Connor Lattimore ran a State Qualifying time of 16.06 seconds in the 110 m hurdles. Photo by Blake Wood

Amelia Hill carries the baton in the 4×800 m relay. With teammates Emmeline Keller-Moore, Abigail Swigert, and Ensley Jorgenson, this Hilltopper team both won the event and posted a State Qualifying time of 10:15. Photo by Blake Wood

By BLAKE WOOD
Assistant Coach
LAHS Track and Field

The Hilltopper Track & Field teams turned in impressive performances in their fourth varsity meet of the season on a windy Friday afternoon at Sue Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho on March 13. The Girls finished a close 2nd to Albuquerque Academy, 67-71.  The Boys finished 6th with 25.5 points, but behind only one other 4A school, Albuquerque Academy with 46 points.

New State Qualifiers for the Boys included Jens Wald-Hopkins, who blazed a 10.84 seconds in the 100m, which not only qualifies him for state but also moves him to #4 all-time in LAHS school history. Jens has now qualified for the State Championship in the 100m, 200m, and 400m, and is less than 1 second away from qualifying in the 800m as well, displaying an incredible range of athletic ability. Connor Lattimore ran a strong 16.06 in the 110m hurdles to earn his state qualifying mark. Additional State Qualifiers from previous meets this season include Rylee Gramer in the 110m hurdles, Jens Wald-Hopkins, Chris Teague, Carlo Baca, and Jacob Hilderbrand in the 4×100 m relay, Rylee Gramer, Jacob Hilderbrand, Chris Teague, and Jens Wald-Hopkins in the 4×200 m relay, and Pat Montoya, Jens Wald-Hopkins, Gus Ovaska, and Jacob Hilderbrand in the 4×400 m relay (also the #3 all-time LAHS performance).

Junior Emmitt Tibbitts had the highest individual finish of the meet, placing 2nd in the 3200m while running a 6-second PR of 10:17.

In the Girls competition, Evangelina Gutierrez sprinted to a 12.30 second time in the 100 m, placing her #7 on the LAHS all-time list. This time was well under the State Qualifying standard. Amelia Hill ran a State Qualifying time of 12:07 in the 3200, placing 2nd. The 4X800 m relay team of Emmeline Keller-Moore, Abigail Swigert, Amelia Hill, and Ensley Jorgenson qualified for state with a winning performance of 10:15.

Additional State Qualifying marks from this or previous meets include Jayden Burns in the 100 m, 200m, and 400m, Margaret Steinkamp in the 100 m, Chloe Coffey in the 400m, Ensley Jorgenson in the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m, Grace Montoya in the 1600m, Elisabeth McNiff in the 1600m and 3200m, Emmeline Keller-Moore in the 1600m and 3200m, Raina Passalacqua in the 100m hurdles and high jump, Iris Purtzer in the high jump, Sarah Martis in the discus and shot put, Margaret Steinkamp, Raina Passalacqua, Jayden Burns, Chloe Coffey, and Evangelina Gutierrez in various iterations of the 4x100m relay, Margaret Steinkamp, Jayden Burns, Chloe Coffey, and Evangelina Gutierrez in the 4x200m relay, Zoe Romero, Chloe Coffey, Maliyah Vigil, and Jayden Burns in the 4x400m relay, and Maliyah Vigil, Zoe Romero, Jayden Burns, and Elisabeth McNiff in the 1600m medley relay.

Individual meet champions included Sarah Martis in the discus, and the 4x200m relay team (Margaret Steinkamp, Jayden Burns, Chloe Coffey, and Evangelina Gutierrez), the 1600m medley relay team (Jayden Krupp, Iris Purtzer, Zoe Romero, and Caterina Mereghetti), and the 4X800m relay team (Emmeline Keller-Moore, Abigail Swigert, Amelia Hill, and Ensley Jorgenson).

Next up, the Hilltopper JV teams compete on Wednesday, March 18 at Rio Rancho High School, and the Varsity teams travel to Chandler, Ariz. to compete in the Chandler Rotary Invitational on Friday and Saturday, March 20-21. 

Raina Passalacqua ran a State Qualifying time of 16.49 seconds in the 100 m hurdles, placing 4th. Photo by Blake Wood

Chloe Coffey completes the handoff to anchor Evangelina Gutierrez in the 4×100 m relay. With teammates Margaret Steinkamp and Jayden Burns, they ran a State Qualifying time of 49.79 seconds. Photo by Blake Wood

Emmitt Tibbetts had the highest individual finish for the Boys team, placing 2nd in the 3200 in a time of 10:17. Photo by Blake Wood

Jens Wald-Hopkins thrills his cheering teammates in the 4×400 m relay. Earlier in the meet, Jens posted the #4 all-time LAHS mark of 10.84 seconds in the 100 m. Photo by Blake Wood