The Kern Valley High School had their last senior night track meet on Wednesday, April 24th. Right on the field, where parents gather and meet their seniors to celebrate with flowers and balloons. Congratulations to all! Photo by Christina Denys.
Story By Ray Conner
The Broncs track squad jumped, ran and threw their way to their third consecutive league title with a win over Cal City. The final score saw Kern Valley win the meet 93-31.
The Broncs were able to secure 13 total wins, 11 of those were individual events. They won both of the relays at the meet. In one event a curious thing transpired as there was a tie in the 400m. Kern Valley’s Daniel Hinkey and Baden Weghorst Mota crossed the finish line in a dead heat to finish first. Both their time was recorded at 55.46. Hinkey would go on to win two other events. He came in first in the 110m hurdles (17.1) and the 300m hurdles (48.99). Mota would also win another event. He crossed the line first in the 1600m. No time was made available.
Kyle Denys did his part to be in on winning an event. He was able to secure three wins at the home meet. He won the 100m (11.62), the 200m (24.24), and the long jump (18’ 5”). Ed Buntin threw his way to success in winning both throwing events. He took first in the shot put (34’ 2.5”) and the discus (85’ 7”). Jackson Weghorst rounded put the individual winners by taking the high jump (5’ 4”). This was a PR for this athlete. He would also go on to win the triple jump with a leap of 35’ 4”.
Second-place finishers included Tristan Beckham who was runner up in two events. He was second in the 100m (11.67) and the 200m (24.96). Brian Webster was second in the discus (78’ 6”), while AJ Montgomery was second in the high jump (5’ 0”) PR. Weghorst was second in the long jump (17’ 3”), while Bunting came in second in the triple jump (28’ 7”).
There were four Kern Valley athletes that recorded a third-place finish. One of these was third in two events. Colin Clark was third in both of the hurdle events. He ran the 110m hurdles in a time of 21.46, while he came across the finish line in the 300m hurdles in a time of 55.62. Michael Porter took third in the shot put (30’ 2.5”), while Logan Sampson was third in the 3200m (12:35.06). Weghorst took third in the 800m (2:31.84).
The Broncs had three that finished in fourth place. Nolan Wicker was fourth in both the 110m hurdles (21.52) and the 300m hurdles (1:01.48). Xander Lofty was fourth ion the 800m (2:35.43), while Tyler Lewis was fourth in the discus (78’ 1.5”).
Aiden Rapp was fifth in the 400m in a time of 1:16.30. He would also run the 200m in a time of 33.26. Both of these times were PR’s. Webster finished fifth in the 200m (26.40). Webster placed seventh in the 100m (12.49).
Other Broncs to record times in the meet were: Lewis-eighth in the shot put (28’ 10”). Jonas Bordner-ninth shot put (28’ 1”) and ninth in the discus (65’ 10”). Christopher Richey-eighth in the discus (66’ 11.5”). Thoams Valdez-10th in the shot put (25’ 5”). Porter-12th in the discus (63’). Julian Hernandez-13th in the shot put (21’ 11”).
The Broncs will now turn their attention to the HDL Finals on May 2 at Foothill Highschool in Bakersfield.
Head coach Sabine Mixon said, “I couldn’t be any prouder of these young men. Year after year, I see them willing to step out of their comfort zone and take on events that they had not previously considered. All for the sake of the “team”. We set our goal for a three-peat, but to do that for three years running without a team loss is just outstanding.”
On April 26, some of the Broncs competed at the Thunderbird Classic in Delano. Here are the results for those athletes according to their coach. Baden Mota earned a PR in the 400m with a 54.48 time and a 13th-place finish and 34th in the 1600m (5:15.36). Daniel Hinkey ran the 110m hurdles and finished eighth with a time of 16.92 and earned 12th place (44.45) in the 300m hurdles. Kyle Denys ran a 12.00 in the 100m dash and Tristan Beckham ran a 12.19. Denys also ended 16th in the long jump with a distance of 18′ 6.5.” Ed Bunting had a nice throw of 35′ 9″ in the shot put and Christopher Richey earned a PR of 88′ 8″ in the discus.
Mixon commented, “Several athletes still have season goals that they would like to achieve and are looking forward to the faster track of the HDL Finals which will be contested at Foothill High School on May 2. Athletes will be competing on an individual basis for the title of champion in their respective events.”
