County track meet sees 35-year-old record broken
Libby senior Shannon Reny launches a 38 foot 8.25 inch shot put throw, setting a new school record, at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Gavin Strom wins the long jump with a personal record 23 feet 10 inch jump at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. The jump qualified Strom for state. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Emily Mossburg clears the bar at 4 foot 8 inches at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. Mossburg won the event with a 4 foot 10 inch jump.
Finishing with a time of 6:10.76, Libby junior Lauren Thorstenson wins the 1,600m run at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Troy freshman Liz Morkeberg competes in the javelin throw during the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. The only freshman in the event, Morkeberg threw a personal record 50 feet 2 inches. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Troy sophomore Ricki Fisher lays glides over the bar at a personal record 5 feet 4 inches during the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby juniors Isabella Hollingsworth and Emma Gruber and Troy sophomore Ella Pierce compete in the 100m hurdles at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. Gruber won the event in 17.29 seconds, and Hollingsworth set a season record of 17.59 seconds. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Troy sophomore Brodie Gravier competes in the long jump at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby junior Ethan Beck competes in the long jump at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby freshman Keilan Rausch competes in the long jump at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby junior Eli Smith competes in the long jump at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Troy sophomore Ricki Fisher competes in the long jump at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Shannon Reny roars out a 38 foot 8.25 inch shot put throw, setting a new school record, at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Troy sophomore Ella Pierce clears the bar at 4 feet 8 inches at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby freshman Halona LaFleur eyes the bar as she clears it during the pole vault at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby sophomore Jaycee Thornock clears the bar in the pole vault at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby sophomore Jaycee Thornock eyes the bar during the pole vault at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Troy sophomore Ella Pierce competes in the long jump at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Gavin Strom wins the 100m dash in 11.94 seconds with junior Eli Smith close behind at 12.37 seconds during the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Troy sophomore Ella Pierce crosses the finish line in the 100m hurdles in 18.84 seconds during the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby junior Isabella Hollingsworth finishes the 100m hurdles in second place with a season record time of 17.59 seconds at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby junior Emma Gruber crosses the finish line after winning the 100m hurdles in 17.29 seconds at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby juniors Isabella Hollingsworth and Emma Gruber and Troy sophomore Ella Pierce compete in the 100m hurdles at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. Gruber won the event in 17.29 seconds, and Hollingsworth set a season record of 17.59 seconds. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby sophomore Jaycee Thornock competes in the long jump at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby freshman Olivia Gilliam-Smith competes in the long jump at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby sophomore Kylee Quinn finished the 1,600m run in second place with a season record time of 6:40.12, followed closely by freshman Halona LaFleur with a 6:44.96, at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Gavin Strom competes in the high jump at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. Strom won the event with a 6 foot jump. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby freshman Halona LaFleur competes in the 1,600m run at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby junior Lauren Thorstenson, freshman Halona LaFleur and sophomore Kylee Quinn compete in the 1,600m run at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. The trio finished first, third and second, respectively. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby junior Lauren Thorstenson, freshman Halona LaFleur and sophomore Kylee Quinn compete in the 1,600m run at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. The trio finished first, third and second, respectively. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby sophomore John Cheroske competes in the 1,600m run at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. Cheroske ran a personal record time of 5:08.94. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Shannon Reny competes in the javelin throw during the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Brooklyn Rainer competes in the javelin throw during the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. Rainer threw a personal record 101 feet 10 inches. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Brooklyn Rainer competes in the javelin throw during the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. Rainer threw a personal record 101 feet 10 inches. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Shannon Reny competes in the javelin throw during the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Troy freshman Liz Morkeberg competes in the javelin throw during the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. The only freshman in the event, Morkeberg threw a personal record 50 feet 2 inches. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Troy sophomore Ricki Fisher eyes the bar as he clears it at a personal record 5 feet 4 inches during the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby freshman Keilan Rausch competes in the long jump at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby junior Ethan Beck competes in the long jump at the Lincoln County Track Meet Tuesday. (Benjamin Kibbey/The Western News)
By BENJAMIN KIBBEY
The Western News
The Lincoln County track meet held in Eureka this year was a constant stream of personal records and season records broken, with one athlete breaking a Libby High School record that has stood for 35 years.
Libby senior Shannon Reny broke the latter record with her 38 foot, 8.25 inch shot put throw, also winning the event, said Head Coach Jim May, though he gave coaching credit to Coach Josh Bean.
“This time of year, when we hit the first of May, our conditioning and our training, we start to see the results of it,” he said.
