Friday, December 1
Cheney, Wash.
Montana
at
Candy Cane X
Grizzlies earn several individual titles in season-opening meet
12/2/2017 8:13:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
CHENEY, Wash. – Montana recorded several encouraging results on Saturday, during the second day of the Candy Cane X. The dual meet vs. Eastern Washington also included athletes from Central Washington and Multnomah.
"It was a great day overall," head coach Brian Schweyen said. "We had some really good performances and saw a lot of really great, exciting things from a young group."
Sophomore Carly Smiedala set a school record in the 600 meters with a time of 1:33.06. It broke Emily Eickholt's 2011 record by more than 2 full seconds.
"That's not an event typically run, but I was really proud of Carly," Schweyen said. "What a performance by her, setting a school record."
On the men's side, Eastern Washington defeated Montana, 61-42, while the women were narrowly edged, 49-47, in a meet that came down to the final event.
Some of Montana's best performances came in the shot put and high jump. Sophomore Mariah Harvey won the women's shot put (43-8.5) while freshman Brent Yeakey was the champion on the men's side (52-10). Behind Yeakey, Nick Jackson (50-6.75) and Deszmon Humphries (48-2.75) finished second and fourth, respectively.
"For a freshman to throw over 52 feet is awfully impressive," Schweyen said of Yeakey. "For Mariah, that was also a lifetime best. Every time I go into the gym, there's Mariah working hard. I'm really happy for her."
In the high jump, sophomore Jane Booth (5-8.75) and Matt Quist (7-0.5) won their events with lifetime bests and near school records. Freshmen Jansen Ziola and Abby Dodge tied for third (5-1), while on the men's side Parker Spadt (6-2.75) finished in third place and Charlie Bush (5-10.75) placed fourth.
Ziola had a strong first collegiate meet, also winning the long jump (18-325) and placing third in the pentathlon on Friday.
The Grizzlies had plenty of success in the men's heptathlon, with sophomore Grant Whitcutt coming from behind to win (4,709 points). On Friday, he won the high jump and placed second in the shot put, and on Saturday he finished third in the 55-meter hurdles (8.36) and pole vault (13-3.5).
"That was a huge lifetime best for Grant and a great performance for him," Schweyen said. "It's great to see what he's been doing."
Teammate Jordan Stow finished third while Morgan Eitel placed fourth and Noah Adams was fifth. Adams, a sophomore, won the 1000 meters (2:46.96) – the final event of the heptathlon.
Other highlights included Hannah Coburn placing second in the women's 55-meter hurdles (8.56), Chase Armstrong finishing second in the men's 55-meter hurdles (7.80), Humphries placing second in the weight throw (52-8.25) and Alanna Vann finishing third in the 55 meters (7.24).
Behind Smiedala's school-record time in the 600 meters, Emily Cheroske (1:36.61) placed third – more than 3 seconds faster than her season best a year ago – and freshman Mijah McLeod (1:41.34) was fourth. On the men's side, freshmen Trevor Henry (1:24.70) and Colton Hess (1:25.95) finished second and third, respectively.
"That was a gutsy race for a freshman," Schweyen said of Henry, who had never run the 600 meters before.
The Grizzlies also sent 14 athletes to compete in Bozeman on Saturday, competing against Carroll, Montana State and MSU-Western. Out of three events on the men's side, Montana had two champions.
Freshman Andrea Baratte (1.58.99) won the 1 mile while junior Jonathan Eastwood (15:14.15) won the 5,000 meters by more than 13 seconds.
"Jonathan had a huge PB," assistant coach Vicky Pounds said. "He showed some impressive, mature racing. Andrea led wire to wire. He definitely knows he can go faster, so it was a good opening meet for him."
On the women's side, Madeline Hamilton finished second in the 1 mile (5:20.75). In the 5,000 meters, Samantha Engebretsen took more than a minute off of her personal best.
"I thought it was a really good early meet for our group," Pound said.
Montana got an early start to the indoor track & field season, with most teams not beginning until January. The Grizzlies will next be in action Jan. 8-9 in Bozeman.
