Lehi Sports
Tait claims 6A javelin gold as Lehi athletes shine at state meet
Megan Wallgren / Lehi Free Press
Lehi High School track and field athletes capped off a successful season with multiple podium finishes and personal records at the 6A State Track and Field Championships held May 14 and 16 at BYU’s Robison Track.
Lehi finished 11th of 17 teams in the combined varsity standings with 55 points. Lone Peak took the 6A combined title with 177.5 points.
It was 10th-place rankings for both the boys and girls teams individually. The Pioneer boys earned 31 points, with first place going to Herriman with 109 points. The girls team scored 24 points, with the girls team title going to Corner Canyon with 100.5 points.
Leading the way for the Pioneers was senior Gracie Tait, who captured the girls javelin state title with a throw of 132-feet-11.0-inches, while also setting a new 6A state record. Tait also earned a bronze medal in the girls 200-meter dash in 24.72 seconds.
“Winning a state championship and breaking the girls 6A state javelin record felt like magic,” she said. “But the truest joy was being able to hug everyone who had been with me all along.”
She credited her grandfather, Stan, for helping her develop a love for javelin. “When I first started learning javelin my sophomore year, my grandpa made me a makeshift javelin out of fiberglass, foam and other random materials,” Tait said. “He didn’t want me to miss out on practicing.”
“I spent hours and hours in the field behind my house practicing. I would go back and forth with sprints and javelin trying to choose what was my favorite. I was lucky enough to podium in both!”
Tait has a couple of offers from state schools and will spend the next couple of weeks deciding where she’ll continue her track and field career.
Junior thrower Sterling Fillmore added another strong finish in the boys javelin, placing fourth with a throw of 159-4 feet.
“To me, doing great means the world to me because I finally get to see an end result for all the hard work I’ve put in, especially during the offseason,” Fillmore said. “There were times where I had to put off hanging with friends or doing super fun things because I knew I had to practice or get a workout in.
“Going forward, I’ll keep pushing myself and working hard so I can become an even better athlete than I am right now,” Fillmore added.
Senior Jaden Daw earned a podium finish in the boys long jump, taking the bronze medal with a mark of 21-10.25 feet.
On the track, junior Cameron Wren took fourth in the boys 100m dash in 10.9 seconds and helped Lehi’s 4x100m relay team place eighth in 42.71 seconds alongside seniors Carter Cutler and Matthew Heap, plus freshman Jack Wilson.
“First and foremost, all glory to God because none of this would be possible without Him and all the people who have supported me.” Wren said. “Even though I took fourth, it’s not really where I wanted to finish, but it definitely motivates me even more.
“It showed me that the work I’ve been putting in is paying off, but I know it’s going to take even more hard work to get where I want to be,” he said.
“A big part of it is my mindset and not letting my mind give up, so that my body doesn’t either. Going forward, I just want to keep improving and chase the overall goal,” Wren concluded
The hurdles were a strength for the Pioneer boys, with senior Carson Howard earning medals in both hurdle events. He placed eighth in the 110m hurdles in 15.26 seconds and seventh in the 300m hurdles in 39.84 seconds. Sophomore Aiden Whiting finished eighth in the 300m hurdles in 40.12 seconds.
In the distance events, senior Miles Braithwaite placed fifth in the boys 3200m run with a time of 9:12.01, and junior Remy McAdams finished eighth in the girls 3200m run in 11:11.42.
For the girls sprint team, senior Macy Soelberg capped off an emotional comeback season by placing seventh in the girls 200m dash with a personal-record time of 25.25 seconds after returning from a torn ACL that sidelined her for her junior season.
“I was super excited to even make it to State,” Soelberg said. “I worked super hard in my recovery to be able to make it back for my senior season. I was seeded 15th in the 200 for State and was able to get seventh. It was a great way to end my track career.”
Soelberg will be leaving on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Villahermosa, Mexico, this summer.
Standout freshman Eilley Baker placed sixth in the 400m dash with a time of 57.29 seconds, a sign of good things to come for the Pioneers.
Lehi coach Kari Trejo praised the team’s accomplishments and unity throughout the season. “This year’s track season has been incredible,” Trejo said.
“We saw countless PRs, our boys team won region in one of the most competitive regions around, we crowned a new state champion and 6A record holder in girls javelin, and we had many athletes earn podium finishes at State.”
What stood out most to Trejo was the supportive culture created by the athletes. “While track can often feel like an individual sport, these athletes consistently supported one another, celebrated each other’s successes, and lifted each other up through challenges,” she said.
“Their camaraderie speaks volumes about who they are as teammates and people. As coaches, we couldn’t be prouder of this group,” she added.
Looking to the future, Trejo said, “We’ll miss the seniors who have left such a strong legacy, but we’re also excited for the future. We have a talented and determined young team ready to step up and fill some very big shoes next season.”
Photos by Jim Ballard.
