It took decades for the Yuma High School boys track and field program to win a team state championship, finally doing so in 1996.
It took another 25 years to win the program’s second state title last year, but only one year to pick up a third, doing so last weekend in the protracted Class 2A State Track and Field Championships.
The Indians had 59 points when it was finally completed Sunday afternoon, edging second-place Limon’s 56 points. In fact, it was a very tight race in 2A as Banning Lewis Academy finished with 54 points, Lyons 52.5 and Wray and Ouray 48 each.
Head coach Lucas Lubbers, himself a pole vault champion in 2007, heads up a coaching staff that includes three assistants that have a combined 100 years of coaching YHS track and field — Jerry Lebsack at 26 years, Jim Powell at 32 and Jack Lubbers at 42.
Clay Robinson missed his graduation on Sunday, due to Friday’s snow cancellation, but gained several state championships and state meet records in the process.
“I’m having a lot of fun,” Robinson told Brian Howell of the Boulder Daily Camera. “I knew it was gonna be tough. I wanted to walk away with four (titles), but I’ll take three and a second place, so I can’t complain about that.”
He powered the Indians to the state title, scoring 38 of their points with three firsts and a second in his four events — closing out his stellar high school athletic career in style. He finally set the state meet record in the 200-meter dash, which eluded him last year, and in the 400 dash, while also winning the long jump and finishing second in the 100 by .01 of a second to Limon’s Gabe Schubarth.
Robinson also won the 100 and 200 last year, finishing with five individual state titles, and two team championships — as well as being a key member of two basketball state championships.
The state meet got going as scheduled on a beautiful spring day, last Thursday. However, the predicted spring snow storm moved into the Front Range as predicted, forcing the cancellation of Friday’s schedule.
The meet resumed later on Saturday, and finally came to a conclusion Sunday.
That was the day Robinson was supposed to graduate with the YHS Class of 2022, but he also had races to run. (CHSAA did have a graduation ceremony at the meet for seniors who were missing their commencements last weekend. Robinson and other graduates wore their caps and gowns.)
Robinson started his state appearance Thursday in the 100-meter prelims. He set the top qualifying time of 11.3 seconds.
He also had the 200 prelim that day, again posting the top qualifying time of 21.9 seconds, which set a state record. Robinson had run a record time in the 200 last year, but it did not count due to wind.
Robinson had one more run on Thursday, setting the top qualifying time in the 400 in 50.72 seconds.
Not only did he have three prelim races, the long jump final also was on Thursday. Robinson had finished third last year shortly after taking up the event, and this year he came away with a state title with a leap of 21-foot-10.5.
Robinson then had to wait around all the way to Sunday.
He made the wait worthwhile, finishing second in the 100 in 11.38 seconds. He won the 200 with a time of 22.32 seconds.
There also was the 400 final. Robinson had just started competing in the race toward the end of the season, breaking the 50-second mark in his first effort. Then at state on Sunday, he set a new 2A record with a winning time of 49.08 seconds.
Of course, Robinson needed help for the Indians to win a second straight 2A championship.
Nash Richardson did his part with four placing efforts. He cleared 13-2
to place fourth in the pole vault on Saturday. Also on Saturday, the junior placed eighth in the triple jump with a distance of 39-11.25.
Saturday was a good day for Yuma in the field events, as junior Kevin Hermosillo placed sixth in the discus with a toss of 137-0. Hermosillo also placed sixth in the shot put on Thursday with a heave of 44-11.25.
Richardson picked up his other medal stand efforts in the hurdles. He qualified 110 hurdles in the prelims on Thursday, then placed seventh in the finals on Sunday with a time of 17.35 seconds. He barely snuck in as 
the last qualifier in the 300 prelims on Saturday, then placed eighth in Sunday’s final with a time of 43.23 seconds.
Yuma did leave some points out there. Senior Beau Tate placed fourth in the 110 prelims, but then did not race Sunday to attend graduation. Senior Jaxson Lungwitz was highly ranked in the triple jump, but had a rough time Saturday and missed the medal stand. Jack Blecha came close in the pole vault, placing 10th. Bridger Lynch competed in the pole vault and 110 hurdles, Forest Rutledge in the discus, Alex Lozano in the long jump, and Daman Hernandez in the 400.
None of Yuma’s three relays made the finals. John Smith, Jonathan Carrillo, Hermosillo and Lozano ran in the 4-by-100, Hernandez, Carrillo, Lozano and Hermosillo in the 4-by-200, and Cesar Gamboa, Carrillo, Lungwitz and Hernandez in the 4-by-400.
