Local track and field teams impressing

by David Boyle
News Director
San Juan County track and field athletes had another successful week. Several San Juan County athletes have top 15 marks among all classifications in the state.
Leading the way is San Juan High School senior Tripp Palmer. He jumped an impressive six feet, eight inches in the high jump at the Pine View Invitational in St. George on Saturday, March 21.
Palmer’s jump is the highest mark in Utah for all classifications this season. Palmer also has the 11th-best mark in the long jump this season.
Teammate Cash Palmer has the ninth-best mark in the state in the shot put with his 52-01. That put was also recorded at the Pine View Invitational.
The San Juan boys and girls sprint medley relay teams both have the 13th-fastest time in the state this season.
Monticello senior Marlee Mack’s 1A girls state record long jump is the second-best mark in the state this season. Mack also has the fifth-fastest 100-meter hurdles with her time of 15.43. That mark was also set on March 21 at the Mountain Valley Invite in Spanish Fork. Mack also has the eighth-fastest time in the 300 meter hurdles.
At the Pine View Invitational San Juan boys team finished a very impressive eighth out of 52 teams.
The Broncos were led by Tripp Palmer’s first-place finish in the high jump while Cash Palmer and Gaige Palmer finished second and third respectively in the shot put.
Brigg Palmer was fourth in the 110 hurdles, Miken Keith was fifth in the javelin, and Andrew Nielson finished seventh in the 300 hurdles.
A small contingent of Monticello athletes attended the Mountain Valley Invitational in Spanish Fork over the weekend. The girls finished fifth among 22 teams.
Marlee Mack led the Lady Buckaroos with wins in the long jump, 100 hurdles, and 300 hurdles. Mack was also ninth in the 100-meter dash. Sister Josie Mack finished tenth in the 300 hurdles.
Brandston Mack who finished sixth in the high jump to pace the Monticello boys. Seth Taylor was tenth in the 300 hurdles.
Monticello will compete in the Strata Invitational in Roosevelt this Friday, March 27 while Whitehorse will compete in Shiprock, NM.
On Saturday, March 28 San Juan is at the North Sevier Invitational in Salina as Monument Valley travels to Page, AZ for the Lake Powell Invitational.