SCOTTSBLUFF – Meet and school records fell, and new personal bests were plentiful at the Best in the West Classic track and field Tuesday at Scottsbluff High School. 77 individual personal best performances were recorded on a perfect afternoon and evening in Scottsbluff.

The Sidney Red Raider boys team led the medal count, earning 5 gold medals and 19 total for the meet. A couple of those gold medals were due to some extraordinary performances.

Mitch Deer, who was named the Athlete of the Meet, reached one of his preseason goals with the best performance of his career. The University of Nebraska Kearney recruit set a goal this season to run a sub-50 second 400 Meters and did so in a big way with a blistering :49.18. “I just found a new gear. I’ve been talking and I have this perfect weather, perfect conditions for getting that goal,” Deer said. “With it being a twilight and the cool environment that we had, it was perfect.” His next goal is the school record of :48.65 set by David King in 1965. To trim that half a second, Deer knows it’s the little things. “I’ll have to definitely focus on the tiny stuff, blocks, just running through the line.”

Deer was also part of the Raiders record setting 4x800 Relay. The team of seniors made up of Daniel Bashtovoi, Mitchell Deer, Cameron Brauer, and Treyson Johnstone not only set a new school record, the blew away the Best in the West meet record. Their time of 8:02.29 was almost 40 seconds ahead of second place Gering who crossed the finish line in 8:42.09. Sidney’s previous school record in the 4x800 Relay was 8:08.65, set by Jachob Wiedeburg, Hayden Lienemann, Brody McKnight, and Logan Uhlir in 2015.

The Scottsbluff girls track team captured 12 medals on the day, and half of those were gold medals. The Bearcats rolled up 10 personal best performances during the meet. Junior Taryn Spady and sophomore Paige Horne each earned three gold medals for Scottsbluff. Spady swept both the 100 Meter and 200 Meter sprints while Horne swept both hurdle events. They both were also part of the Bearcat’s first place 4x400 Relay team.

Both schools are back in action of Friday when Sidney hosts Alliance, Chadron, Gering, Mitchell, and Scottsbluff in the Western Conference meet at Weymouth Field.