M-ettes take first at Fergus Meet

The Malta M-ettes are showing great potential winning three of their first four meets that they’ve entered this season. Last week the team won the Fergus Twilight Track Invitational Tuesday, April 12, with a total of 127.5 points. Fergus was second with 103 and Choteau took third with 93.5. While this doesn’t guarantee them any postseason titles, it most certainly is a great start to the 2016 season.

“We’re in good shape,” Coach Tad Schye said. “We have depth in events and we have most events covered as far as people that can score in those events. That in itself leads to being able to be in the top two or three in the meets we go to.”

Coach Schye did express concern competing with Glasgow who has more depth being a bigger Class B school.

The M-ettes were led by Sophia Stiles who won four events including the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 15.52 seconds, the 300 hurdles (47.54), the long jump (17-9) and the triple jump (36-2).

Stiles also entered an event she had never before; the high jump and Stiles did not disappoint clearing the winning height 5-2, but taking second in the event. The event was won by Fergus’ Marissa James who cleared 5-2 in an attempt before Stiles.

“She’s been high jumping some in practice, so we just thought we would see where she’s at,” Coach Schye said. “It’s all about scoring points and seeing who can do what.”

Her outing at high jump qualified Stiles in yet another event for state and gives Malta three athletes already qualified for girl’s high jump, which includes Hailey Nicholson and Jada Nicholson.

Stiles wasn’t the only M-ette to win multiple events. Kaitlyn Smith took first in shot put with a throw of 36-0 and javelin with a throw of 126-5.

“Kaitlyn Smith is throwing very well,” Coach Schye said. “She’s got one of the better throws in the state in javelin. Her 36 foot throw in shot puts her up there as well. We just have to work on consistency.”

Senior Mary Grace Kalal also fared well in the throwing events taking first place in discus with a new personal best of 101-3 and third in javelin with a throw of 98-7.

Senior Riley Mortenson took second in the 800 with a run of 2:39.40 and tenth in the 1600 with a time of 6:14.39.

“Riley’s been running close to her fastest times already,” Coach Schye said. “She’s got the best 800 time in the district but we’re going to have to continue to improve on that because other runners will also improve.”

Mystic Striker took second in the 1600 with a time of 5:41.34 and second in the 3200 with a time of 13:05.02.

“Mystic’s starting to compete very well,” Coach Schye said.

Though Striker’s streak of distance wins is over, the Fergus meet provided her with some much needed competition.

“It was good for us to get down to the Fergus Twilight Meet because there’s some different competition,” Coach Schye said. “The competition is what we needed. She’s a younger runner and she’s going to continue to develop and do really well.”

Junior Shay Garfield took third in shot put with a new personal best of 30-5 ¼. Garfield also took fourth place in discus with a throw of 79-4. She had a throw of 74-1 in javelin.

J. Nicholson tied for fifth in the high jump after clearing 4-10. H. Nicholson cleared 4-8 and tied for ninth place.

Mariah Green tied for sixth place in the pole vault after clearing 6-0.

Sophomore Ella Schye took ninth place in discus with a throw of 67-9.

Sophomore TaChante Cole took tenth place in the 800 with a time of 3:04.70.

With the postseason looming, the M-ettes have done great things but Coach Schye knows that no crowns have been given yet.

“I think the divisional race will be pretty tight,” Coach Schye said. “It could be between four or five schools, we haven’t clearly established dominance, no one has established dominance.”

With the way the team has performed there is a chance the M-ettes could take the District 2B crown for the first time since 2009.