M-ettes take second

Though the Malta M-ettes have been dominating meets all year, the team met its match against the Glasgow Lady Scotties last Saturday at the District 2B Track Meet in Wolf Point.

Malta took second place after scoring 156 points at the meet. Glasgow was first with 198 and Wolf Point took third, though the Lady Wolves also had 156 points.

With only two more meets left, the M-ettes are heating up at the right time.

"We're trying to peak each weekend now and traditionally that's worked out very well for us," Coach Tad Schye told the PCN. "We're hoping, knock on wood, to continue to have that go on because it's important at these qualifying meets that you compete at a high level because each week the competition becomes more difficult."

Malta was led by Sophia Stiles who won a meet high - four events - including high jump, long jump, 100 meter hurdles and 300 hurdles.

In doing so, Stiles posted new bests in the triple jump (37 feet, six inches) and 100 hurdles (15.21 seconds). She tied her best in long jump after posting a leap of 17-08. She also posted her best 300 hurdles time this season, which was 48.87.

"It's perfect timing for me to step up my game," Stiles said. "It helps that the coaches have been giving us good, hard workouts since it's the end of the year."

Her long and triple jump distances are also new 2B District meet records.

Stiles sustained an ankle injury during the basketball season that has slowed her down only a little bit.

"It's good. I got a good taper, Coach Schye," Stiles said.

In order to improve, Stiles knows what she has to do.

"My starts can be better in running events," Stiles said. "I need to keep practicing and working hard on long and triple jump. My second jump can be better in the triple jump."

Hailey Nicholson took sixth in the triple jump with a length of 27-07.

Kaitlyn Smith also had a very strong meet, placing in four events at the meet. Smith took first place in shot put, posting a new personal best of 34-02 in the process.

Smith also took first in javelin after a throw of 114-04. M-ette teammate Mary Grace Kalal took sixth with a throw of 95-10.

Smith placed fifth in the 100 meter dash with a time of 13.95. In running the 200 for the first time in her career, she placed sixth with a time of 29.92.

Darby Schye took first in discus after posting a throw of 96-09, which is a new personal best. Kalal took second in the event with a throw of 95-03. Shay Garfield was third with a throw of 92-09.

Marley Manoukian took second in the pole vault after clearing 8-00. She took third in the 300 hurdles with a time of 50.54. Manoukian took fourth in the 100 hurdles with a time of 55.97.

Both relay teams took second at the meet. The short relay team consisting of Manoukian, Schye, Smith and Stiles had a time of 52.9. The long relay team consisting of Manoukian, Riley Mortenson, H. Nicholson and Schye had a time of 4:30.28.

Mortenson stepped in for Mary Grace Kalal, who was dealing with a back injury.

"I thought it would have been more tiring because I had just gotten done with the mile two events right before that, but it felt pretty good," Mortenson said.

Schye took second in shot put after posting a throw of 34-1.50.

Jada Nicholson took second in the high jump after clearing 4-10. Wolf Point's Shelby Hanks won the event after clearing the same height in less tries.

Jada already qualified to make state, but she admitted that's not going to stop her from bringing her best.

"I'm going to try to go for it," J. Nicholson said. "I want to get first at divisionals this week. I got second last year, so it would be nice to get first this year."

Her goal is to clear 5-04 and record a new best.

H. Nicholson cleared 4-06 and took third in the high jump. She also participated in both the 100 and 300 hurdles for the first time in her career. She took fourth in the 300 with a time of 55.97.

Mortenson posted her best times of the year in the 800 and 1600 meter runs. She took fourth in the 1600 with a time of 5:59.83, which is her best of the season. Mortenson placed sixth in the 800 with a time of 2:40, a new personal best.

Mortenson is making a strong push for state.

"For my 800, I'm really going to have to push to stay up with the first four people and in the mile, the same thing," Mortenson said admitting that running the relay gave her confidence in pushing herself to go faster in the distance runs.

Correena Torrez took sixth place in the 100 hurdles with a time of 22.31.

Kalal took sixth in the high jump after clearing 4-04.