Region 10 track and field: Snow Canyon athletes set sights high for BYU Invitational

Snow Canyon track and field athletes during a recent practice after school, St. George, Utah, May 3, 2022 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — As the high school track and field season winds to a close, athletes around the state are gearing up for the Brigham Young University Invitational in Provo this weekend, with the state track meet to follow two weeks later, also at BYU.

Snow Canyon sprinter Kristin Cook (left) and high jumper Lainee Leavitt during a recent practice after school, St. George, Utah, May 3, 2022 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News

St. George News caught up with several Snow Canyon High School athletes during an after-school practice on Tuesday, to ask them about the upcoming meet.

Senior sprinter Kristin Cook, who recently set a new 4A state record of 24.50 seconds in the 200-meter dash, said she’s hoping to win both the 100-meter and 200-meter races at BYU. She has the state’s third-fastest times in both races, across all classifications, this season.

Last year at state, Cook took first in both the 100- and 200-meter races to help the Warriors win the 4A girls state title. She said she hopes to help out once again on relays.

“Our team is running the 4×200 relay, and I just hope that we qualify for state in that race,” Cook added. 

Fellow senior Lainee Leavitt said she hopes to equal or improve upon her personal best of 5 feet, 2 inches in the high jump.

“Right now, I am ranked No. 3 in the state,” she said. “My goal is just to get to that top place.”

Leavitt, who said she’s come close to clearing 5-feet-4 multiple times, said she thinks that may be enough for a first-place medal if she can do it at state.

“I’m so close,” she said. “I think I can do it.”

Meanwhile, Snow Canyon distance runner Hailee Phillips said she’s qualified for state in the 3,200-meter, 1,600-meter and 800 meter races, and could possibly end up competing in all three.

“It’s going to be a doozy,” she said. “But we’re not exactly sure what events I’m going to do yet.”

Snow Canyon junior Bo Hickman throws the javelin earlier this season, St. George, Utah, March 2022 | Photo courtesy of Bo Hickman, St. George News

Another Snow Canyon athlete who has set his sights high is junior Bo Hickman, who won the javelin throw at state last year with a mark of 204 feet, 9 inches, a new 4A state record.

Early in this season, at a March 11 home meet, Hickman recorded a throw measuring 201 feet, 6 inches. That’s his season-best so far, as a groin injury has kept him sidelined over the past few weeks.

“My recovery from my groin injury has taken what seems like forever, but it’s getting a lot better,” Hickman told St. George News. 

“It was really hard to sit out and just watch other people throw but it has ended up being more beneficial than I imagined,” he added. “All the time out from throwing has given me a greater desire to throw. Luckily, I am feeling a lot better and ready to go all out.”

Hickman said his goals for BYU and state are to not only take first place, but also to break his own state record.

“I feel totally capable of throwing into the 210’s and 220’s and that is just what I plan to do in my last couple meets of the year,” Hickman added. “Hopefully my throws will help my team to take home a state championship.”

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