Monument Valley Cougars Track in Cortez, Page

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
The Monument Valley track and field team was in action this past weekend represented by six athletes at the Bob Archibeque Invitational in Cortez on Friday and Saturday, April 11-12.
Junior Josiah Gipe led the Cougars, scoring points in both of his events. He finished third in the boys 3200 meter with a solid 11:44.82. He was sixth in the 1600 with a time of 5:30.38.
Freshman Summer Atene had a strong weekend with ninth-place finishes in both the girls 400 and 800. Her times were 1:13.77 and 3:05.91 respectively.
Fellow freshman Naomi White took 12th in the girls 400-meter dash with a run of 1:17.56. Freshman Nizhoni Sloan ended the weekend in 17th place in the girls discus competition with her throw of 58 feet, two inches.
Yet another freshman, Nay’ Myia Morgan, took 29th in the girls discus with a 42-6. And freshman Jeryn Cly was 68th in the boys 100-meter dash, crossing the line in 16.66 seconds.
Two weeks before their trip to Cortez the Monument Valley teams were in Page, AZ for the Lake Powell Invitational on Saturday, March 29.
Nizhoni Sloan had a banner day, winning the girls javelin competition. Her throw of 79 feet, eight inches beat the second-place throw by over six feet.
Summer Atene came home 13th in the girls 800 meter with a time of 2:55.31. Nay’ Myia Morgan was 14th in the javelin with a 43-9.75.
For the boys Josiah Gipe finished 22nd in the 800 in 2:29.2, freshman Jake Deswood was 32nd in the 100-meter dash with a 13.13, and Jeryn Cly was 83rd in the 100 with a 16.88.
The Cougars are heading to Durango this Saturday, April 19 to compete against Colorado schools at the Ron Keller Invitational.