Several athletes who redshirted in 2018 make big return at Candy Cane XI

Friday, November 30

Cheney, Wash.

Montana

Candy Cane XI

Several athletes who redshirted in 2018 make big return at Candy Cane XI

12/1/2018 8:38:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Candy Cane XI Results Bobcat Preview Results

By: Montana Sports Information

Montana sent student-athletes both west and east on Saturday, with the Grizzlies competing in the Candy Cane XI, hosted by Eastern Washington, and the Bobcat Preview, hosted by Montana State. Across both locations, Montana came away with 10 event wins.

"I'm pretty excited with where we're at," head coach Brian Schweyen said. "This team is a lot stronger, physically, than we have been, and that's a tribute to what they've been doing and what Brandon Ronan has been doing with them in the weight room."

The Candy Cane XI was highlighted by the return of several athletes who redshirted a year ago. Making their first indoor appearance in nearly two full years, Erika McLeod won the 55-meter hurdles (8.40) and placed second in the long jump (18-6.5).

Also redshirting a year ago, Hannah Kearns and Hana Feilzer made their returns in a big way. Kearns won the long jump, reaching 19-0, while Feilzer was victorious in the weight throw (60-6, nearly four feet better than the next-best thrower). Both marks were higher than any Griz athlete performed during the entire 2018 indoor season.

"It's hard when you don't compete for a season or two seasons," Schweyen said. "All of our veterans who didn't compete last year really came ready to go and I think were excited to be back. They knocked the rust off, and I think that shows a lot of mental toughness and readiness to go out and compete like that."

In addition to McLeod in the 55-meter hurdles, Hannah Coburn (8.41, second) and Jansen Ziola (8.66, fourth) also scored for the Grizzlies. Coburn (17-8.75) and Ziola (17-4.75) also placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in the long jump.

Mijah McLeod, a sophomore, won her first indoor meet with a time of 1:40.05 in the 600 meters. The time was 1.29 seconds better than she ran it a year ago at the Candy Cane, the only other time she has ran the event.

In the field, Montana won three events, including a 1-2-3 finish in the high jump. Jane Booth won the event (5-6.5), followed by Morgan Radtke (5-4.5) – who was making her collegiate debut – and Abby Dodge (5-2.5). On the men's side, Brent Yeakey won the shot put (54-10.25) and Shawn Humphries placed first in the weight throw (59-9.75). Humphries was second in the shot put (51-8.25), followed by Noah Ramirez (48-6) and Oliver Grajeda (47-8.5).

Yeakey's mark was a career best and nearly a foot better than any Griz athlete in 2018.

"The higher the starting point, the better projections for the finish," Schweyen said about several athletes out-performing last season's top marks. "I think it's a good spot to be in, and I'm excited to keep getting better."

The majority of Montana's sprints and distance runners competed in Bozeman, and the Grizzlies were led by a handful of freshmen racing for the first time. In total, 27 freshmen competed on Saturday.

Montana went 1-2-3 in the men's 400 meters – all by freshmen runners. Paul Johnstone (50.28) won the race, one-hundredth of a second ahead of teammate Xavier Melice and 16-hundredths of a second ahead of teammate and twin brother Cade Johnstone. Those times were eclipsed just once all of last indoor season.

"We had some good showings out of our middle-distance runners," Schweyen said. "For all three of those freshmen (running the 400) to have a time like that, and running on a tight track for the first time, it was a great start."

Junior Noah Adams won the 1 mile (4:32.29). Freshman Will Dauenhauer (4.38.09) finished third, while fellow freshman Jaydon Green was Montana's top performer in the 60-meter hurdles (8.44, second out of 11). Senior Jessica Bailey placed second in the women's 5,000 meters, while Olivia Ellis, who also redshirted a year ago, was Montana's top runner in the 60 meters (7.76) and 200 meters (25.85). Freshman Kip Krebsbach was Montana's top performer in the 60 meters, running a time of 7.04 (fifth out of 22). He also finished in the top third in the 200 meters (22.84, sixth).

Montana will now have more than month break over the holidays, before the indoor season resumes Jan. 8 in Bozeman.

"We have to take care of finals," Schweyen said. "We have to finish strong in the classroom, because that's why they're here, and then we need to make sure, especially when they're on their own, that we sustain all of the work we've put in during the fall."

