The Camp Verde track and field team saw a lot of familiar faces as the Cowboys partook in the Sedona Invitational on Saturday, April 6.
Boys varsity finished 14th out of 20 participating schools, while Camp Verde’s girls placed sixth out of 18.
Cowboys senior Chris Holdgrafer took second in the 110-meter hurdles at 16.27, less than a 10th of a second behind Skyline’s Xander Petty [16.23].
Holdgrafer also finished eighth in the 300-meter hurdles at 47.11.
Eliana Paniagua’s 800-meter time [2:41.13] was good for sixth out of 24 runners.
Cowboys sophomore Ashlee Bueler set personal records in the 4kg shot put [24 feet 4 inches] and 1kg discus [67 feet 5 inches] .
Camp Verde coach Amy Wall discussed state qualifying possibilities in light of the Cowboys’ injuries.
How has the season been as a coach?
I have absolutely enjoyed everything about it. Having track be an individual sport and really working with the kids individually as a team fits my personality as a coach better. With kids these days, it is hard to keep a whole group of them motivated in a team sport. With track being an individual sport, it is kind of neat to see the kids
progress individually as they improve their numbers. It is also great just to see their motivation for themselves and seeing them set personal records is very rewarding.
How have injuries affected the team?
Recently, injuries have been a huge bummer. Shin splints are happening at the moment and many athletes have been nursing shin injuries. Illnesses have also hit our team much later this year than in previous seasons. I have a lot of sick kids out on our relay teams, so hopefully we can get them healthy pretty soon.
n How important is the Sedona Invitational for the younger players?
It is very important for their development. I love the Sedona freshman and sophomore breakup because my team is comprised mostly of underclassmen. Getting a confidence booster for our younger players is huge at this point in the season.
What will you be looking for in upcoming meets?
I am also trying to qualify our boy’s 4×800 team to state. I am just looking for improvement from the players. Our 4×800 teams have been the strongest area of our team on both sides. We have very consistent
runners on both sides so hopefully they will both qualify soon.
Who on the team has impressed you recently?
Our throwers have been performing very well lately. They have significantly
increased their distances every week so that has been great to watch. The majority of the team also improved by a second or two at the Sentintel Invitation, so I am proud of how they did.
What were you most impressed by?
It was extremely encouraging
to see our boys 4×800 relay improved their time by 10 or more seconds. It is also great that we also have one athlete back for that team that has not run at all this season. Having him back has improved our team’s time and cohesiveness in general.
How has the team dynamic been for the Cowboys?
Our team’s camaraderie has been very good. We have five seniors that have really taken the younger kids underneath their belts this season. They have been a great help at instructing our newer athletes the basics of track. Some of these kids have never stepped foot on a track before, so it is great having multiple people that can teach proper techniques.
It has been really fun seeing the seniors step and teach them blocks, relays and field events.
How has the team prepared for the event?
Practice has been about the same as usual. We are in a pretty good routine with our weekend meets so practices have been relatively normal.
The Cowboys next event is Friday, April 12, when Camp Verde participates in the Mingus Invitational. The first event begins at 3 p.m.
Camp Verde’s regular season concludes at Sedona Last Chance on Tuesday, April 23.
The AIA Division IV Championships take place on Friday, May 3.
