M-ettes take 2B District Crown

The Malta M-ettes took first place at the 2016 District 2B meet in Glasgow last Saturday with a total of 230 points and twelve first place finishes. They qualified for 39 spots throughout every track and field event for the Northern B Divisional Round in Great Falls this Saturday.

Glasgow came in second with 200.5, Wolf Point took third with 49.5, Poplar was fourth with 25 points and Harlem was fifth with 10.

Sophia Stiles led the charge winning five individual events including both the 100 and 300 meter hurdle events and all three jumping events.

Stiles' first event was the high jump, which she won after clearing 5-0, but she finished clearing 5-2 and nearly clearing 5-4.

"My first two (attempts) I was a little far out to be jumping," she said. "My last one was better but I'm just saving it for state I guess."

Though Stiles has already qualified in a few events for the state meet, she is still determined to give her best effort.

"I just want to try and beat my own personal records," she said. "That's just my goal for every meet. I'm just trying to do my best and get some points for our team."

She also won the 100 hurdles with a time of 16.03 seconds, the 300 hurdles with a time of 48.28. She won the triple jump with a length of 26-7 ¾, a new best for this season.

Stiles also reset her 2B meet record in long jump with a leap of 17-8 ¾. The record was previously 17-8, a mark she set in last year's 2B meet.

Mystic Striker also pulled a hat trick winning three long distance running events, which included the 800, 1600 and 3200.

Her day started with a solid time of 12:23.80 in the 3200, a new personal best.

"I just run with my own pace to try to beat my own time," she said. "I pushed myself, so that I can be ready for the competition when I get to state."

She was 1.5 seconds away from qualifying for state, which means she will have to place next week to make it in the 3200.

She also took first in the 1600 with a time of 5:43.97 and first in the 800 with a time of 2:31.65.

Kaitlyn Smith has set the bar high this season for the school's javelin record with a throw of 145-3 and she didn't even need to come close to her record at the 2B meet in which she threw a 122-6 to take first in the event. She also won shot put with a new personal best of 37-11 ½.

Smith also placed fourth in the 100 with a new personal best of 13.44.

Mary Grace Kalal took first place in discus with a throw of 97-9. She also took fourth in javelin with a throw of 100-0.

The long relay team consisting of Smith, Kalal, Riley Mortenson and Hailey Nicholson took first with a time of 4:32.21.

Marley Manoukian took second in the 300 meter hurdles with a new personal best of 50.95. She also took second in pole vault tying her personal best of 8-0. Manoukian took second in the triple jump with a length of 33-1, third in the 100 hurdles with a time of 18.21 and third in the long jump with a leap of 15-1 ½.

Mortenson took second in the 800, nearly catching Striker at the end of the race with a time of 2:33.10 (two seconds behind Striker). Mortenson's time was a new personal best.

"Painful, fast and it kind of felt refreshing," she said of the race. "My hip has been bothering me throughout the season and today it decided to flare up on me again."

Though she was in pain she still pushed through and she felt she could've caught Striker.

"I felt like I could've if I pushed myself a little harder, I would've been able to catch her," Mortenson said with a smile. "There was determination on having to make divisionals since it is my senior year. My goal is to go to state and place and hopefully get a better placing than I had last year."

Mortenson also posted a new season's best in the 1600 with a time of 6:02.19 which was good enough for a third place finish.

Jada Nicholson took second in the high jump after clearing 4-10 before the third and fourth place finishers in the event. She also took sixth in the 200 with a time of 29.25.

Ella Schye took second in discus with a throw of 86-2.

Kyleigh Schipman took second in javelin after posting a throw of 102-08.

The short relay team consisting of Smith, Kalal, Janessa Malmend and J. Nicholson took third with a time of 55.5.

H. Nicholson took fourth in the 400 with a time of 1:05.01, which is a new best. She also tied her best of 4-10 in the high jump which was good enough for fourth place.

TaChante Cole finished fourth in the 1600 with a time of 6:02.54 and fifth in the 800 with a time of 2:43.83 which is a new personal best.

Adrianna Bibeau took fifth in shot put with a new personal best of 30-3 ½. She also took fifth in discus with a throw of 75-10.

Mariah Green took fifth in the triple jump with a length of 30-2 ½ and Malmend took sixth with a length of 29-10.