Among the personal best performances, Libby senior Gavin Strom hit 20 feet, 10 inches in the long jump, qualifying for state. In the girls 400m dash, Libby senior Emily Mossburg’s 1:01.44 also qualifies her for state.
May also noted the performances of junior Emma Gruber, who took first place in the 100m and 300m hurdles, and won the long jump with a personal best 15 feet, 2.5 inches.
“We’re seeing steady improvement from Cyrus Sweedman in the throws,” he said.
Sophomore Sweedman placed second in the shot put with a personal record 42 feet, 2 inches, and won the discus throw with a 123 foot, 3 inch personal record.
Troy didn’t have anyone in first or second place Tuesday, which was not helped by the absence of junior Hunter Leighty.
Leighty was out with a muscle injury for the county meet, but Head Coach Neil Newton said he hopes he will be able to compete in the KLH Invitational Saturday.
Both Newton and May talked about the importance at this point in the season of keeping the athletes from overdoing it before the final competitions of the year.
“There has to be a proper mix of rest and competition,” May said. “But we want the kids to have the opportunity — for several reasons — to improve their marks, but at the same time not over-do their bodies.”
For a team like Troy, with only about a dozen athletes and some of them literally having to run from the finish line of one event to the starting point of another, Newton acknowledged the rigors that come with competing in track and field, especially in multiple events.
“They’re running all over trying to get to this event, and then that event, but it’s all part of that mental toughness. You’ve just gotta overcome,” he said.
Though none of Troy’s athletes placed above third in an event Tuesday, there were several personal bests. Freshman Liz Morkeberg — who is half of the girls track team — had a personal best in the discus throw at 73 feet, 11 inches, and another in the javelin at 50 feet, 2 inches.
Sophomore Ella Pierce, the other half of the girls team, had no personal records Tuesday, but maintained or improved over recent performance in all five of her events.
Junior Tyler Gromley took the highest placement of the day for Troy, placing third in the discus throw with a personal record of 87 feet, 3 inches, improving by about 3.5 feet just over his throw in the preliminaries. He also had a personal record in the javelin with 128 feet, 2 inches.
Troy sophomores Ricki Fisher and Brodie Gravier also made personal records in the high jump, at 5 feet, 4 inches and 4 feet, 8 inches respectively.
“It’s great watching those younger athletes when they do get those personal bests,” Newton said. “The little gleam in their eye — and it kind of becomes addicting to them.”
Newton said it’s great to see all of the athletes reaping the rewards of the work they have put in.
Already in the final weeks of the short season available for track and field in Montana, both coaches talked with anticipation of the great performances yet to come from their athletes.
Lincoln County track meet
Eureka, May 1, 2018
(All placing results)
Boys
