Superior heptathlete Reese earns trip to national meet
Superior graduate Sorren Reese prepares to let the javelin fly during this year's Montana B-C Divisionals in Frenchtown. Reese recently advanced to the USATF finals in the heptathlon at the end of July. (Chuck Bandel/MI-VP
The legacy continues to grow for Superior High School track and field standout Sorren Reese.
Now graduated and awaiting the beginning of her college career, Reese had two important meets in which she hoped to compete.
The first was a trip to the USA Track and Field (USATF) Region 11 championships in Orem, Utah last week. At stake was a coveted trip to the national finals at the end of July.
A two-time state B-C champion in the javelin, Reese was competing for just the second time ever in the heptathlon, a grueling, two-day competition that tests women athletes in seven different events.
Reese wrapped up her second state javelin championship in May after having won the event in her freshman year at Superior High, where she was also a standout volleyball and basketball player.
Covid entered the scene and shut down most track and field events for the next two years before resuming this season with the B-C state championships in Great Falls.
She won the 2022 javelin throw with a personal best toss of 128-04. In addition, Reese, who had been battling a leg injury most of the spring, finished eighth in the 800 meters run with a time of 2:30.81, also a personal best.
By the time the 800 meters event got underway, the last in the heptathlon events at this year's Region 11 meet, she was fourth in the heptathlon standings. The top two competitors from each event advance to the nationals, which are being held in Sacramento, California this year.
“She once again did it in dramatic fashion,” said her father, John Reese of his daughter’s last minute surge to the medals stand. “She has ice in her veins, I swear”.
Reese was able to turn on the afterburners and beat two other competitors who had a chance to qualify and move on by more than 20 seconds, allowing her to “leapfrog” into second place overall and earn a trip to Sacramento.
With presumably the last meet in her sub-college career coming up, Reese will be looking to begin her college career this Falls when she enters Carroll College (Helena) on a track and field and academic scholarship.
Only nationals remain on the pre-College schedule, and as many Montana track and field fans have learned, don’t count her out.