Candy Cane XI results
Women's 600 meters: Mijah McLeod, 1:40.05 (1/5)
Women's 55-meter hurdles: Erika McLeod, 8.40 (1/8); Hannah Coburn, 8.41 (2), Jansen Ziola, 8.66 (4)
Women's high jump: Jane Booth, 5-6.5 (1/8); Morgan Radtke, 5-4.5 (2); Abby Dodge, 5-2.5 (3)
Women's pole vault: Grace Slevin, 11-3.75 (4/9); Kahsiah Benson, 10-10 (7); Carrie Jacka, 10-10 (7); Chloe Seferos, 10-4 (9)
Women's long jump: Hannah Kearns, 19-0 (1/9); Erika McLeod, 18-6.5 (2); Hannah Coburn, 17-8.75 (4); Jansen Ziola, 17-4.75 (5)
Women's triple jump: Carla Nicosia, 37-8.5 (2); Morgan Radtke, 36-3.5 (3); Rachel Lewis, 35-4.5 (4)
Women's shot put: Holly Houston, 40.2-7.5 (5/13); Ariel Clark, 36-6.5 (6); Kendra Bottenberg, 36-0.25 (9); Aaliyah Woods, 32-2.25 (13)
Women's weight throw: Hana Feilzer, 60-6 (1/13); Kayla Holmes, 55-11 (4); Aaliyah Woods, 50-1.25 (7); Holly Houston, 45-6.5 (10); Ariel Clark, 40-4 (12)
Men's 600 meters: Trevor Henry, 1:27.35 (4/5)
Men's high jump: Jordan Stow, 6-3.5 (2/4); Ridge Albright, 5-11.5 (4)
Men's long jump: Jordan Stow, 22-6.5 (3/7); Tyrus Bryant, 21-0 (4/7); Jacob Price, 20-9 (5/7); Nolan Staats, 20-1.5 (6/7)
Men's triple jump: Jacob Price, 42-6 (4/5); Tyrus Bryant, 41-6.5 (5/5)
Men's shot put: Brent Yeakey, 54-10.25 (1/9); Shawn Humphries, 51-8.25 (2/9); Noah Ramirez, 48-6 (4/9); Oliver Grajeda, 47-8.5 (5/9)
Men's weight throw: Shawn Humphries, 59-9.75 (1/10); Oliver Grajeda, 47-5 (7/10); Noah Ramirez, 46-2.5 (8/10)

Bobcat Preview results
Women's 60 meters: Olivia Ellis, 7.76 (5/23)
Women's 200 meters: Olivia Ellis, 25.85 (9/22); Morgan Sulser, 27.33 (17); Mattison McAnally, 27.60 (18)
Women's 400 meters: Mattison McAnally, 1:02.31 (6/8); Abby Harmon, 1:02.45 (7)
Women's 1 mile: Chloe Cosgrove, 5:54.34 (2/3); Madison Ward, 5:57.51 (3)
Women's 5,000 meters: Jessica Bailey, 17:51.71 (2); Samantha Engebretsen, 18:17.86 (5); Rachel Torrey, 19:30.14 (6); Hannah Wylie, 19:44.58 (7); Madison Carr, 19:52.26 (8)
Women's 60-meter hurdles: Morgan Sulser, 8.99 (2/9); Olivia Ellis, 9.29 (6)
Men's 60 meters: Kip Krebsbach, 7.04 (5/22); Sterling Reneau, 7.05 (7); Brendan Thompson, 7.45 (19); Alex Mustard (FS)
Men's 200 meters: Alex Mustard, 22.61 (5/22); Kip Krebsbach, 22.84 (6); Paul Johnstone, 22.91 (7); Chase Armstrong, 22.99 (9); Mitchell Ward, 23.67 (17); Jaydon Green, 23.71 (18); Cade Johnstone (DQ)
Men's 400 meters: Paul Johnstone, 50.28 (1/11); Xavier Melice, 50.29 (2); Cade Johnstone, 50.44 (3); Mitchell Ward, 52.22 (6)
Men's 800 meters: Colton Hess, 1:59.56 (4/4)
Men's 1 mile: Noah Adams, 4:32.39 (1/7); Will Dauenhauer, 4:38.09 (3); Karsten Pease, 4:40.31 (5); Rogelio Mares, 4:49.89 (6), Noah Kells, 4:54.92 (7)
Men's 5,000 meters: Dillon May, 15:59.84 (12/19); Kyle Peterson, 16:04.47 (13); Ben Vanderbosch, 16:24.96 (15); Kyle Kredo, 16:27.68 (16); Ben Cikutovich, 16:38.27 (17)
Men's 60-meter hurdles: Jaydon Green, 8.44 (2/11); Chase Armstrong, 8.54 (5); Callum Macnab, 8.55 (6); Brendan Thompson, 8.79 (9)
Men's 4x400-meter relay: Callum Macnab, Cade Johnstone, Sterling Reneau, Xavier Melice, 3:23.44 (2/6)