Despite gusting winds, a number of Camp Verde High School track and field athletes had a successful day at the Mingus Invitational on Friday, April 13, at Mingus Union High School.
A handful of the experienced Cowboys battled the wind and athletes from six other schools, but some of the newer Cowboys had a good afternoon, as well.
“Considering the conditions with all the wind, it went pretty well,” Cowboys head coach Mike O’Callaghan said. “We’ve had some nice strides with the kids who are newcomers. Raymond Ruvalcaba had a PR [Friday], which is really exciting for him because it’s been a while for him.”
Camp Verde has three meets left in the regular season to qualify for the Division IV state meet, which is on Friday and Saturday, May 4 and 5, at Mesa Community College.
This year’s team has a strong group of middle distance runners, and O’Callaghan was looking at having some of those individuals and relays drop time to get into state qualification. The whipping winds proved troublesome for those longer distance runs, which added a second or two to each runner’s time per lap, O’Callaghan said.
With those meets still remaining, the first coming on Friday, April 20, at the Fountain Hills Friday Night Fever Invitational, there are still more opportunities to do so.
“We were hoping to get a couple of our 800 people [qualified], but the wind of course didn’t help,” O’Callaghan said. “Then the boys 4 x 800 relay, which did hit provisional time and is sitting about 22nd in state — and they take the top 18 [to state] — and considering what they day was like they can drop another 10 to 12 seconds readily.”
Pushing aside the wind, sophomore Alondra Fowler made positive steps forward in her middle- and long-distance races. So did a couple of the throwers.
“Actually, a couple of the shot putters had their personal bests, which was nice to see on a day like that when you have those conditions,” O’Callaghan said. “Alondra Fowler ran well, she PR’d both her 1600 and her 800.”
One of the mainstays of the team, junior Christopher Holdgrafer, kept his first season as an upperclassman and leader going good. There is still work to be done by some of the other Cowboys, though.
“Chris Holdgrafer is continuing to run well through the year. He medaled in the long jump, 300 hurdles and 110 hurdles,” O’Callaghan said. “A couple of them are a little behind where we would’ve hoped. We made some strides yesterdays, so going into the last state qualifying meets hopefully they get over the edge there and get their time and distance to qualify.”
Javelin is a new field event in the Arizona Interscholastic Association, and two Cowboys are working toward making it into the state’s top 24.
“Slowly but surely they’re getting the technique down and getting to throw it better. Since it’s the first year at state the top 24 throwers will get to compete,” O’Callaghan said. “Right now Damian [Wathogoma] is about 19th, I think it is, and Matthew Wade is 25th, so he’s got a couple more shots at it and I think they can both make it.”
Camp Verde will compete locally for the final time at Sedona Red Rock High School’s Red Rock Invitational – Last Chance meet on Tuesday, April 24.
