Records Fall at Meet of Champions

MISSOULA – After a slow start to the track season with heavy snow and cold weather, the Seeley Lake Elementary Eagles and Potomac Pioneers had a record-breaking showing at the Meet of Champions (MOC) May 15. While competing against 16 other middle schools from around the county, SLE walked away with two MOC records and six new school records, seven total for the year. Potomac broke two school records.

SLE Eagles

There were 43 athletes out for track for the Eagles with 17 seventh graders and 18 eighth graders. Even though it took a long time to be able to practice on the track, the weather at the meets was favorable.

"Throughout the season the kids were just steadily progressing and getting their times better and personal records in the throwing and jumping," said Head Coach Brett Haines. "I was really happy with the Meet of Champions."

At the MOC, seventh-graders Wyatt Stout and Kaden Thornsberry battled it out in the 800m and 1600m. Thornsberry took Stout by one second in the 800m placing second behind Washington's Patrick Sale by 0.03 second. Stout claimed the gold in the 1600m beating Thornsberry by 0.21 second.

"Kaden worked so hard and to come that close twice. It wasn't because of lack of effort. He competed really hard and gave it everything he had," said Haines.

Seventh grader Klayton Kovatch added another first for the Eagles with a throw of 101-03 in the discus.

Owen Hoag won the 400 meter with a time of 59:05. He also anchored the mile relay team that took Hellgate by 0.02 seconds and broke C.S. Porter's 1998 MOC record of 4:17.2 by three and half seconds.

Haines said that was a phenomenal race. At the qualifier they beat Hellgate in the 4X400 relay by four seconds.

At the MOC, Thornsberry led the team against Hellgate's top runner Cooper Bailey. Stout maintained with Hellgate during his leg passing off to Sean Mercado, who Haines said, "had a fantastic race." Hoag was behind when Mercado handed off. Hellgate's anchor was able to hold him off until the final corner and then Hoag started gaining on the straight-away.

"Owen just kept coming and ran him down and got him at the line. It was probably one of the best races I've watched ever," said Haines who added that Hellgate "really came on and ran a fantastic race."

For the eighth grade boys, Haines said that he was really proud of Sawyer Shelmerdine and how well he did. Shelmerdine set a new PR in the javelin with a throw of 124 feet placing him fourth. He also took second in the 800m with a time of 2:18.95. This broke SLE's school record of 2:19.09 set by Logan Maughan in 2014.

"There was no shame in that second place for Sawyer," said Haines. "That was an awesome finish and got a school record."

Sixth-graders Hattie Batchelder and Ava Thornsberry both set PRs in the 100m and 800m. Thornsberry's was an eight second PR with a time of 2:51.14 placing fourth.

The coaches were really proud of seventh-graders Grace Mercado and Tia Good who both earned PRs in their events and showed great improvement all season.

Seventh-grader Emily Maughan tweaked her knee during warm-ups at the meet. Haines said she did not perform as well as she could have in the 100m and was pulled from the 200m race that she was expected to win.

"We absolutely could not lose her on that mile relay team or that record was probably not going to get broken," said Haines. "I'm looking forward to good things from her next year since she is a runner and a jumper."

Emily still won the long jump and set a new SLE record jumping three inches farther than Klaire Kovatch's 15 feet 3 inch record set in 2016. She also was a part of the eighth grade 4X100 and 4X400 meter relay teams.

For the eighth-graders, Haines said Trista Wendel was one of the reasons the 4X100m broke the SLE record set in 1992.

"She worked really hard at that and put a lot of effort into that," said Haines.

After a heartbreaking MOC second place last year, eighth-grader Hannah Ayers left the competition in the dust on the 1600m finishing 16 seconds before her closest competitor and setting a new PR of 5:39.85. She also placed third behind teammate Sariah Maughan in the 800m and was on the 4X400m relay team that set a new MOC record.

Eighth-grader Sariah Maughan won the 400m breaking her 2017 SLE record by 0.4 seconds and just missed the MOC record. She placed second in both the 200m and was edged out by Hellgate's Brooke Stayner by 0.08 seconds in the 800m. Her 800m time of 2.26.84 beat her 2017 SLE record by more than a second.

"She doubled in the 400 and 800 and they are back to back," said Haines. "If she came in fresh to the 800 it may have been different."

While not at the MOC, Sariah beat SLE's 1600m record of 5:31 set by Caitlyn Stone in 2004 by two seconds.

"Sariah is probably one of the most decorated athletes that has come out of Seeley Lake Track and Field with all the records she has been a part of," said Haines. "She is a phenomenal athlete."

To wrap up the meet, the Eagles walked away with the 4X400m relay claiming the gold 15 seconds before second place Frenchtown crossed the finish line. Grace Mercado laid down a four second PR for the first leg. This put the team in the lead. Emily and Ayers continued to add to the lead and Sariah finished "putting that one in the record books."

The new eighth grade girls MOC record dropped from 4:33.22 set in 2012 by Paige Holmes, Stephanie Robbins, Mary Strumpfer and Alex Bohlman to 4:22.51. This also set a new SLE record beating their record from last year by 10 seconds. This year Mercado replaced Clara Tresser on the relay team.

"It was a great group of kids this year. I just love track and field, a sport where kids can go out and set their own goals and achieve them," said Haines who was really pleased with all the success from this year. "We are going to miss our eighth grade kids and we wish them the best of luck next year. I hope they will all go out for track."

