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Kremmling — The results of a day's hard work won't be felt for a week and won't truly pay off for two.

But athletes on the Hayden and Soroco high school track and field teams let out a big sigh of relief Saturday at the Class 2A Western Slope League track meet at West Grand High School in Kremmling.

Competitors from the programs reached the state meet with prequalifying marks. The results ensure those athletes will make the state track meet, lifting a great deal of pressure from next weekend's regional meet.

"I made it by eight inches," Soroco's Matt Watwood said, beaming widely after the discus competition. "I still have some pressure for next week, but there's not half as much. I know I'm going to state no matter what happens."

Saturday's toss was good enough to win the meet and place Watwood in the state field for the first time in his career. He also placed second in the shotput.

Hayden junior Jake Walker also shined in the last meet before regionals.

Walker, who placed fourth last year at state in the 100-meter dash and fifth in the long jump, already had gone under the pre-qualifying mark in the 100 this year. Saturday, he added two more events.

He won the 200-meter dash in 23.09 seconds, surging around the curve to make up the stagger - of lane positions for runners - before cruising down the home stretch like he was flying. The time easily was enough to lock him into state.

He also helped land a qualifying time in the 400-meter relay, joined by Billy Zehner, Coy Letlow and Braylin Wertenberger. The team won the race in 45.02.

"This was only my third time in the 200 because I just don't like (it). It's too far," Walker said, a wry smile on his face. "I'm starting to like it more now."

The Hayden boys team also got a lift from Chris Zirkel, who ran well in both of his distance events. He was second early in the day in the 1,600, finishing with a time of 5:00.36. Later, he won the 3,200 in 10:55.54.

"It was a good day," Zirkel said. "I didn't get any of my (personal bests) but it was a good day."

Those finishes helped propel the boys team to a second-place overall finish.

The squad had 105 points, well behind champion Paonia, but barely enough to claim second ahead of Rangely's 103 and Meeker's 104.

The Hayden girls, led by Holli Salazar's championship in the shotput, finished fourth with 86 points.

The Soroco boys were fifth with 73 points and the girls seventh with 44.

Hayden got other top finishes from Logan Foster, third in the discus; Zehner, second in the 110 hurdles; Murphy Smatt, second in the high jump; and Rene Valdez, third in the high jump.

Calla Manzanares was third in the 100, Salazar third in the discus and the Tigers girls team third in the 400 relay.

Soroco, meanwhile, fielded a top finish from Traci Schlegel, who was second in the 300 hurdles. The girls were second in the 800 relay and 800 medley and won the 1,600 relay.

Alex Estes was third in the triple jump, third in the boys 3,200 relay and second in the 800 relay.

"We looked good," Soroco coach David Bruner said. "All the kids performed pretty well. Everyone's taking off and starting to turn in better times."