Simplot Games: East High's Natalie Shields wins girls' 3200-meter run

POCATELLO, Idaho — Natalie Shields, a senior from Salt Lake City, won the girls' 3200 meters at the 34th annual Simplot Games.

Shields led from the start of the race, only flirting with second place at the midway point.

"There was only one part of the race where I started going back and forth with Sarah Feeny," Shields said. "But my goal coming in was to run hard and push forward and I did just that."

Utah claimed the first, second, and third places, with Shields in first, Sarah Feeny (sophomore from Ogden) placed second, and Summer Harper (junior from Lehi) placed third.

Shields will attend BYU in the fall.

NYE WINS 1600: Davis senior Brad Nye, a seniorwon the boys' 1600 meters.

Knowing the competition level at Simplot Games, Nye ran a smart race, picking up the pace when he needed to, and keeping the pace locked in.

"I knew it would be tough competition coming back," said Nye. "I just wanted to compete. I wasn't worried about time, I just wanted to race."

DAVIS TAKES 4X800 RELAY: Davis Track Club 'A' of Kaysville, won the boys' 4x800 meter relay. The team of Alex Hedquist, Hayden Hansen, Jackson Sagers and Seth Thompson turned in a time of 8:09.43.

"We didn't think we'd do that well," Hedquist said. The team said they were all tired, as each member competed in other events throughout the weekend.

Hedquist, in fact, had smashed his personal record earlier that morning in the 1600 meters.

Hansen said they were coached to "go for the win but make sure to also go for the time," and Hedquist added they were told to "keep up the tempo."

According to Sagers, they couldn't have done it without their team in the stands who were "cheering their guts out for us."

Hansen said Simplot Games is competitive and they always look forward to it.

"It's just intense here," Hedquist added.

Other medalists at the 2012 Simplot Games include:

Boys' 400 Meter Dash

- 1st-Cole Lambourne, 12, West Jordan

- 6th-Blake Adams, 12, Salem

Boys' 800-meter Run

- 4th-Tanner Smith, 12, Provo