100m: 1. Gavin Strom (Libby) 11.94 (PR), 2. Eli Smith (Libby) 12.37 (PR), 3. Jakeb Kindel (Eureka) 12.41 (PR), 4. Ryker Ford (Libby) 12.65, 5. Colten Clemons (Libby) 12.9, 6. Ethan Beck (Libby) 12.93 (PR), 7. Tyler Serna (Libby) 12.98 (PR), 8. Keilan Rausch (Libby) 13.37, 9. Hunter Jordan (Troy) 13.58 (PR), 10. Brodie Gravier (Troy) 13.83, 11. Michael Beers (Troy) 13.9, 12. Ethan Broden (Libby) 14.35 (SR)
200m: 1. Jay Beagle (Libby) 23.84, 2. Gavin Strom (Libby) 24.25 (PR), 3. Brian Peck (Libby) 24.64 (SR), 4. Logan Christensen (Libby) 24.94 (PR), 5. Mason Davis (Eureka) 25.01 (PR), 6. Eli Smith (Libby) 25.81 (PR), 7. Keith Johnson (Libby) 26.25 (PR), 8. Michael Beers (Troy) 27.67 (PR), 9. Ethan Broden (Libby) 29.38
400m: 1. Jay Beagle (Libby) 52.38, 2. Garrett Graves (Eureka) 53.66 (SR), 3. Hunter Carvey (Eureka) 59.14 (PR), 4. Kevin Barnes 59.47 (Libby), 5. Chandler Bower (Libby) 1:01.63 (PR), 6. Michael Beers (Troy) 1:02.37, 7. David Hawkins (Libby) 1:13.18 (PR)
800m: 1. Cory Chaney (Eureka) 2:11.4, 2. Alex Lowe (Eureka) 2:11.55, 3. Hunter Carvey (Eureka) 2:21.01, 4. John Cheroske (Libby) 2:21.02, 5. Chandler Bower (Libby) 2:25.95 (SR), 6. Royal Johnson (Troy) 2:30.87, 7. Henry Cooke (Eureka) 2:37.1 (PR)
1,600m: 1. Alex Lowe (Eureka) 5:02.2, 2. John Cheroske (Libby) 5:08.94 (PR), 3. Garrett Bates (Eureka) 5:29.67
3,200m: 1. Garrett Bates (Eureka) 11:41.57, 2. Henry Cooke (Eureka) 12:06.33 (PR)
110m Hurdles: 1. Brian Peck (Libby) 16.67 (SR), 2. Chet McCully (Eureka) 16.72
300m Hurdles: 1. Keilan Rausch (Libby) 49.48 (PR), 2. Tyler Serna (Libby) 53.6
4x100 Relay: 1. Gavin Strom, Jay Beagle, Logan Christensen, Brian Peck (Libby) 45.46; 2. Chet McCully, Mason Davis, Garrett Graves, Jakeb Kindel (Eureka) 46.01
4x400 Relay: 1. Keith Johnson, Brian Peck, Ryker Ford, Jay Beagle (Libby) 3:46.06; 2. No names in results (Eureka) 4:03.07
Shot Put: 1. Colter Szymoniak (Eureka) 46-11 (PR), 2. Cyrus Sweedman (Libby) 42-02 (PR), 3. Johnny Garcia (Eureka) 38-03.25, 4. Tyler Gromley (Troy) 34-02.75, 5. Royal Johnson (Troy) 26-05.5
Discus: 1. Cyrus Sweedman (Libby) 123-03 (PR), 2. Colter Szymoniak (Eureka) 119-10 (PR), 3. Tyler Gromley (Troy) 87-03 (PR), 4. Hunter Jordan (Troy) 84-11, 5. Johnny Garcia (Eureka) 84-06, 6. Royal Johnson (Troy) 79-08 (PR), 7. David Hawkins (Libby) 65-01 (PR), 8. Ethan Broden (Libby) 62-03 (PR)
Javelin: 1. Mason Davis (Eureka) 145-03, 2. Jakeb Kindel (Eureka) 134-06, 3. Jay Beagle (Libby) 128-11, 4. Tyler Gromley (Troy) 128-02 (PR), 5. Cory Chaney (Eureka) 122-10, 6. Cyrus Sweedman (Libby) 118-02, 7. Johnny Garcia (Eureka) 114-04, 8. Chandler Bower (Libby) 111-06, 9. AJ Pacella (Eureka) 108-10 (PR), 10. David Hawkins (Libby) 90-11
High Jump: 1. Gavin Strom (Libby) 6-00, 2. Kevin Barnes (Libby) 5-08, 2. Colten Clemons (Libby) 5-08, 4. Keith Johnson (Libby) 5-06, 5. Ricki Fisher (Troy) 5-04 (PR), 6. Brodie Gravier (Troy) 4-08 (PR)
Pole Vault: 1. Chet McCully (Eureka) 12-06 (PR), 2. Ethan Beck (Libby) 11-00, 3. AJ Pacella (Eureka) 9-06, 4. Alan Hepner (Eureka) 9-00 (PR), 5. Eli Neill (Eureka) 8-06, 6. Tyler Serna (Libby) 8-06 (PR), 6. John Cheroske (Libby) 8-06
Long Jump: 1. Gavin Strom (Libby) 20-10 (PR), 2. Garrett Graves (Eureka) 19-09.5 (PR), 3. Ethan Beck (Libby) 17-05, 4. AJ Pacella (Eureka) 17-04.5, 5. Keilan Rausch (Libby) 17-04, 6. Ricki Fisher (Troy) 16-07, 7. Eli Smith (Libby) 16-06, 8. Alan Hepner (Eureka) 16-02 (PR), 9. Brodie Gravier (Troy) 14-07.5
