Rangers start track season strong

The Hill City Rangers had an excellent first outing at the Comet Classic Invitational Track and Field meet March 25. 

Hill City took the top three spots in the girls 800-meter run. Abby Cutler finished with a time of 2:31:38. Lillie Ross was right behind her with a time of 2:37:62 while Natalie Hanka took third place in the competition.  Cutler again took second place in the 1,600-meter run.

The female Rangers also did well in the hurdle competition. Abby Siemonsma and Anna Dean took the top two spots in the 300-meter hurdles.

Hill City won the 800 girls meter relay, and Kylee Alexander placed third in the girls high jump and Alaina Dean took second in the girls long jump. Jacie DeVries and Cheyanne Burke placed fifth and sixth respectively in the 100.

Alaina Dean and Riley Wiese were third and fourth place winners for the girls 200, while Devries placed ninth in that competition.

Sara Dubois took six in the girls 400. and Whitney Edwards took sixth place in the girls discus throw.

On the boys side, Willie Walther took second in the  boys 200 and placed third for the boys 400. Devin Buehler placed third in the 800 while Brandon Escalante took fourth place. Also in the top 10 were Luke Rupert, Leighton Aves and Brandon Ramirez.  

The Rangers’ Grayson Rahn took second place in the 300 hurdles and the Ranger boys were first place finishers in the 3200 relay. Buehler also placed fourth in the high jump.

Rupert and Aves took the fourth and seventh spots, respectively, in the boys 1600, while Tanner Davis placed fourth in the boys shot put and third in the boys discus throw competition.

Coach Joseph Noyes thinks that year-round commitment is the key to the Ranger’s success. He notes that the team has been  a part of  EXOS Training through Monument Health since late summer and that the athletes who have maintained this schedule throughout the year have benefited.

Noyes credits the level of passion his coaching staff brings to the job to help the team rise to their highest potential.

“This first meet is just proof to me that our program is doing the right things and success will continue to grow with these men and women who are so committed to our program,” he said.