"There's not a lot that we can do with them over our long winter break, but I think this weekend set the tone for what they can do on their own over the next several weeks. There's a lot of motivation to keep improving."
"It was a great day overall," head coach Brian Schweyen said. "We had some really good performances and saw a lot of really great, exciting things from a young group."
Sophomore Carly Smiedala set a school record in the 600 meters with a time of 1:33.06. It broke Emily Eickholt's 2011 record by more than 2 full seconds.
"That's not an event typically run, but I was really proud of Carly," Schweyen said. "What a performance by her, setting a school record."
On the men's side, Eastern Washington defeated Montana, 61-42, while the women were narrowly edged, 49-47, in a meet that came down to the final event.
Some of Montana's best performances came in the shot put and high jump. Sophomore Mariah Harvey won the women's shot put (43-8.5) while freshman Brent Yeakey was the champion on the men's side (52-10). Behind Yeakey, Nick Jackson (50-6.75) and Deszmon Humphries (48-2.75) finished second and fourth, respectively.
"For a freshman to throw over 52 feet is awfully impressive," Schweyen said of Yeakey. "For Mariah, that was also a lifetime best. Every time I go into the gym, there's Mariah working hard. I'm really happy for her."
In the high jump, sophomore Jane Booth (5-8.75) and Matt Quist (7-0.5) won their events with lifetime bests and near school records. Freshmen Jansen Ziola and Abby Dodge tied for third (5-1), while on the men's side Parker Spadt (6-2.75) finished in third place and Charlie Bush (5-10.75) placed fourth.
Ziola had a strong first collegiate meet, also winning the long jump (18-325) and placing third in the pentathlon on Friday.
The Grizzlies had plenty of success in the men's heptathlon, with sophomore Grant Whitcutt coming from behind to win (4,709 points). On Friday, he won the high jump and placed second in the shot put, and on Saturday he finished third in the 55-meter hurdles (8.36) and pole vault (13-3.5).
"That was a huge lifetime best for Grant and a great performance for him," Schweyen said. "It's great to see what he's been doing."
Teammate Jordan Stow finished third while Morgan Eitel placed fourth and Noah Adams was fifth. Adams, a sophomore, won the 1000 meters (2:46.96) – the final event of the heptathlon.
Other highlights included Hannah Coburn placing second in the women's 55-meter hurdles (8.56), Chase Armstrong finishing second in the men's 55-meter hurdles (7.80), Humphries placing second in the weight throw (52-8.25) and Alanna Vann finishing third in the 55 meters (7.24).
Behind Smiedala's school-record time in the 600 meters, Emily Cheroske (1:36.61) placed third – more than 3 seconds faster than her season best a year ago – and freshman Mijah McLeod (1:41.34) was fourth. On the men's side, freshmen Trevor Henry (1:24.70) and Colton Hess (1:25.95) finished second and third, respectively.
"That was a gutsy race for a freshman," Schweyen said of Henry, who had never run the 600 meters before.
The Grizzlies also sent 14 athletes to compete in Bozeman on Saturday, competing against Carroll, Montana State and MSU-Western. Out of three events on the men's side, Montana had two champions.
Freshman Andrea Baratte (1.58.99) won the 1 mile while junior Jonathan Eastwood (15:14.15) won the 5,000 meters by more than 13 seconds.
"Jonathan had a huge PB," assistant coach Vicky Pounds said. "He showed some impressive, mature racing. Andrea led wire to wire. He definitely knows he can go faster, so it was a good opening meet for him."
On the women's side, Madeline Hamilton finished second in the 1 mile (5:20.75). In the 5,000 meters, Samantha Engebretsen took more than a minute off of her personal best.
"I thought it was a really good early meet for our group," Pound said.
Montana got an early start to the indoor track & field season, with most teams not beginning until January. The Grizzlies will next be in action Jan. 8-9 in Bozeman.
"There's not a lot that we can do with them over our long winter break, but I think this weekend set the tone for what they can do on their own over the next several weeks. There's a lot of motivation to keep improving."
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