Ramah looks for boatload of hardware at state

RAMAH, N.M.

With their tickets punched, the Ramah track team has an opportunity to bring home a boatload of hardware at today’s Class 1A state track meet.

The one-day meet will be held at the University of New Mexico’s Track-Soccer Complex in Albuquerque.

“Our boys’ relay teams are really strong,” Ramah coach Miles Killian said. “We’re expecting all of our relays on the boys’ side to be on the podium. On the girls’ side, we really have some good jumpers and middle-distance runners.”

The boys’ team earned four relay qualifications and they are seeded No. 1 in the 4×100 (47.52) and sprint medley (4:10.94). The Mustangs have fourth best time in the 4×400 (4:06) and seventh best mark in the 4×200 (1:45.04).

Killian said the relay team consists of Logan Burson, McKay Evans, Bodie Evans, Whelan Clawson and Wyatt Clawson.

“We know what we have but my expectation is to go out there and have them do the best they can,” the Ramah coach said. “I understand that the state meet is going to be hard this year with it being a one-day event. I just want them to have fun and we’ll see what happens.”

Nonetheless, Killian feels that his squad is right where they need to be at to challenge for a state medal.

“We’ve progressed the way we should have at the moment,” he said.

Killian said the relay teams are within reach of setting new school records.

“If we set those records, those records are going to be set at state,” he said. “They’ll have more competition to push them.”

Individually, Ramah has a few athletes that are seeded high including Burson, who has the fourth fastest time at 12:14. He shares that mark with three other athletes registered for today’s race.

Burson also has the second-best throw of 133-04 feet in the javelin event.

In the 1,600, Mckay Evans is seeded fourth with a time of 5:16.15.

In the girls’ team, Ramah has qualified the 4×200 and 4×400 relay team with the latter seeded fifth.

In the open 400, freshman Chauncie Clawson has the third best time of 1:06.34 for the one-lap race.

Clawson, who is a multiple state qualifier, will take part in the long jump and triple jump as well. She is seeded third in the triple jump with a 31-05.50 effort.

In the 800, eighth grader Keena Turney (2:49.90) is seeded fifth while long distance runner Aleeya Lambson has the fourth best mark in the 1,600 (6:35.80) and the 3,200 (15:02).

In the field events, senior Janessa Jim is seeded seventh in the javelin throw with an 86-07 effort, a mark she hit during the June 10 district meet.

“That’s my new PR,” Jim said.

Prior to that her personal best was set on June 4 at the Grants meet when she threw the spear 82-feet.

Jim said she’s been working with Burson, Ramah’s best male thrower.

“He really helped me out a lot,” she said, while adding that she was feeling pretty confident heading into the district meet late last week.

In the high jump, junior Wyatt Clawson has recorded the sixth best jump of 5-08. He cleared that at the beginning of the season and since then he’s been trying to top that.

“For state, hopefully I can get at over 5-10,” Clawson said. “I’ve cleared 5-10 in the past, but that was in junior high.”

Clawson said he was slowed by a knee injury his freshman season and COVID last year. Nonetheless, he’s looking to find his form.

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