) to determine who would be crowned the best team in the state.
The Monticello boys came to the state meet hoping they would earn the championship trophy for only the second time in school history after the Monticello boys captured the school’s lone title in 2016.
However, despite its best effort, Monticello came up 17 points short and took home the silver trophy for the second time in as many years behind repeat champion Panguitch.
This year, the Bobcats scored 134 points followed by Monticello’s 117 and Milford’s 111. It was a close event all day. In fact, Monticello led for a short time early on Saturday only to see Panguitch surge ahead late in the meet and Milford come from behind at the very end of the meet to make a play for second.
In the sprint events, Monticello was led by its senior sprinters who racked up 25 points. Max Hedgelin led the Buck sprinters with 16 points produced by second place finishes in the 100M and 200M with times of 11.33 and 22.97.
Tyler Draper placed seventh and sixth in the 100M and 200M with times of 11.87 and 24.25, which was good enough for five points. Brayson Wilcox added four points with a sixth and eighth place finish in the 100M and 200M running times of 11.75 and 24.69.
However, it was in the distance events that Monticello really scored well. Adam Bunker placed first in the 1600M with a time of 4:38.05. Teammates Alan Pettit, Hyrum Johnson, and Cory Bunker finished third, seventh, and ninth with times of 4:50.28, 4:56.05, and 4:58.62. This event alone scored the Bucks 17 points.
In the 3200M, Adam Bunker capture another state individual title with a time of 9:56.99, and Hyrum Johnson cruised to a third place finish, crossing the line in 10:39.21. Alan Pettit placed fifth, running a time of 10:47, and Corey Bunker was sixth, finishing in 10:48.12. With that effort came 23 of Monticello’s points.
In middle distances, Adam Bunker placed fourth, running a 2:08 in the 800M which gave the team another five points. Lucas Hatch added two more points in the 400M, running a time of 54.15, which was good enough for seventh place overall.
In the field events, Adam Bunker and Weston Nebeker finished second and fourth in the High Jump after each cleared 6-02.00 and 6-00.00, adding 13 points to the team total.
Gage Wilcox placed sixth in the Shot Put with a throw of 38-03.50, which scored the team three points. He followed that with a fourth place finish in the Discus, tossing it 119-02.75 which added another five points.
The Monticello boys Sprint Medley team placed fourth overall with a time of 3:54.95 but claimed a state title in the 4x100 relay running a 44.47.
In the 4x400, Monticello placed second after running the overall 1600M in 3:43.71. These efforts were good enough for 23 of Monticello’s point total.
The boys team may have been disappointed in placing second, but they had a great year and have quite a few contributors returning, so they can make another solid run at the title next season.
The Lady Bucks also had a nice state meet. After being held scoreless at the BYU Invitational several weeks ago against 1A-3A competition, Monticello scored 31.5 points at the state meet to place seventh overall. The Panguitch girls dominated the meet, scoring 172 points and blowing away second place Milford by 67 points.
In the sprint events, Presley Lewis finished fifth with a time of 13.77 to collect four points in the 100M.
In hurdles, Makayla Sheeran finished third in the 300MH running a time of 51.57. That run accounted for six Monticello meet points.
In distance, Madison Freestone placed sixth in the 1600M running a 5:56.68. She followed that with a sixth place finish in the 3200M with a time of 13:11.77. Each of those runs were good for three points apiece.
In the field events, Hannah Leiataua placed fourth in the Discus, tossing it 94-05 for five team points.
The Lady Bucks also took fourth in the 4x100 relay with a time of 54.24 and fifth in the Sprint Medley with a time of 4:54.51. These relays accounted for nine Monticello points.
The Lady Bucks are also young and have many good years ahead in track and field.
Congratulations to all the boys and girls that competed this year and to the coaches Jeff Hunt, Brad Bunker, Roxy Long, and Curtis Welch for all their hard work and sacrifice on behalf of the kids.
Golf
On May 19-20, the Monticello boys golf team traveled to West Jordan to play the Mountain View Golf Course – the site of the Boys 1A Utah State Golf Championships.
After a Tuesday practice round, the boys were greeted with nothing but sunshine, warm temps, and calm winds.
After day one, Monticello sat in fifth place with a score of 364, trailing leader Panguitch by 26 shots.
On the day, Bowden Hunter was the low Buck, shooting an 87 and tied for 13th overall. Teammate Britton Brewer was a shot behind at 88 and tied for 16th. In 31st place sat Dylan Bird after an opening round 94. Justin Cecil was a shot behind at 95 and in 32nd place followed by Ryan Bird and Wyatt Fullmer, tied for 34th place after carding matching 96s.
Day two saw many of the Buck golfers go lower, and the team shot an overall 341 for a two-day total of 705. Unfortunately, most of the other teams went lower as well, and the Bucks stellar day was only good enough for a sixth place overall finish – 27 shots behind 1A state champion Valley.
On the day, Bowden Hunter was again the low Buckaroo, shooting an 83 for a two-day total of 170. That was good enough for an overall tie for tenth place.
Britton Brewer had a great tournament, finishing in 16th place after shooting a second-day 87 for a two-day total of 175. Justin Cecil carded an 84 the second day and ended the tournament with a 179 – good enough for 19th place overall.
Other Buck tournament scores were Wyatt Fullmer, 96-87 (183), Ryan Bird, 96-97 (193), and Dylan Bird, 94-103 (197).
The Bucks had a great season, winning the Region 19 title and placing well at state. Congratulations and many thanks to their devoted coaches – Nathan Chamberlain and Shane Brewer. I know the boys in my house had an awesome experience.
On May 20, the Lady Bucks also played the Girls 1A Utah State Golf Championships at the Mountain View Golf Course in West Jordan.
The ladies did well, finishing sixth overall and carding a team total of 486 shots. The Rich Rebels claimed the state 1A title after shooting a team total 413.
Tymbr Black led the way with a solid round of 103. That score tied her for fifth place overall with a Bryce Valley golfer. With that finish, Tymbr will be invited to the all-state golf banquet in June.
Olivia Chamberlain also had a strong tournament and finished with a round of 118. Brooklyn Holt shot a 129 followed by Ellie Thayn’s round of 136. Nyla Maryboy finished up the Monticello scoring, shooting a 142.
Congratulations to the ladies and Coach Des Esplin on a great season that included a Region 19 Championship and a nice finish at state.