Months of hard work, determination and dedication—not to mention grueling practices and training—came to a head for the Herriman track and field team at the state meet May 16–18. 

The Mustangs had a strong showing and featured standout performances from several athletes. Herriman’s combined score for its boys and girls teams was good enough for fifth place in Class 6A. The Mustangs were just six points behind Bingham, which placed fourth.

“We competed really well at state with many athletes on the podium,” head coach Doug Soles said. “We are improving every season.”

The boys team placed fourth with 58 points, 6.5 behind third-place Weber. On the girls’ side, the team was sixth with a score of 49, just a point behind Corner Canyon and three points in back of Layton. 

Soles was satisfied with the team’s showing and said the athletes finished about where he expected them to place. He also said the coming years hold good promise for the program, as plenty of experienced athletes come back next season. 

“It was great to see the majority of our athletes finish around where we projected them,” he said. “We hit the majority of our goals for place and time and are excited about the future of our program.”

Several athletes stood out at the state meet where they competed against the best track and field performers in Utah. Senior Addie Freeland took first in the javelin and was fifth in the shot put, leading the way for the girls. Kate Garner, another senior, was third in the 100-meter hurdles and 300 hurdles. Senior William Steadman was second in the 1,600, running it in the equivalent of a 4:02 mile at sea level. Steadman was also second in the 3,200 and third in the 800. 

“Our seniors really set the bar for future athletes,” Soles said. 

There were some surprises at state for Herriman, too. 

“Senior Max Hofheins finishing fourth at state in the 1,600 was a great surprise, as well as junior Tayshaun Ogomo finishing fifth in the 800,” Soles said. “Freshman Savannah Berbert showed she will be one of the top girls in pole vault for years to come with her fourth-place finish at state. Nigel Feese finishing fourth at state in the high jump was a pleasant surprise as well. The biggest surprise to me was our 4x100 relay boys finishing fourth.”

Assessing the season as a whole, Soles had plenty to be pleased with. The girls team won Region 2 on both the varsity and junior varsity side. Soles said this was a “big confidence boost” for the teams. The boys were runners-up in Region 2. He also appreciates the group of seniors he had and the leadership they have given the team. 

“It definitely shows we can compete with the top teams in Utah for 6A,” he said. “I will remember what a loaded group of senior athletes we had this year and how they led us to the Oregon Relays and Arcadia and many of the biggest meets in the country to show how good Herriman is as a program. It was a really amazing group of seniors this year.”

Soles has high hopes for 2025 and beyond. 

Though some talented athletes will graduate and move on, Herriman has some up-and-coming youngsters who are eager to improve and make their mark. 

“I think our team continues to improve each season,” Soles said. “I started at Herriman in 2022 track, and we have gotten better each season. I expect we will be one of the best teams in Utah next spring.” λ