Sara Bray, principal of Naturita Elementary School and also the head coach of the combined Nucla-Norwood high school track team, had a great weekend. She and three state qualifiers attended the state track meet in Denver over the weekend, and everyone came home with medals.
Lisa Sutherland, a senior who just graduated Nucla High School a week ago, went into the state meet in first place for all three events she competed in: 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles and the long jump. Sutherland, who was the state champion in hurdles last year too, had a repeat this year and took first-place in both hurdles events again.
For the long jump, she placed third. Bray said the day was cold and rainy, and no competitors were really jumping that well. She’s proud of Sutherland’s third place finish in the long jump.
Sutherland will be running in college too. She’s been invited to join the heptathlon at the Colorado School of Mines. Sutherland will be studying medical biology and has plans to work in medical research.
Bray agreed Sutherland was talented in sports and academics.
“She’s incredibly bright. She’s definitely top notch all the way around,” coach said Monday.
Keiran Bray, coach’s daughter and of Nucla, went into the state meeting sitting in third place for the 800-meter run. A junior, she came in eighth place at state.
Cadence Shaw, of Norwood, is a sophomore who had been sprinting. When she realized she may not qualify for the state meet for the 400-meter earlier this spring, she started looking at other events. She discovered there were only 11 runners in the 3200-meter, two-mile race, and the state takes the top 13 for the state meet.
Coach said Shaw jumped in late, but she’d been practicing the two-mile as a warm-up at track practices. She stayed with it, dropped time, and went into the meet in seventh place. She ended up taking ninth place — the state takes the top nine for awards — by passing the girl in front of her at the very end.
“She was super focused and took it seriously,” said Bray.
On Sunday, the Nucla-Naturita Fire Department escorted the girls through town, so communities could give a warm welcome home. People stood outside and waved.
“We had a great weekend,” coach said. “I’m super proud of those girls.”
Additionally, Bray is grateful for her assistant coach, Nancy Booth. Booth has been a tremendous help this season. Bray, as a principal, sometimes has duties and meetings after school and needs help getting practices started.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without her. That’s for sure,” Bray said.
Now in her third season of coaching the Mustangs, she plans to stay with it. But, the team has gone through six tents the last few seasons. As a result, Bay is going to start fundraising to purchase a quality tent that will last the team. She figures they need about $3,500 to get the one they need.
She plans to speak with local businesses in both towns to see what’s possible.
Regarding the greater track team and next year, Bray said several kids were close to qualifying for the state meet this year. She will be keeping her eyes on them for next year and seeing how she can support them to getting to the next level.
“The track team is building up, and we are gaining some ground as a team sport in the West End,” she said.
