Eight grader Hunter Preston makes his final attempt at 5 foot 10 inches. He cleared it for a new personal and school record and first place in the high jump.
Gabrielle Henry hands off the baton to Kaycee Salter after the first leg of the Sixth Grade 4x100 relay. The pair were joined by Kilty Hanson and Lily Van Grinsven and finished in 1:03.82 minutes for sixth place.
Brady Schmill and Corbin Weltzien head down the track in the Sixth Grade 100-meter. Schmill won the event in 13.45 seconds and Weltzien took third in 13.96 seconds.
Potomac sixth grader Morgan O'Hara sends the shot flying. She took third with a throw of 20 feet 11 inches.
POTOMAC – Thirteen Potomac athletes took to the track at the Meet of Champions (MOC), May 21 and set several new personal records and finished in the top three. Coach Beth Copenhaver said she was proud of the team and they had a great season where each student worked hard and improved.
This year the Potomac Pioneers track and field team included 18 athletes including six eighth graders. Copenhaver said this year they really focused on the mindset of trying and responsibility.
"My goal was to help these kids understand that we individually are responsible for the effort we put into things that are important to us," said Copenhaver. "They also need to start with believing in themselves."
Copenhaver was very impressed with the two relay teams – the sixth grade girls 4x100 and eighth grade boys 4X400.
The girls 4X100 relay included only one sixth grader Lily Van Grinsven. The other three were fifth graders Gabrielle Henry, Kaycee Salter and Kilty Hanson. The first time they ran together was at the Copper League Qualifier May 10. They qualified with a time of 1:03.44. At the MOC they took sixth with a time of 1:03.82.
The boys 4×400 relay included eighth graders Hunter Preston, Emmett Zander and Keith Zander and sixth grader Brady Schmill. They set a new Potomac school record of 4:20:11 at the April 25 meet in Missoula. They substituted Schmill for seventh grader Alex Duello at the Meet of Champions and took fifth with a time of 4:28.99.
"Each of those relay teams worked together and left it all on the track for each other," said Copenhaver.
Added to Potomac's record book was seventh grader Penelope Russell. She set a new school record in the 200m with a time of 29.85 at the Copper League Qualifier May 10. She also set a new long jump record of 14 feet at the April 18 meet.
Eighth grader Hunter Preston also set four school records this year. He set a new record in the 100m hurdles of 15.62 and javelin of 125 feet during the regular season.
At the Meet of Champions Preston threw a PR in the discus, bumping the school record to 101 feet, 5 inches. He also set a new PR in the high jump clearing 5 feet, 10 inches, a new school record and missing the MOC record by only 2 inches.
Sixth grader Brady Schmill led the boys team at the MOC taking the gold in four of his five events. Sixth grader Morgan O'Hara led the girls setting two new PRs for the win in the discus and javelin and taking third in the shot put.
"Overall I was really proud of all my athletes that showed up and worked hard," said Copenhaver. "This was a great group of kids this year. They are the reason I volunteer my time. It often only takes one person to believe in a kid for them to start believing in themselves."
Potomac MOC Results - *Notes Personal Record
Boys
6th Grade Events
• Brady Schmill: 1st – 100m, 13.45a; 1st – 200m, 28.64a; 1st – 400m, 1:04.53a; 1st – Discus, 100-11*; 5th – High Jump, 4-06
• Corbin Weltzien: 3rd – 100m, 13.96a*; 8th – 800m, 3:03.95a; 7th – Shot Put, 22-04.25*; 2nd – Discus, 80-07; 3rd – Long Jump, 13-09.50
8th Grade Events
• Hunter Preston: 2nd – 100m Hurdles, 15.77a; 7th – Discus, 101-05*; 4th – Javelin, 123-04*; 1st – High Jump, 5-10*; 5th – 4x400 Relay, 4:28.99a
• Keith Zander: 7th – 400m, 1:03.38a; 6th – 800m, 2:36.52a*; 5th – 4x400 Relay, 4:28.99a
• Emmett Zander: 8th – 100m Hurdles, 18.53a; 5th – 4x400 Relay, 4:28.99a
• Alex Duello: 5th – 4x400 Relay, 4:28.99a
Girls
6th Grade Events
• Morgan O'Hara: 3rd – Shot Put, 20-11; 1st – Discus, 60-02*; 1st – Javelin, 69-02*
• Lily Van Grinsven: 5th – Shot Put, 20-02; 7th – Javelin, 53-04; 6th – 4x100 Relay, 1:03.82a
• Jaylee Zander: 4th – Discus, 48-09.50*
• Gabrielle Henry, Kaycee Salter & Kilty Hanson: 6th – 4x100 Relay, 1:03.82a
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