Back to full strength, Pittis puts on a show in Moscow

Friday, February 7

Moscow, Idaho

Montana

Idaho Team Challenge

Emily Pittis at MSU Dual Invitational - 1/25/20

Photo by: Dean Hendrickson

Back to full strength, Pittis puts on a show in Moscow

2/8/2020 8:10:00 AM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Meet Results

By: Montana Sports Information

MOSCOW, Idaho – After an up-and-down meet two weeks ago in Bozeman, the Montana track & field teams bounced back in a big way on Friday, with several impressive showings at the Idaho Team Challenge. Competing against Big Sky foes Eastern Washington and Idaho, in addition to Washington State, Gonzaga and Seattle, Montana's men took second place, while the women were third.

The Grizzlies won six running events, but more impressive was the potential all across the board. Of the 15 running events, a Montana athlete finished in the top three in 11 of them. Montana finished in the upper third in all 15.

Not only was Montana's top athlete successful in a wide-range of events, but the Grizzlies showed depth, as well. Both of Montana's sprinters in the men's 60-meter hurdles advanced to the finals, with Aidan Diggs placing third (8.19) and Chase Armstrong finishing fifth (8.52). On the women's side, the Grizzlies had three finalists, led by Olivia Ellis (9.27, third) and Ailsa Gilbert (9.32, fifth). Kip Krebsbach led Montana in the 60 meters finals, with two runners again advancing from the prelims to the finals.

Montana really showed its depth in the men's 200 and 800, however.

Paul Johnstone won the 200 meters – one of three event wins for the sophomore, who continues to progress in big ways each meet – but his winning time of 21.22 was closely followed by a handful of teammates, as well. Out of 22 runners in the event, five Grizzlies finished in the top eight: Xavier Melice (22.17, 4^th); Krebsbach (22.19, 5^th); Callum Macnab (22.27, 6^th); Angel Moreno (22.31, 8^th). In the men's 800 meters, Montana had five of the top eight times, with all five Grizzlies placing in the 22-runner event: Jacob Lamb (1:53.20, 2^nd/22); Noah Adams (1:54.61, 3^rd); Noah Kells (1:55.30); Quincy Fast (1:55.86, 7^th); Colton Hess (1:55.88, 8^th).

"I think we line up well in a variety of events," head coach Brian Schweyen said. "We've had some depth in certain areas, but now it's getting to the point where we have the potential to be good across the board, which is always what you want as a program. Even though we're a very young team, I think we have the potential to be fun to watch this year, but also for years to come."

Montana also had plenty of success on the women's side in the distance events. Emily Pittis had the race of her career, winning both the 1 mile (4:56.28) and 3,000 meters (9:53.79). Her 1 mile time was a PR, while her 3,000 meters time wasn't far off her all-time best. They marked her first event wins in three years.

The redshirt senior has competed in seven Big Sky Championship meets in her career – across indoor, outdoor and cross country – but hasn't competed at the indoor championship since 2017, when she helped her distance medley relay team finish second. Since then, she's been sidelined for nearly two years with a stress fracture that kept nagging.

"Emily was a really good runner for us, and she has absolutely fought back to not only get back to where she was, but better than she used to be," Schweyen said. "I'm sure it's tough, as a runner, to be sidelined for as long as she's been, and I know there was a lot of doubt about if she should or could work to get back to this point."

Pittis chose to fight through the injuries, and will now look to add more points for her team later this month.

"She is someone to look at and say, 'Never give up, never quit,'" Schweyen said. "As a senior, you always want them to finish strong, and Emily has the ability to do that."

Congrats to Emily Pittis of @MontanaGrizTF for winning the women's mile! pic.twitter.com/aMQtV694Md
— Idaho Track & Field (@IdahoTrack) February 7, 2020

While Pittis beat out 19 other runners in the 1 mile and 20 others in the 3,000 meters, it wasn't just the Washington native at the top. In the 1 mile, Montana's June Eastwood (4:59.28, 2^nd) and Beatrix Frissell (5:00.80, 4^th) followed closely behind Pittis. It was a similar story in the 3,000 meters, with Eastwood placing third (9:59.82), Frissell finishing fourth (10:05.78) and Samantha Engebretsen coming in sixth (10:19.74).

In addition to Johnstone's win in the 200 meters, he also won the 400 meters (47.60) and was the third leg of Montana's winning 4x400-meter relay team (3:16.51). It marked the second time in the past three meets that the sophomore – who also finished third in the triple jump – has been a three-event winner.

Ellis won the women's 400 meters (57.45) and placed third in the 60-meter hurdles (9.27). Fast also had a strong meet, placing second out of 17 runners in the 1 mile (4:17.97). Will Dauenhauer, who has evolved into more of a distance runner this spring, was Montana's top runner in the men's 3,000 meters, placing fourth out of 24 runners with a big PR (8:31.87).

In the field, Montana was highlighted by a handful of underclassmen, including Peterson Bohannon placing second in the men's long jump (22-7) and Morgan Radtke placing second in the women's high jump (5-3.75).

The Grizzlies will be back in action next week at the UW Invitational in Seattle, competing against some of the world's top athletes.

