PROVO -- It took a less than a second to earn Panguitch its first-ever team championship at the annual BYU-First Security High School Track and Field Invitational Friday afternoon.
When Juab's 1600-meter-relay team edged North Summit by just 0.45 second, it allowed Panguitch to escape with a one-half point victory in the combined 1A-2A boys competition.Meanwhile, defending champ Millard captured another girls 1A-2A crown with an impressive victory over second-place Wayne. This afternoon at the BYU track, the 3A, 4A and 5A teams will compete for combined titles.
Panguitch coach Troy Norris was naturally thrilled as his team earned the boys title. Panguitch's Dusty Orton took three firsts on Friday, with individual wins in the 110-meter high hurdles (15.48) and 300-meter hurdles (40.82), and running the first leg of the winning 400-meter relay team (44.55), along with Luke Stewart, Syler Dalton and Jaycen Walter. Walter also captured a title in the 200-meter (23.27). Those same four runners placed seventh in the 1600-meter relay, earning two points. Meanwhile, Juab's combo of Scott Wallace, Ryan Ingram, Jeff Parkinson and Rheo Newell nipped North Summit's contingent of James Shupe, Cortney McQueen, Kollin Garfield and Jordan Richins, limiting North Summit to eight points in the event, and leaving it just one-half point behind Panguitch.
The lady counterparts of Millard captured the team championship without any individual champions. Lindsay Beckstrand took seconds in the 100-meter hurdles (16.31) and high jump (5-4), while teammate Celeste Jolley took second in the long jump (16-3) to pace Millard's efforts.
Individual winners were Domini Bosa-Edwards of Meadows, Nevada in the 110 high hurdles (16.13), Nina Madsen of Manti in the 100 meters (12.77), Mandy Cooper of Panguitch in the 200 meters (26.82), Randi Egley of Mountain View, Wyo., in the 300-meter hurdles (49.85), Gentry Sargent of North Summit in the 400 meters (1:00.37), Parowan's Tori Edwards in the 800 meters (2:27.55), Wayne's Nessa Blackburn in the 1600 meters (5:29.85) and 3200 meters (11:44.65). Relay team winners were Milford in the 400 meters, North Summit in the medley and Beaver in the 1600 meters.
Today's qualifying races begin at 9 a.m., with finals set for 1 p.m.