Summit’s Jay McDonald shatters 800m school record as track team secures stand-out performances
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Despite a snow storm Tuesday, April 14, the Summit High School track and field team traveled to Edwards for the Battle Mountain Invitational. Tuesday’s gathering was the first time Summit has competed at the Battle Mountain meet in several years due to the meet being scheduled during Summit’s spring break, according to head coach Michael Hagen.
The team arrived at the track to find snowy and blustery conditions, and both sprinters and distance runners found factors working for and against them, according to Hagen. For the sprinters, the high elevation and thinner air enabled fast times, although the cold temperatures made muscles colder and stiffer.
The cold temperatures were ideal for the distance runners, but they had to deal with the highest-elevation competition this year.
Nineteen Summit athletes set new personal bests, with Grace Klein (100 meter and 300 meter hurdles) and Seth Montgomery (100 meter and 200 meter dash) doing it twice.
Summit was victorious in seven individual events and two relays.
Avery Russer (100 meter and 300 meter hurdles) and Carter Niemkiewicz (800 meter and 1,600 meter runs) doubled. Kayla Broecker was victorious in her first high school 1,600‑meter run. Avery Thisted and Connor Erwin also earned their first high school victories in the long jump and 100 meter dash respectively. The girls 4×100 meter and 4×400 meter relay teams were also victorious, according to Hagen.
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Tyler Susic competes in the 300 meter hurdles at the Randall Hess Roughrider Invitational at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
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Sophie Dinse competes in the 800 meter run at the Randall Hess Roughrider Invitational at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
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Lukas Remeikis competes in the 800 meter run at the Randall Hess Roughrider Invitational at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
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Lucia Templeton competes in the 3,200 meter run at the Randall Hess Roughrider Invitational at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
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Lucia Templeton, left, and Lily Benbow hug after competing in the 3,200 meter run at the Randall Hess Roughrider Invitational at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
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Lily Banbow competes in the 3,200 meter run at the Randall Hess Roughrider Invitational at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
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Leah Noble competes in the 800 meter run at the Randall Hess Roughrider Invitational at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
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Jay McDonald competes in the 800 meter run at the Randall Hess Roughrider Invitational at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
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Summit High School track team distance runner Jay McDonald pulls away from the field in the 800-meter run at the Randall Hess Roughrider Invitational at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
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Summit dominated several events, including the girls 1,600 meter, where they placed five athletes in the top seven: Kayla Broecker in first, Leah Noble in second, Lily Benbow in fourth, Lucia Templeton in sixth and Maeve Niemkiewicz in seventh. Avery Russer, Norah Kuffner and Grace Klein went first, third and sixth in the 100 meter hurdles, respectively. Carter Niemkiewicz and Cooper Levi swept the first two spots in the 1,600 meter. Tyler Susic and Malachi Love were second and fifth in the 300 meter hurdles.
The Tigers then went on to compete Randall Hess Roughrider Invitational at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown on Saturday, April 18.
Jay McDonald’s school-record time in the 800 meter, along with likely state qualifying times by the boys’ 4×400 meter relay, Leah Noble in the 400 and Lily Benbow in the 3,200 meter run highlighted the competition at Roosevelt High School’s fast track.
Summit had a near 90% rate of new personal bests in Johnstown, according to Hagen, while facing stiff competition. Margo Thompson ran a new personal best in the 100 meter, and both Norah Kuffner and Grace Klein did the same in the 100 meter hurdles.
Leah Noble’s time of 58.93 in the 400 meter is a likely state-qualifying time and is ranked 31st in Colorado, according to Hagen. Jay McDonald ran the 800 meter in 1:51.53 — the No. 1 time in Colorado, breaking 2014 state runner-up Liam Meirow’s former school record. Lukas Remeikis’ 1:57.44 is ranked 28th in Colorado. Lily Benbow had her sights set on a state qualifying time in the 3,200 meter run. She achieved that with a time of 11:23.73 that also moves her up the Summit all-time list to fourth.
The boys’ 4×400-meter relay may have also run a state qualifying time. Wrapping up the evening, Wentzle Schotts, Carter Niemkiewicz, Connor Erwin and Jay McDonald ran 3:28.67, faster than the qualifying time last year.
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