Audrey Talavera of Holyoke takes a flying leap in the long jump during a Thursday, March 30, competition in Grant, Nebraska. There, according to Coach Jacinda Distefano, Holyoke’s Dragons earned 32 new personal records. — Diane Stamm | The Holyoke Enterprise
Holyoke’s Jadon Frost throws a discus in competition at the Grant, Nebraska, meet. This season’s kids, according to Coach Jacinda Distefano, are “ willing to put in the effort and time needed to be successful.” — Becky Uehling | The Grant Tribune-Sentinel
Dragons track aims for ‘culture change,’ team success
This season’s track kids “are creating a culture change,” according to Coach Jacinda Distefano, gearing toward a “harder-working, team-oriented, positive and more successful track program.”
“They’re workers, willing to put in the effort and time needed to be successful,” she continued.
With help from Distefano herself, along with fellow coaches Irene Ortega, Nicole Brandt and Greg Koellner, the Holyoke track team showed this success at the last two track meets in Fort Morgan on Saturday, March 11, and Grant, Nebraska, on Thursday, March 30.
Distance Coach Brandt is excited to put forth the “difference athletes” Teagan Martin, along with brothers Ivan and Isaac Cummings. These three made their first difference in Fort Morgan with the 1,600-meter run: “They all did well in this event and made their team proud.”
Martin came in fourth (2:21), Ivan sixth (2:24) and Isaac 15th (2:55).
The girls 4x100 power team – Anessa Colglazier, Elise Krogmeier, Audrey Talavera and Sophia Bencomo – made a 57.58 time, moving close to the school record of 50.82 and qualifying 2022 time of 53.98. Dragon boys also held their footing in the 4x200-meter run with Bryson Dirks, Brendan Nelson, Brandon Bustillos and anchor Max Kleve. Their time cut close to the qualifying number with a 1:41.8, where the qualifying 2022 time would be 1:36.1. The boys placed fourth, while the girls placed seventh, concluding the teams’ first-season meet.
Unfortunately, the event led to an injury on the girls team. Tayla Martin “ran the 400 for second place and the 800 for fourth place, as well as anchoring in the 4x200-meter and running the 200-meter in the sprint medley,” Distefano said, but “due to injury, [this] will be her only meet this year.”
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