Triple Jump: 1. Keith Johnson (Libby) 38-08.25, 2. Logan Christensen (Libby) 36-10.5, 3. Colten Clemons (Libby) 36-08.25, 4. Eli Neill (Eureka) 35-05.5, 5. AJ Pacella (Eureka) 35-05, 6. Kevin Barnes (Libby) 35-02.75
Girls
100m: 1. Sidney Stevenson (Libby) 13.87, 2. Olivia Gilliam-Smith (Libby) 14.52, 3. Alyssa Pecora (Eureka) 14.65, 4. Emma Gruber (Libby) 14.75, 5. Jaycee Thornock (Libby) 15.26, 6. Liz Morkeberg (Troy) 15.49, 7. Savanna Sanderson (Libby) 16.06
200m: 1. Emily Mossburg (Libby) 27.47, 2. Sidney Stevenson (Libby) 27.98 (SR), 3. Olivia Gilliam-Smith (Libby) 29.13, 4. Elizabeth Pacella (Eureka) 29.35, 5. Ella Pierce (Troy) 30.83, 6. Liz Morkeberg (Troy) 32.3, 7. Megan Hanson (Eureka) 32.67 (PR), 8. Savanna Sanderson (Libby) 34.18
400m: 1. Emily Mossburg (Libby) 1:01.44 (PR), 2. Kylee Quinn (Libby) 1:12.36, 3. Shannon Reny (Libby) 1:15.32 (SR)
800m: 1. Mckay Guckenberg (Eureka) 2:32.35, 2. Lauren Thorstenson (Libby) 2:45.65, 3. Michelle Leonard (Eureka) 2:57.04 (PR), 4. Kylee Quinn (Libby) 3:04.64
1,600m: 1. Lauren Thorstenson (Libby) 6:10.76, 2. Kylee Quinn (Libby) 6:40.12 (SR), 3. Halona LaFleur (Libby) 6:44.96
3,200m: 1. Mckay Guckenberg (Eureka) 12:50.74 (PR), 2. Halona LaFleur (Libby) 14:48.41
100m Hurdles: 1. Emma Gruber (Libby) 17.29, 2. Isabella Hollingsworth (Libby) 17.59 (SR), 3. Ella Pierce (Troy) 18.84
300m Hurdles: 1. Emma Gruber (Libby) 51.25, 2. Isabella Hollingsworth (Libby) 53.15
4x100 Relay: 1. Isabella Hollingsworth, Emily Mossburg, Olivia Gilliam-Smith, Sidney Stevenson (Libby) 53.11
4x400 Relay: 1. Olivia Gilliam-Smith, Sidney Stevenson, Lauren Thorstenson, Emily Mossburg (Libby) 4:15.96; 2. Elizabeth Pacella, Michelle Leonard, Megan Hanson, Alyssa Pecora (Eureka) 4:53.27
Shot Put: 1. Shannon Reny (Libby) 38-08.25 (School Record), 2. Megan Hanson (Eureka) 30-10 (PR), 3. Brooklyn Rainer (Libby) 27-02.5 (PR), 4. Autumn Fajotina (Libby) 26-07 (PR)
Discus: 1. Megan Hanson (Eureka) 94-10, 2. Brooklyn Rainer (Libby) 92-06, 3. Shannon Reny (Libby) 88-08, 4. Liz Morkeberg (Troy) 73-11 (PR), 5. Autumn Fajotina (Libby) 66-09, 6. Halona LaFleur (Libby) 46-00
Javelin: 1. Michelle Leonard (Eureka) 105-11 (PR), 2. Megan Hanson (Eureka) 104-00, 3. Brooklyn Rainer (Libby) 101-10 (PR), 4. Shannon Reny (Libby) 101-06, 5. Liz Morkeberg (Troy) 50-02 (PR)
High Jump: 1. Emily Mossburg (Libby) 4-10, 2. Ella Pierce (Troy) 4-08
Pole Vault: 1. Elizabeth Pacella (Eureka) 8-00, 2. Isabella Hollingsworth (Libby) 7-06 (PR), 3. Michelle Leonard (Eureka) 6-06 (PR), 3. Halona LaFleur (Libby) 6-06 (PR), 5. Jaycee Thornock (Libby) 6-00 (SR)
Long Jump: 1. Emma Gruber (Libby) 15-02.25 (PR), 2. Elizabeth Pacella (Eureka) 14-11.25, 3. Alyssa Pecora (Eureka) 14-06, 4. Kylee Quinn (Libby) 14-00.25, 5. Jaycee Thornock (Libby) 12-10.5, 6. Olivia Gilliam-Smith (Libby) 12-10, 7. Savanna Sanderson (Libby) 12-07, 8. Ella Pierce (Troy) 12-03.75
Triple Jump: 1. Elizabeth Pacella (Eureka) 33-02.5, 2. Isabella Hollingsworth (Libby) 31-01.5, 3. Jaycee Thornock (Libby) 28-09, 4. Brittany Browning (Libby) 28-02 (PR), 5. Savanna Sanderson (Libby) 26-11.75 (PR), 6. Autumn Fajotina (Libby) 23-02.25 (PR)