Superior track opens season at Blue Devil Invitational
Superior sophomore Braelynn Mangold is among those expected to have solid seasons this year for the Lady Bobcats, shown here during last year's Divisional 800 meters event. (Chuck Bandel/VP-MI)
As one of the few teams in the area to have already competed in an early season track meet, the Superior High boys and girls got a sneak preview of their up and coming athletes.
Faced with the prospect of replacing three top performers from last year, including state B-C javelin champion Sorren Reese, who is now throwing the spear for Carroll College (Helena), and two other top point getters, head coach Logan Labbe’s Bobcats opened the 2023 season this past weekend at the Blue Devil Invitational meet in Corvallis.
The varsity women finished fourth in the team competition at Corvallis, while the men came in eighth in a mostly Class A division field, giving Labbe of glimpse of this year’s team.
In addition to no longer having the multiple event standout Reese on the team, Labbe listed Cassie Green and Silas Acker as two key losses from last year, both of whom were seniors.
Waiting and training to replace the loss of what Labbe said were “senior leaders” are several multi-sport standouts, including senior Isabella Pereira, a fifth place state finisher in the 100 meters last year. Pereira recently signed a scholarship offer to continue her track career at Whitworth College in Spokane next year.
The speedy senior is also a standout in the 200 meters event, as well as the pole vault.
Pereira is expected to have lots of help, with a solid group of returnees from last year coming back for the 2023 season.
Heading the list is state 126-pound wrestling champion Decker Milender, a senior, who placed third in the 800 meters event this past weekend in Corvallis and finished fourth in the pole vault at the same meet.
Another top returner for the men’s team is Lucas Kovalsky, a junior pole vaulter who is expected to add team points to the Bobcats’ cause.
On the girls side, Labbe said senior Molly Patko is in line to lead both relays (4X100 and 4X400 meters) this year. Also expected to have standout seasons are Alysha Ryan, a junior hurdler, sophomore Braelynn Mangold in the middle distance running events, and Akasha Azune, a senior long-distance runner.
While Pereira did not compete in Corvallis, Ryan finished 11th in a talented 100 meters field and fourth in the 300 meter hurdles this past weekend.
Mangold also had a good opening meet for the Lady Bobcats, picking up a pair of second place medals, one in the triple jump, the other in the women’s 800 meters run.
“We have a very talented and hard-working group,” Labbe said. “We have some great senior leaders for our overall young team”.
When asked what areas he hopes the team improves in, Labbe said simply, “confidence”.
Superior will travel to Polson this Friday for the Dave Tripp Memorial Invitational, then will participate in the Bigfork meet the following Saturday, April 8.