SLE MOC Results - *Notes Personal Record

6th Grade Boys

• Austin Gonzalez: 10th – 4X100m relay, 1:02.44

• Tyler Haines: 10th – 4X100m relay, 1:02.44

• Cannon Hawkinson: 4th – 200m, 30.37; 4th – 400m, 1:09.05*; 10th – 4X100m relay, 1:02.44

• Dylan Wilkinson: 10th – 4X100m relay, 1:02.44

6th Grade Girls

• Bailey Bartlett: 9th – 4X100m relay, 1:05.21

• Hattie Batchelder: 9th – 100m relay, 15.52*; 9th – 4X100m relay, 1:05.21

• Cora Stone: 9th – 4X100m relay, 1:05.21

• Ava Thornsberry: 4th – 800m, 2:51.14*; 9th – 4X100m relay, 1:05.21

7th Grade Boys

• Cullen Bertsch: 6th – 4X100m relay, 55.69; 5th – High Jump, 4-02

• Owen Hoag: 1st – 400m, 59.05*; 6th – 4X100m relay, 55.69; 1st – 4X400 relay, 4:13.74*

• Klayton Kovatch: 6th – 4X100m relay, 55.69; 1st – Discus, 101-03; 6th – Javelin, 85-11

• Sean Mercado: 5th – 400m, 1:05.11*; 6th – 4X100m relay, 55.69; 1st – 4X400 relay, 4:13.74*; 4th – Javelin, 93.10

• Johnny Stout: 9th – Discus, 68-08

• Wyatt Stout: 3rd – 800m, 2:33.67; 1st – 1600m, 5:38.45; 1st – 4X400 relay, 4:13.74*

• Kaden Thornsberry: 2nd – 800m, 2:32.65*; 2nd – 1600m, 5:38.76; 1st – 4X400 relay, 4:13.74*

7th Grade Girls

• Trista Alexander: 7th – 4X100m relay, 59.53

• Emily Maughan: 5th – 100m, 14.03; 1st – 8th grade 4X100m relay, 54.41; 1st – 8th grade 4X400m relay, 4:22.51; 1st – Long Jump, 15-06.5*

• Grace Mercado: 5th – 400m, 1:08.60*; 7th – 4X100m relay, 59.53; 4th – 4X400m relay, 4:58.43; 1st – 8th grade 4X400m relay, 4:22.51; 3rd – Shot Put, 23-11.00*

• Tia Good: 4th – 800m, 2:46.57*; 7th – 4X100m relay, 59.53; 4th – 4X400m relay, 4:58.43

• Tru Good: 1st – 8th grade 4X100m relay, 54.41; 4th – 4X400m relay, 4:58.43

• Danni Sexton: 7th – 4X100m relay, 59.53; 4th – 4X400m relay, 4:58.43; 5th – Javelin, 72-06*

8th Grade Boys

• Will Batchelder: 10th – 400m, 1:05.34

• Ty Castillon: 7th – Discus, 88-03

• Chase Haines: 4th – 100m hurdles, 17.82

• Seth Richardson: 9th – 800m, 2:36:16*

• Sawyer Shelmerdine: 2nd – 800m, 2:18.95*; 4th – Javelin, 124-00*

8th Grade Girls

• Hannah Ayers: 3rd – 800m, 2:38.20*; 1st - 1600m, 5:39.85*; 1st – 4X400m relay, 4:22.51*

• Trista Wendel: 1st – 4X100m relay, 54.41; 1st – 4X400m relay, 4:22.51*

• Sariah Maughan: 2nd – 100m, 13.64*; 1st – 400m, 1:01.59*; 2nd – 800m, 2:26.84*; 1st – 4X100m relay, 54.41; 1st – 4X400m relay, 4:22.51*

Potomac Pioneers

The Potomac Pioneers also had a successful season finishing strong at the MOC again this year. They had 15 athletes on the team with at least one athlete in each event and many students tried several new events this year.

The Schmill brothers earned the blue ribbons for the Pioneer boys. Sixth-grader Brady threw for a 70-03 win in the discus by more than eight feet. Eighth-grader Garrett placed first by 0.05 seconds and set a new school record with his 400m time of 57.19.

For the girls, sixth-grader Penelope Russell won the 200m finishing 0.09 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. She placed in the top four with new PRs in four out of five of her events.

"There were many records broken this year, including the men's 100, 200, 400, high jump and triple jump and the women's 200 and 400," wrote Head Coach Raynee Pace in an email. "My favorite part was watching the athletes beat their own personal records!"

Potomac MOC Results - *Notes Personal Record

Girls

• Penelope Russell (6th Grade): 1st – 200m, 30.34*; 10th – 400m, 1:20.79; 4th – 100m Hurdles, 19.54*; 3rd – High Jump, 4-00*; 3rd – Long Jump, 12-09.5*

• Elizabeth Boyd (8th Grade): 9th – Discus, 53-07.5

Boys

• Brady Schmill (6th Grade): 1st – Discus, 70-03; 3rd – High Jump, 4-02

• Corbin Welzien (6th Grade): 6th – 800m, 2:50.78*; 9th – Discus, 49-02.5; 4th – High Jump, 4-00

• Hunter Preston (7th Grade): 4th – 100m Hurdles, 17.33*; 10th – Discus, 58-08.5; 3rd – Javelin, 104-00*

• Emmett Zander (7th Grade): 8th – Discus, 70-07; 5th – Triple Jump, 29-07

• Keith Zander (7th Grade): 6th – Triple Jump, 28.05

• Garrett Schmill (8th Grade): 5th – 100m, 12.69; 1st – 400m, 57.19*; 7th – High Jump, 4-10