Senior Gabby Simon’s gold medal in discus led Sedona Red Rock High School track to a top eight finish Saturday, May 10, at the Division III state championships in Mesa.

“That was her goal,” head track coach Harry Schneider said. “She had a couple of fouls; she was a little nervous, but the 116 she threw in the trials was good enough. Gabby just had a wonderful season.”

Simon’s first-day throw of 116 feet, 4 inches was good enough for first place, while her shot put of 37 feet, 4 ¾ inches also brought her a bronze as the Scorpions girls finished in fifth place with 40 points — 28.33 points behind three-time state champ Mingus Union High School.

“We were happy to have three of our girls in the finals,” Schneider of Simon, freshman Hannah Ringel and senior Haley Holverson, who threw the discus 95 feet, 8 inches to score for the Scorpions in seventh place.

“The wind was really wicked down there,” Schneider said. “Some kids would throw and the wind would push it right back to them. You’d just have to have the perfect flight.”

For the full story, please see the Friday, May 16, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.