Tucumcari boys capture state track and field championship

It took 25 years, but the Tucumcari Rattlers Class AA boys track and field team took the state championship title back Saturday after beating Clayton 66-58.

Several of the Rattler athletes also placed and scored a personal best last weekend at the 2008 NMAA State Track and Field Championships held at the UNM campus in Albuquerque.

Tyler Koch struck gold in both shot put and discus, followed by his twin brother Taylor Koch with silver wins in the same events.
This is Tyler Koch's second first-place state win in the shot put.

Tyler Koch beat Taylor Koch by 6 inches in the discus and by 18 and 1/2 inches in shot put.

The 6-feet, 4-inch, 280-pound Taylor said his throws were “off a little.” 

Having come close to winning the state championship before, 88-minute-older brother Tyler Koch said that winning the title in their senior year is “a great feeling.”

Tyler Koch is also 6 feet, 4 inches and weighs 255pounds.

Both athletes are in their senior year at Tucumcari High School and will be attending UNM next year. They also are third-round walkons for the football team.

Michael Fazekas took first in the long jump with a distance of 20 feet 2 and 3/4 inches, 3 and 1/2 inches over second place.
Taylor Smith of Logan placed second in the high jump with a soar of 6 feet.

Girls
The Rattlers girls team placed 17th in double A, with San Jon girls taking 15th in single A competition.

2008 NMAA State Track and Field Championships
Class A and AA

Athletes are listed by place, name, school and teams.

Girls 1600 Meter Run Class A
15 Gabby Stoner – San Jon   7:11.77
Girls 100 Meter Hurdles Class A
6 Ysidra Tellez – San Jon   17.79
Girls High Jump Class A
2 Ysidra Tellez – San Jon   5-01.00
Girls Triple Jump Class A
9 Ysidra Tellez – San Jon   31-01.50
Girls Shot Put Class A
14 Cassandra Evans – Logan   23-05.50
Girls Javelin Throw Class A
4 Tracy Foot – San Jon   98-07 
Girls 1600 Meter Run Class AA
9 Lorri Harmon – Tucumcari   6:16.74 
Girls 3200 Meter Run Class AA
13 Lorri Harmon – Tucumcari   14:00.73
14 Caitlyn Romero – Tucumcari 14:35.62
Girls 4x100 Meter Relay Class AA
(State Record held by Tucumcari (50.77 in 2002)
4 Tucumcari 53.50            
1) Laureen Chacon      
2) Michelle Fazekas
3) Mariah Meier
4) Kaitlin Lopez          
Girls 4x200 Meter Relay class AA
(State Record held by Tucumcari (1:46.66 in 2002)
Girls 1600 Sprint Medley Class AA
6 Tucumcari 4:49.71           
1) Kaitlin Lopez
2) Mariah Meier
3) Lauren Chacon
4) Kennetha Perkins   
Girls Long Jump Class AA
16 Lauren Chacon – Tucumcari    13-00.50
Girls Discus Throw Class AA
5 Carla Chavez – Tucumcari   95-00   
Boys 100 Meter Dash Class A
8 Taylor Smith – Logan      12.11
Boys 3200 Meter Run Class A
9   Bobby Benally – San Jon   12:06.09
Boys 300 Meter Hurdles Class A
5   P.J. Romo – House   44.61     
Boys High Jump Class A
2   Taylor Smith – Logan       6-00.00   
7   Bobby Kandel – San Jon   5-06.00
Boys Long Jump Class A
6   Taylor Smith – Logan      18-08.50
Boys Shot Put Class A
16 Bobby Kandel – San Jon     32-10.00
Boys Javelin Throw Class A
11 Bobby Kandel – San Jon124-02
Boys 100 Meter Dash Class AA
6   Lucas Benavidez – Tucumcari    11.58      
Boys 800 Meter Run Class AA
2   Austin Sellers – Tucumcari      2:04.74    
Boys 1600 Meter Run Class AA
14   Kenton Perkins – Tucumcari      5:11.90
Boys 3200 Meter Run Class AA
10   Kenton Perkins – Tucumcari      11:39.01
Boys 4x100 Meter Relay Class AA
3   Tucumcari                                45.03       6
1) Adrian Prieto
2) Steve Urioste
3) Lucas Benavidez
4) Michael Fazekas
Boys 1600 Sprint Medley Class AA
3   Tucumcari               3:51.35     6
1) Adrian Prieto
2) Steve Urioste
3) Michael Fazekas
4) Austin Sellers
Boys Long Jump Class AA
1   Michael Fazekas – Tucumcari     20-02.75     
Boys Shot Put Class AA
1   Tyler Koch – Tucumcari          48-03.50        
2   Taylor Koch – Tucumcari        46-09.00         
Boys Discus Throw Class AA
1   Tyler Koch – Tucumcari           132-00          
2   Taylor Koch – Tucumcari         126-11           
Quay County Team placements and scores
Men – Class AA – Team Rankings – 19 Events Scored
1)   Tucumcari         66
Men – Class A – Team Rankings – 19 Events Scored
15)   Logan                6
Women – Class AA - Team Rankings – 19 Events Scored
17)   Tucumcari         7