"I think this was a good next step for us," Schweyen said. "Each meet gets a little bit better, and now we go to Washington, where a small group of our athletes will compete against some really good competition."

Paul Johnstone of @MontanaGrizTF won the 400 in 47.60! pic.twitter.com/dLVwFFfaii
— Idaho Track & Field (@IdahoTrack) February 7, 2020

Men's 60-meter hurdles (prelims) – Aidan Diggs (8.24, 3^rd/15); Chase Armstrong (8.56, 6^th)
Men's 60-meter hurdles (finals) – Aidan Diggs (8.19, 3^rd); Chase Armstrong (8.52, 5^th)
Women's 60-meter hurdles (prelims) – Olivia Ellis (9.05, 2^nd/16); Jaree Mane (9.31, 6^th); Ailsa Gilbert (9.34, 7^th); Hannah Coburn (9.49, 11^th)
Women's 60-meter hurdles (finals) – Olivia Ellis (9.27, 3^rd); Ailsa Gilbert (9.32, 5^th); Jaree Mane (9.33, 7^th)
Men's 60 meters (prelims) – Kip Krebsbach (6.98, 3^rd/16); Angel Moreno (7.13, 7^th); Jethro Thorne (7.30, 11^th)
Men's 60 meters (finals) – Kip Krebsbach (6.98, 3^rd); Angel Moreno (7.16, 7^th)
Women's 60 meters (prelims) – Emma Normand (7.94, 6^th/16)
Women's 60 meters (finals) – Emma Normand (7.94, 5^th)
Men's 1 mile – Quincy Fast (4:17.97, 2^nd/17); Andrea Baratte (4:18.41, 4^th)
Women's 1 mile – Emily Pittis (4:56.28, 1^st/20); June Eastwood (4:59.28, 2^nd); Beatrix Frissell (5:00.80, 4^th); Samantha Engebretsen (5:13.36, 6^th)
Men's 400 meters – Paul Johnstone (47.60, 1^st/15); Callum Macnab (49.73, 7^th); Xavier Melice (50.74, 8^th); Jethro Thorne (51.03, 9^th)
Women's 400 meters – Olivia Ellis (57.45, 1^st/10); Abby Harmon (1:00.88, 4^th)
Men's 800 meters – Jacob Lamb (1:53.20, 2^nd/22); Noah Adams (1:54.61, 3^rd); Noah Kells (1:55.30); Quincy Fast (1:55.86, 7^th); Colton Hess (1:55.88, 8^th)
Women's 800 meters – Carly Dahms (2:19.06, 6^th/16); Erica Simison (2:22.25, 10^th)
Men's 200 meters – Paul Johnstone (21.22, 1^st/25); Xavier Melice (22.17, 4^th); Kip Krebsbach (22.19, 5^th); Callum Macnab (22.27, 6^th); Angel Moreno (22.31, 8^th); Peterson Bohannon (22.93, 17^th)
Women's 200 meters – Emma Normand (26.33, 8^th/26); Abby Harmon (27.15, 13^th)
Men's 3,000 meters – Will Dauenhauer (8:31.87, 4^th/24); Hunter May (8:44.79, 11^th); Andrea Baratte (9:11.31, 22^nd)
Women's 3,000 meters – Emily Pittis (9:53.79, 1^st/21); June Eastwood (9:59.82, 3^rd); Beatrix Frissell (10:05.78, 4^th); Samantha Engebretsen (10:19.74, 6^th); Sabrina Herritt (10:28.49, 9^th)
Men's 4x400-meter relay – Callum Macnab, Jacob Lamb, Paul Johnstone, Xavier Melice (3:16.51, 1^st/7); Colton Hess, Quincy Fast, Noah Adams, Jethro Thorne (3:25.78, 4^th)
Women's weight throw – Mariah Harvey (53-11, 6^th/22)
Women's shot put – Mariah Harvey (42-9.5, 4^th/21); Holly Houston (41-7, 6^th)
Men's shot put – Brent Yeakey (55-3.75, 3^rd/13); Noah Ramirez (51-4.5, 5^th)
Women's long jump – Ailsa Gilbert (16-9.25, 8^th/14); Aly Tekippe (16-6.5, 10^th); Hannah Coburn (16-5.25, 11^th); Jaree Mane (15-0, 13^th)
Men's long jump – Peterson Bohannon (22-7, 2^nd/16); Paul Johnstone (22-9, 9^th); Jason Upton (17-2, 13^th)
Women's triple jump – Rachel Lewis (37-0.5, 5^th/12); Ailsa Gilbert (36-5, 7^th); Morgan Radtke (35-11.25), 8^th)
Men's triple jump – Paul Johnstone (42-4.25, 3^rd/4)
Men's high jump – Jordan Stow (6-3.25, 5^th/12; Aidan Diggs (5-11.25, 9^th)
Women's high jump – Morgan Radtke (5-3.75, 2^nd/13)
Men's pole vault – Lawrence Moore (14-11, 5^th/9); Zane Johnstone (13-5.25, 8^th)
Women's pole vault – Grace Slevin (11-1.5, 8^th/12); Aly Tekippe (11-1.5, 9^th)