Panthers all improve at Seeley Invite

There were sunny skies and high temperatures at the Seeley-Swan Invitational Track Meet at Big Sky High School in Missoula Saturday and Mineral County’s track teams used them to their full advantage.

“It’s been so cold I think the kids have been a little frustrated with their times, but it’s getting nice out and kids are doing better and they’re getting excited,” Alberton head coach Rachael Clevenger said.

The Alberton Panthers had one of their best meets of the year with nearly every athlete improving their time, Clevenger said.

“I couldn’t have been happier; we had quite a few kids place and it was a big meet,” Clevenger said.

The Lady Panthers came in 11th pace Saturday with an overall score of 17.

Jenna Rausch placed third in the 800-meter dash with a time of 2:39.66, Cleo Talbot placed fifth in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 6:01.22, Shauna Hendrickson placed second in the triple jump with a distance of 32 feet 2 inches. The girl’s 400 relay team took home sixth place with a time of 54.97.

“We had lots of personal bests on Saturday, which is probably the perfect time to get them, right before districts,” Clevenger said.

The boys finished eighth in the meet with an overall score of 27.

Blaine Myrstol finished sixth in the 100-meter run and fifth in the 200-meter run with times of 11.84 and 24.52. In the javelin, Jerry Brovold finished second with a distance of 158 feet, 11 inches and Phillip Brovold finished fourth with a distance of 158 feet, 3 inches. Jordan Johnson won the long jump event with a distance of 20 feet 3 inches. The boys 1,600 hundred relay team got fifth place with a time of 3:48.47.

“They all tried really hard and they improved really well and it’s a great step into the next meet for them,” Clevenger said.

The Superior Lady Bobcats finished 15th with a score of five for the day.

Shelby Cooper took sixth in the 100-meter and fifth in the 200-meter with times of 13.38 and 27.90. Jessica Taylor placed fifth in shot put with a distance of 29 feet 10 inches.

The Superior boys finished the meet in 12th place with a score of 19.

Bajin Smith took fourth place in the 400-meter and fifth place in the 800-meter with times of 53.96 and 2:07.80, as well as fourth place in the long jump with a distance of 18 feet 7 inches. Jake Higgins took sixth place in the discus with a distance of 119 feet 11 inches. Tyler Stenberg took second place in the triple jump with a distance of 40 feet 7 inches.

Superior head coach Tori Lucier said Stenberg’s performance was particularly impressive since he has not competed since the Top Ten Meet in Missoula April 22.

The St. Regis Tigers could not send a boys team to the meet Saturday due to injuries. However, their girls team managed to take 14th place with a score of nine for the day.

Brianna Managhan took sixth place in the 300 hurdles with a time of 54.91. Ryanne Burklund set a personal best for herself in the javelin with a distance of 117 feet, 7 inches.

“The girls are working hard and they should all have a good chance of making it to divisionals,” Tigers head coach Gena Ferlan said.

The overall meet winner for the girls was Florence with a score of 100. The Thompson Falls boys team won their match with a score of 99.

All three Mineral County teams will compete in the District Track Meet in Polson Thursday. The top six competitors in each event will go on to compete at the Divisional Meet in Missoula on May 16 and 17.

Ferlan said she was encouraging and welcoming anyone who wanted to come out and support the track team at Thursday’s district meet.

“The more fans we have out there cheering the better we’ll do,” Ferlan said.