Aspen tracksters get ready to race

The Aspen Skiers are ready to get back on track.

That’s the Aspen High School track and field team.

After a week of spring break and a week of experiential education, the Aspen tracksters will sprint into the heart of their schedule this week.

The Skiers, coached by first-year head coach Jay Schultz, will travel to Rangely on Saturday for the annual Rangely Invitational.

The next week, the Skiers will compete in the annual Moffat County Invitational at Craig on April 25.

Then, the Aspen High School track and field team will head to Cedaredge for an invitational on May 2.

“We have three meets before the league meet,” Schultz said of the youthful Skiers, with a roster nearly filled with freshmen and sophomores. “We have a chance to start to … figure out our relays.”

He said the Skiers are trying out lot of different events as they focus on the league championships and the state championships, set for May 15-17.

“We have a very young team,” the first-year-head coach.

A few of the Skiers participated in the annual Demon Invitational in Glenwood Springs last weekend, with senior captain Ryley Sutton leading the charge.

She finished second in the 3,200-meter run in Glenwood, finishing in 13:07.56. Courtney Lippman of Glenwood Springs won in 12:41.89.

A week earlier, Sutton ran her best time of the season in the 3,200, finishing third at the Eagle Valley Invitational. She ran 12:48.20. Her career best is 12:36.49, according to Schultz.

“One of the highlights from Eagle was Ryley Sutton,” Schultz said of the senior captain.

He said Taggart Solomon, another AHS captain, led the boys team with a sixth-place finish in the 3,200 at Eagle Valley.

Schultz said the Skiers are eager to focus on the upcoming meets this spring. He said the roster for the AHS track and field team includes:

Adair Pattillo

Anna Belinski

Avery Royer

Dara Schenck

Eliza Wells

Graciela Robertson

Hallie Stuart

Jena Freeman

Katherine Medina

McKenna Woodrow

Megan Hanson

Megan Woodrow

Ryley Sutton

Shayla DeYoung

Sophia Stapleton

Tiana Perry

Tierney Sutton

Eric Gagen

Giovanni Velasquez

Alex Wells

James Bantis

Reece Johnson

Coen Needell

Taggart Salomon

Seamus Crowley

Hunter Bryant

Jack Wells

Chris Hopkins

Keegan Mehall

Oscar Solis

Cav Oleary

Jake Ferlisi

Shea Strutz

Nathaniel Karbank

Jackson Landis

J.J. Campbell

Griffin Gilchrist

Jan Koopsen

Antolin Carreno

Cory Barel

Graham Houtsma

Joel Brice

dstrode@aspentimes.com