Pershing County track and field closed out the season with a strong showing at the NIAA State Championships at Hug High School, producing five state champions, multiple medalists and several performances that exceeded expectations after a frustrating regional meet.
Coach Ben Halverson said the team left regionals proud of several performances, including a school-record run by the girls 4x100 relay team, but also believing it was capable of more.
“State validated that as our kids came out and really put on a show,” Halverson said. Co-coach Chelsea Montes added that all 13 Pershing County athletes who qualified for state returned home with medals.
Leading the way was sophomore Anthony Gibson, who captured the state title in the 110-meter high hurdles with a personal-best time of 16.76 seconds.
Gibson also anchored Pershing County’s state championship 4x200 relay team alongside Ashton Jimenez, Quentin McKinney and Aaron Zelaya. The Mustangs won the event in 1:34.29.
“After the disappointment of regionals for Anthony, he was just super locked in this week, and it showed,” Halverson said.
Jimenez added another chapter to an already accomplished career. He placed seventh in pole vault at 10 feet and has now earned state medals in all four relay events during his high school years.
Senior Laura Gomez earned a silver medal in the girls hurdles with a time of 50.26. Jaxson Happy also exceeded expectations by finishing third in the boys hurdles to earn a bronze medal.
Halverson credited both the athletes and hurdles coach Emilio Gomez for the group’s growth.
“Two years ago, we had one ‘sometimes hurdler,’ now it’s a point of strength in our program,” Halverson said.
Laura Gomez also earned a silver medal in pole vault, clearing 8 feet, 3 inches to become the first Mustang since Tad Milich in 2017 to medal at state in the event.
Gomez led all Pershing County athletes with 16 team points, while Gibson and senior Chealse Woodard each added 12.5.
Woodard added another historic moment for the Mustangs by winning the girls long jump with a school-record leap of 16 feet, 4.5 inches. She became the first female state champion for Pershing County since Presley Burrows in 2021.
Woodard also anchored both the girls 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams alongside Ali Montes, Bella Zelaya and Khloe Montes. Both relay teams finished fourth to earn state medals, while the 4x100 relay team broke its own school record with a time of 52.84 seconds.
Senior Josiah Hunt closed out his Mustang career with another strong state performance. Hunt qualified in both the 100 and 200-meter races and finished third in the 200 with a time of 23.70 in the final race of his high school career.
Halverson called Hunt “the class of our sprinters” over the past four years and said he consistently represented the program well in both relay and individual events.
Halverson and Montes also credited several volunteer assistants and former athletes who helped throughout the season, including hurdles coach Emilio Gomez, pole vault coach Karl Fredricks, Luis Sanchez, Alivia Grinder, Jim Jurad, Marquis McKinney, Mike Brooks and Axel Gonzales.
Montes said the additional coaching support helped strengthen several event groups throughout the season and contributed to the team’s success.
The Mustangs closed the year with state titles, school records and a collection of medals that added up to one of the program’s strongest state meet performances in recent years.
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