High school track: Kaplar, Yardley, Haymore shine in Davis track meet

KAYSVILLE — A feeling of dread nagged at Lone Peak senior Angela Kaplar as she lined up for the first of two hurdles races she would run at the 52nd annual Davis Invitational.

Kaplar had struggled in her efforts to prevail against Davis senior Brooke Jensen throughout the indoor season, and those struggles continued in various outdoor meets that had matched the two this spring.

By the time she was at the start line, her legs were shaking and she worried that she would put herself out of the race in the first few meters going against Jensen on her home track.

"My starts have always been like walking through peanut butter," Kaplar said.

Kaplar's start was not an issue, and her finish was nothing short of spectacular.

She not only finally notched a victory in the 100-meter hurdles against Jensen, but her winning time of 14.37 seconds set a new 5A state record on Saturday afternoon.

"I didn't know I was that fast until Brooke came up to me and said she ran a 14.56," Kaplar said. "And I was like, 'No way!' It really hasn't set in yet."

Getting a state record should only enhance Kaplar's chances of defending her state title from last season. If Kaplar does play the role of favorite at state, it is a part she has grown accustomed to playing.

"My mom said all through summer, 'You have a target on your back now. You got to go' because last year I had an undefeated season," Kaplar said.

It turned out to be a record-setting day for other athletes as well.

Tyrell Yardley claimed victory in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and also set meet records in both events. The Syracuse senior took first place in the 100 with a time of 10.67 seconds and won the 200 after finishing in 21.54. By continuing to post performances like these, Yardley knows he has become a sprinter everyone wants to beat.

"I set a bar," Yardley said. "Everybody else is trying to catch up to it and I just got to keep on pushing. Get harder, stronger and faster so I can keep on raising it up and they have to keep up with me."

Yardley's status as the frontrunner the competition is targeting could easily apply to Riverton sprinter Aubrie Haymore as well.