PROVO -- Two state records were broken and the brilliant career of perhaps the finest 1A Utah athlete ever came to an end Saturday afternoon during the girls' state high school track championships at BYU.
Mountain View's Heather Houle, niece of Bruins' coach Dave Houle, set an all-time best mark in the 200 meters with a winning time of 24.62. No one has ever run the race faster in state prep history. Her effort helped the Bruins to another state 5A title with an 18-point victory over Kearns.Bountiful senior Nan Evans also set a new 4A mark in the 800 meters, winning in 2:12.38. And Wayne's Sarah Ellett, arguably one of the best distance runners in state history in any classification, added to the 1600-meter title she won Friday with wins in the 800 and 3200. Wayne easily won the 1A team title.
Houle also won the 100 meters, joining Clearfield's Candice Workman (shot put, discus) and Bingham's Laura Zeigle (1600 Friday and 3200 Saturday) as double winners in 5A. Kearn's Bonnie Quilter in the 400 and Layton's Kristina McKinley in the 100 hurdles also had outstanding performances. As usual, Mountain View used its depth to win the title it has all but owned this decade.
"We were tested today after we (disqualified) in the medley," coach Houle stated. "The girls worked really hard for this, and it's a tribute to their efforts."
Misty Jorgensen and Jana McKinney each won key events to help Lone Peak capture the 4A title over Weber and Murray. Jorgensen took both the 100 and 200 meters, while McKinney took the 100 hurdles. Dana Chapman of Weber won the discus with a great effort of 127-5, while Murray's Jenny Holman took the 300 hurdles in 45.89.
Cedar City won only one individual title Saturday, that by Emily Prestwich in the 800 meters, but the Redmen had plenty of depth to earn a 40-point victory over runnerup Delta. Uintah's Becky Warburton was a double winner in the 100 and 200 meters, Tooele's Jennifer Rockwell took the 400 in 58.37, Delta's Cynthia Losee ran away with the 3200 meter crown, and Brittany Lott of Hurricane captured the 100 hurdles in a fine time of 16.31.
Millard and Juab were a two-horse race in 2A, with Millard earning a 45-point margin of victory. Andrea Nixon of Millard won both sprints, Shilo Belnap of Gunnison took both hurdles races, and Beaver's Rena Williams was impressive in winning the 3200.
Wayne was dominant from start to finish in taking home the 1A crown. In addition to Sarah Ellet's performances, Brittney Hiskey took the 200, sister Brooke Hiskey the 400, and Nancy Ellett and Meriann Ellett each scored points in the 800 and 3200 events. Dugway's Elizabeth Delatorres kept her team in contention with wins in the 100 and 300 hurdles, while Piute's Laci Jensen trounced her competitors to win the javelin by 25 feet.