Prep track and field: What to watch for at Thursday’s region meet

Hurricane's Kyler Blackmore (left), Desert Hills' Carter Reynolds (middle) and Dixie's Josh Pulsipher run the 300 meter hurdles, Pine View Invitational Track Meet, St. George, Utah, Apr. 2, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

ST. GEORGEThursday’s Region 9 track and field meet at Desert Hills High School will feature multiple story lines. Desert Hills is the defending region champion on both the boys and girls sides of the meet.

While the Thunder boys are again strong, Cedar’s girls have won the team championships at most of the meets. So which teams will claim the championship hardware? Action begins at 4 p.m.

Snow Canyon's Arantxa Melendez runs the 800 meter finals, Pine View Invitational Track Meet, St. George, Utah, Apr. 2, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon’s Arantxa Melendez runs the 800 meter finals, Pine View Invitational Track Meet, St. George, Utah, Apr. 2, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

As important as the region championships are, it might be more important to qualify as many athletes as possible for state. Desert Hills won both Class 3A championships at BYU last spring.

“Our distance kids will need to be ready to run great times in the 800 meters,” said Dace Goulding, who guides the DH boys. “We have taken some of our athletes who have qualified for state by time out of events so others from our team can qualify by place. Those kids will have to step up and earn points or we will get upset by some other great programs.”

Goulding said the 100, 400 and 800-meter races will be among the most qualified in years.

Don’t be surprised if DH’s Logan Fielding and Cedar’s Josh Bennett do something similar in the girls events.

“This is something we look forward to,” said Bennett. “This region is so tough that you almost have to do well in every event to stay competitive for the team title.

“We feel like our field events will be key in helping us reach our goal,” Bennett said. “We are also looking to state-qualify more people who can help us at state and improve on our times.”

Up to the minute results from the meet can be found on runnercard.com.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

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