M-ettes take sixth with three athletes

Despite only having three athletes at their first meet of the year -- the Glasgow Invitational -- the Malta M-ettes track and field team took sixth place at the meet last Saturday.

Glasgow won their home meet with 120 points. Class C's Scobey was second with 83 points. Plentywood placed third with 68 points.

Marley Manoukian placed second in the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 51.66.

"My 300 hurdle time was better today than it was at the first meet last year," Manoukian said. "I felt pretty good about it."

During the final seconds of her run, Manoukian stretched to beat her opponent for first only to find out that her legs needed to come first and lost by a hair to Cierra Loudon of Circle.

The times were Loudon 51.64, Manoukian 51.66.

"I kind of bogged down at the end, but that definitely happens in the 300 hurdles," Manoukian said. "I just gotta get in more conditioned shape and do better next time."

Manoukian also placed third in the pole vault after clearing 6-6, though she hopes to see improvement with more practice.

"I kind of practiced one time this week but that was about it," Manoukian said. "We don't have our pole vault pit set up."

Marley's personal best came of 8-0 in the pole vault came last year at the Northern B Divisional in Great Falls.

Manoukian also placed fifth in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 18.75.

Shay Garfield had a great day in throwing events, placing second in discus with a throw of 98-4, though she may have surprised herself in the event.

"My best last year was a 98-5," Garfield said. "I feel like my form was really good. That's a big part of throwing the discus."

Last season at the start of the year, she did not use a common spin. This year not only did she start with the proper technique, but her technique was really clean.

"I worked on it a lot," Garfield said.

Garfield also threw in a 29-11 in shot put, which was good enough for fourth place.

Her personal best was 30-3 last year.

She placed tenth in the javelin throw, with a throw of 80-8, which is her new personal best.

"It's not my best event, so I just hope I at least get over 80," Garfield said before the event.

Riley Mortenson posted a time of 6:59.41 in the 1600 meter run, which was good enough for seventh place at the meet.

Mortenson also ran the 800 meter run in 2:58.19, which is only eleven seconds slower than her personal best at 2:49.90 that she posted at the Cal Wearley meet last year.