Solid performance for Raiders in New Mexico, team continues to build skills

Recap by Jessica Walker
Contributing Writer
Battling against primarily New Mexico schools, the Whitehorse High School track and field team traveled to Thoreau, NM to compete in the Robin Langer Invitational on Saturday, March 26.
Weston Manygoats led the team in scoring with 17 points, including two first-place finishes in the 800 meter and 1600 meter, and a fourth place finish in the 3200 meter.
His 1600 meter time narrowly missed state qualifying, but was an impressive run nonetheless. Manygoats, coming off a third-place state cross country finish last fall, has continued to show his talent this track season.
Stealing the spotlight in the discus competition was Shania Mitchell with a first-place finish. Joining her teammate in the top ten of the discus competition was Lewneil Hascon in ninth place.
Mitchell followed her discus performance with a seventh-place result in javelin with teammates Rueshandin Jim and Lewneil Hascon placing ninth and tenth respectively.
In the shot put competition Izaya Bob’s throw was good enough to earn her a seventh-place finish. 
In hurdles, several runners had top ten finishes.
Sebastian White led the boys in the 300 meter hurdles (5th) followed closely by Kyle Little (6th), Nicolas Howell (7th), and Kaleb Joe (8th).
A similar pattern emerged in the girls 300 meter hurdles with an additional fifth and sixth place finish. Rueshandin Jim (5th) was followed by teammate Lewneil Hascon (6th).
As the Raiders begin their season, Head Coach Boyd Silversmith, who is entering his first year, says his team’s main strength this season will be in the field events.
“The team is small in number,” Silversmith explains, “and most of the athletes are in the field events. In addition, COVID-19 has been a big challenge for Whitehorse.
“[We are] basically starting brand new as we've been out of competition for a couple years,” Silversmith states. He says the main goal for the team will be to “develop track and field skills and, most importantly, have fun.”
The Raiders will join San Juan High School at the Bluejay Invitational in Mancos, CO this Friday, April 1.