We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Local 9C tracksters kicked off the post-season at the District meet in Havre on Wednesday, May 10th. The nearly-perfect weather set the stage for a record-breaking day on both the field and the track. At the end of competition, the Sugarbeeter girls posted 110 points and walked away with the District 9C championship trophy, followed closely by the girls from Big Sandy (107) and Fort Benton (106). Likewise, the Beeter boys came away with first-place honors, scoring a decisive 168 points, followed by the CJI Hawks and the Big Sandy Pioneers who tied for second with 78 points.
In the men's division, Chinook's Brenden Fetter had an absolutely dominant day, setting a new meet record in the long jump with a jump of 21-08. In the triple jump, Fetter crushed the 50-year-old record of 43-06.25 (set in 1973 by Warren Patrick) with a leap of 45-01.75. He also finished first in the 200m dash with a time of 22.97 and second in the 100m dash (11.40). Of his record-breaking efforts, Brenden remarked, "It was a pretty cool experience and something to always remember, but I know I'll do better." In the next two weeks, Fetter is looking to "beat the All-Class record in triple jump and to beat the Class C record in long jump." He'd also like to "bring three or four gold medals home from State."
Other notable contributors include Levi Jensen of Chinook, who claimed the top spot in the high jump, clearing 6-01, and won the 110m hurdles with a time of 16.52. In the 300m hurdles, Braxton Inman grabbed a first-place finish with a time of 43.01, followed by Jensen, who placed second (44.29). Inman also finished fourth in both the 100m and 200m races.
Turner's own Ryan Doyle also had a phenomenal meet, finishing first in the 800m run (2:02.21) and claiming the top spot in the 400m dash (52.46). Doyle also punched his ticket to Divisionals in both the triple jump and long jump. When asked about his goals for the rest of the season, Doyle said, "I am looking forward to improving my running times and marks in both long jump and triple jump." He also would like to "make it on the podium at both Divisionals and State."
In the distance races, Chinook's Landen Beck posted a 11:33.43 in the 3200m, good enough for second place. Freshman Britt Powell also had a strong finish in the 1600m, finishing second with a time of 5:21.36. Trent Billmayer of Turner posted a fourth-place finish in the 1600m to punch his ticket to Divisionals; he will be joined by Hays-Lodge Pole's Daniel Henry, who placed fifth in both the 1600m and 3200m races.
The relays were also a source of great excitement this year, with the Chinook men's 4x100 team (Carson Nissen, Tyler Schoen, Braxton Inman, and Brenden Fetter) claiming first and setting a new meet record with a time of 44.86. The Beeters also grabbed a second-place finish in the 4x400 with a young but enthusiastic team of runners (Owen Davies, Landen Beck, Oliver Standiford, and Danny McKenzie). The men from Hays-Lodge Pole (Davontae Sullivan, Cash Messerly, William Hughes Jr., and Daniel Henry) earned fifth place in the 4x400 and a spot at Divisionals. Thunderbird coach Natacha Doney said of her team, "I'm proud of them for working hard despite the obstacles this season threw at them."
The women's division also offered a day of exciting finishes. Chinook's Hallie Neibauer and Alexus Seymour both had strong days on the track. Hallie finished first in the 800m race with a time of 2:30.63, followed by teammates Alexus Seymour in second and Anna Terry in third. Neibauer also placed second in the 400m with a time of 1:03.50, and fifth in the 200m dash. Seymour picked up the second-place spot in the 1600m with a time of 5:57.71 as well as securing a sixth-place finish in the 400m dash. Contributing more team points was freshman Neva Lowe, who grabbed a second-place finish in the 3200m and fourth in the 1600m.
Senior Anna Terry earned a pair of blue ribbons, finishing first in both the 1600m (5:46.46) and the 3200m (12:54.72). For Terry, these finishes represent a three-year sweep of the top spot in both races at the District 9C meet. She commented, "While losing my freshman season to Covid lockdowns set me back, I'm really proud of how far I've come in the last three years. I'm so grateful for my team, and I'm really proud of our 9C championship trophy! Every single point mattered this week, and every single girl in this group stepped up to make it happen. The future of Chinook women's track is in great hands."
Turner's Bridget Reed had a phenomenal district meet. The Lady Tornado was a force to be reckoned with in all of her events, topping the podium in both the 100m hurdles (15.75) and the 300m hurdles (48.96). Reed also finished third in the 100m dash, second in the 200m dash, and earned third-place honors in the 400m dash.
Relays action saw the Sugarbeeter 4x100 (Emma Klingaman, Cheyenne Weigand, Sasha Gallus, and Hallie Neibauer) grab a second-place finish. The Hays-LodgePole Lady T-birds (Imagin Fox, Kelcie Mount, Nina Fox, and Rylee Martin) placed sixth. In the 4x400, the Lady Sugarbeeters (Hallie Neibauer, Neva Lowe, Alexus Seymour, and Kirbey Hofeldt) finished third, and the Lady Thunderbirds (Fox, Fox, Martin, and Mount) earned sixth.
On the field, Chinook's Hannah Schoen represented well with a fourth-place finish in the discus, a second-place finish in the shot put, and a sixth-place throw in the javelin. Sarah Gillett also grabbed a sixth-place, Divisionals-qualifying spot in the shot put. Senior Belle Elliott earned fourth in the high jump, and Turner's Meridian King-Snider finished fifth in the triple jump.
Best of luck to area 9C athletes as they head to the Northern C Divisional meet at Memorial Stadium in Great Falls on Thursday, May 18th and Friday, May 19th.
