Cards go all out for last 2A state meet

PARACHUTE, Colorado — The Grand Valley track and field team is looking to make this weekend’s trip to the Class 2A state meet one to remember.

After all, it’s the Cardinals’ last one.

Next year, Grand Valley will be bumping up to 3A so on Friday and Saturday, the Cardinals will be looking to take advantage of their last 2A competition.

“I think we’ll perform well at state this weekend,” said Grand Valley head coach Sean Rice. “I think if we do our best, we could place in every event.”

Grand Valley state qualifiers Boys: Colton Cowan, 100-meter dash, 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles; Jared Tonder, 300 hurdles; 4x100 relay (Michael Shepard, Cowan, Matt Zollars, Jon Lantz). Girls: Kendall Babler, 100 and 100 hurdles; Brandi Krieg, 1,600 and 3,200; Erin Vanderpool, 100 hurdles; 4x100 relay (Natasha Segreto, Vanderpool, Emmy Adkins, Babler); 800 sprint medley (Segreto, Vanderpool, Adkins, Krieg).

Not only are the athletes excited for the competition, so is the Parachute community.
“We have a group of fans coming down,” Rice said. “The Grand Valley students and parents really get behind their teams. It should be really fun.”

Ten Grand Valley athletes will be competing in 12 events this weekend at Dutch Clark Stadium in Pueblo. Leading the way will be four-event participant Colton Cowan. The junior will look to test his sprinting speed in the 100-meter dash as well as the 110 and 300 hurdles. Sophomore Jared Tonder will join Cowan on the track for the 300 hurdles, an event he has finished in the top three at nearly every meet this season.

Cowan, along with Michael Shepard, Matt Zollars and Jon Lantz, will also be competing in the 4X100 relay.

For the Grand Valley girls, senior Kendall Babler will also be competing in four events. Individually, she’ll be going all out in the 100 dash and 100 hurdles. She will also be running with Natasha Segreto, Erin Vanderpool and Emmy Adkins in the 4X100 relay and the 800 sprint medley relay. Vanderpool will also be looking to place in the 100 hurdles.

Standout freshman Brandi Krieg will represent the Cardinals in the distance event, hoping to cap off her stellar freshman campaign with high finishes in the 1,600 and 3,200. Even though she is the only Grand Valley distance runner going to state, she hasn’t had to train alone this week. All of Krieg’s distance teammates have been running with her this week, not only to help push her to do better at state, but because they are all training for the Bolder Boulder.

With four relay teams going to state, Rice has the boys and girls racing against each other at practice.

“That helps everyone, maybe the girls a little more,” Rice said.

Knowing the Cardinals will see more competition next year at the 3A level, Grand Valley plans to lay it all on the line come Friday.

“They are all pumped up,” Rice said.

Class 2A State Track and Field Meet Friday and Saturday at Dutch Clark Stadium in Pueblo Admission prices: Two-session pass for one adult: $14; One session: $8; Student grades K-12: $6 each day (cash only). There is no student pre-sale for the state meet. Session tickets purchased for Friday and Saturday will be good for the entire day. The stadium will not be cleared during the day on Friday and Saturday.