Savage Heat light up track at first meet

HOT SPRINGS – Athletes battled the biting wind and spitting rain to run, throw and jump their way to the top. The Hot Springs Track and Field team traveled to Ronan on Saturday, March 29 to compete in their first track meet of the season.

Very few of the Savage Heat athletes were able to compete at the meet because several of them had not completed the required 10 practices. This was partly due to previous commitments and partly due to some late team recruits. Despite their small numbers, the Hot Springs team still did very well at the Ronan Invitational.

Savage Heat athlete Anthony Byrns placed first in the 200 meter dash with a time of 24.02 seconds. Bryns also got first place in the 400 meter dash with a time of 55.15, three seconds faster than the runner-up. Bryns’ wins procured some important points for his team.

His teammate Tanner Hoff also placed in two events. Hoff came in third place in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 17.28 seconds. Hoff did just as well in the 300 hurdles placing third again with a 44.11 seconds time.

In the jumping events, Jack Dolson and Jarod White held their own against the competition. Dolson tied for first place in the high jump event by reaching a height of six feet. Senior Jarod White took fifth place in the triple jump with a distance of 38 feet and five inches.

Neither of the Lady Savage Heat athletes were able to compete at the Ronan Invitational but will be in the next meet.

Out of the five Hot Springs Track team members that did compete in Ronan, four of them placed. The Savage Heat finished in fifth place overall with 42 total points. Head Coach Vicky Nytes was more than pleased with the performance of her team.

“It was an excellent first meet. We took fifth competing against mainly Class B schools and with a very small team,” Coach Nytes said. “Everyone who did compete did very well. It was a great starting off point.”

Coach Nytes was proud of all her athletes that placed but she was especially proud of freshman Blain Carr who ran the 1600 meter event. She said he finished with a very respectable time, especially for a freshman.

The Savage Heat team will only get better and better. They will be close to their full numbers by the next track meet and two senior athletes are expected to return in a couple weeks.

Jimmy Holland and Amanda Woods have been out due to injury but are expected back in mid-April. Both are accomplished athletes so their return to the team is anticipated. But in the meantime, the Savage Heat athletes continue to improve.

“Most of them started where they left off last year which was great because we did not have to backtrack but could move forward,” Coach Nytes said. “Some of them even had a personal best at the invitational.”

Next, the Savage Heat will travel to the University of Montana for the Jim Johnson Invitational hosted by Alberton. The meet will be April 3 which is a Thursday.

“Now it is just a matter of continuing the work and keeping the momentum going,” Coach Nytes said. “With the weather improving we will be able to work on starts and things like that.”