Malta teams second in 2B meet

The Malta Mustangs and M-ettes track teams fared well in Glasgow last Saturday, May 12, as they both took home the second place trophy at the 2018 District 2B Track Meet.

Thirteen M-ettes and twelve Mustangs will represent Malta in the 2018 Northern B Divisional in Great Falls on Saturday, May 19.

Glasgow won both 2B meets with a total of 254 in the Men's event and a total of 224 in the Women's event. The Mustangs had a total of 132 points, while the M-ettes posted a total of 160. Wolf Point was third in both meets with a total of 70 in the Men's event and 47 in the Women's Event.

Mustangs

Malta's men were led by freshman Cormac Benn, who won the long jump event by clearing 19-4.25 and the high jump by clearing 5-8.

Benn had been recovering from a hip injury but felt good during his first district meet.

"My legs felt great and I was able to jump really high," Benn said of his long jump. "It wasn't my best jump ever but it won it."

Both Malta relay teams won their respective events. The long relay team consisting of Travis Epperson, Michael Pugh, Kooper Oxarart, and Benn won with a time of 3:46.07. The short relay team consisting of Pugh, Benn, Kevin Henry, and Tanner Smith took first place with a time of 46.21.

"I think we did pretty good," Smith said. "Our handoffs have gotten better over the last couple of meets," Smith said. "The handoffs are key for us."

Smith, a sophomore, took second in high jump by clearing 5-6. Smith also took third in the 200 with a time of 24.66, third in triple jump with a mark at 38-7.5, and fourth in long jump with a mark at 18-2.5.

Though a fierce competitor, Smith missed out on state last season. This season, he believes things will be different and not only because of his efforts.

"I just have more competition," Smith said. "Cormac and I push each other and that has helped me out throughout the year. We kind of go back-and-forth throughout the meets."

Junior Shozabro Mine placed in both hurdle events. He took second in the 110 hurdles with a personal best of 19.80 and fourth in the 300 hurdles with a personal best of 48.66. Mine also qualified in high jump by placing sixth after clearing 5-4.

Malta junior Andres Lopez took second place in shot put with a throw of 43-2 and fourth in discus with a throw of 118-3.

Magnus Franzen, a junior, also qualified in both hurdle events, taking third in the 300 hurdles with a personal best of 48.13 and taking third in the 110 hurdles with a time of 20.99.

Kooper Oxarart, a freshman, took third in javelin with a personal best of 128-6.

Junior Kaden Bergos took fourth in the 110 hurdles with a personal best of 21.40 and fifth in the 300 hurdles with a personal best of 49.21.

Michael Pugh, a junior, took fourth in the 100 with a time of 12.48 and fifth in the 200 with a time 25.08.

Freshman Cordel Salsbery took fifth in discus with a personal best of 116-7. Salsbery took sixth in shot put with a throw 38-0.

Kevin Henry, a junior, placed fifth in the 100 with a time of 12.28 and sixth in the 200 with a time of 25.70.

Freshman Pierce Mortenson took fifth in shot put with a personal best of 38-3.50.

Travis Epperson, a senior, qualified for divisionals in the 400, placing sixth and posting a personal best of 57.34.

M-ettes

The M-ettes were led by freshman Erica Smith who qualified in five events while winning two and taking second in the other three.

Smith won the long jump and triple jump with marks at 15-3.5 and 33-3.75. Smith took second place in 100 with a time of 13.46, second in the 200 with a time of 13.46, and second in the high jump after clearing 4-8.

"I was way more confident with myself than I usually am, so that helped a lot," Smith said.

Smith was locked into a jump-off with Glasgow's Kaylee King. Though Smith kept up with King after several jumps, King eventually cleared 4-9, Smith did not.

"I cleared 4-8 by a lot but at 4-9 I leaned too much into it, but yeah it was good," Smith said.

Smith had not been in a jump off all season but competed well against the Glasgow senior.

"It was fun because it made my energy level go up," Smith said. "I was like, 'I gotta do this.' I am very competitive."

Kelbee Denham, a sophomore, took first place in the 100-meter hurdles with a tie of 19.38, a season's best. Denham also took fourth in the 300 hurdles with a season's best of 55.24, and fifth in triple jump after leaving a mark of 27-5.5.

Senior Kyleigh Schipman won the javelin event with a throw of 113-2.

The long relay team consisting of Leslie Young, Adessa Judd, Wylee Young and TaChante' Cole took first place with a time of 4:34.32.

Cole, a senior, took second place in the 800 and the 1600 meter runs. She had a time of 5:57.80 in the 1600 and a season's best of 2:37.32 in the 800.

Sophomore Jillian O'Brien took second place in the 100 hurdles with a time of 19.41, a personal best. O'Brien also took fifth in the 300 hurdles with a personal best of 56.08.

Judd, a senior, took third place in the 400 with a time of 1:03.93, a new personal best. Judd also took fifth in the 100 with a personal best of 14.05.

Carly Garfield took third place in shot put with a personal best of 31-11.5 and sixth in discus with a season record of 93-1.

The short relay team consisting of Wylee Young, Ella Schye, Judd, and Leslie Young took third with a time of 57.49.

The short relay team had an issue getting out of the first handoff, leaving many in the crowd to believe that they were disqualified, but it was another team that botched their handoff.

"I was too far ahead to get the baton, so I stopped," Judd said. "I usually don't run second and that was the first time."

Judd still closed the gap even after falling behind. She was asked about her effort.

"I ran," Judd said. "I got the baton and I ran. I didn't want to get last."

Schye qualified for two events, taking fourth in javelin with a personal best of 98-0 and fourth in shot put with a throw of 30-11.5.

Leslie Young took fourth in the 800, with a time of 2:47.08 and sixth in the 400 with a time of 1:10.91.

Wylee Young took sixth in high jump after clearing a personal best of 4-4.

Freshman Danie Rhodes took fifth place in the 800 with a personal best of 2:58.98.

Freshman Kylie Hunter took fifth place in the 100 hurdles with a personal best of 20.83.

Freshman Kayla Judd took sixth place in the 300 hurdles with a time of 57.36.