Ziola reaches podium with 2nd-place finish in long jump

Jansen Ziola - 2022 Big Sky Indoor Championship podium

Ziola reaches podium with 2nd-place finish in long jump

2/25/2022 10:44:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

By: Montana Sports Information

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Montana scored 26.5 total points on Friday's second day of the 2022 Big Sky Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships, in addition to qualifying six athletes for Saturday's running finals.

Several of Montana's highlights from Friday came in the field, led by junior Jansen Ziola's podium finish in the long jump. The 11-time point-scorer throughout her career placed second in the event with a top jump of 18-11.25 on her final attempt.

Ziola has had plenty of success in the long jump at outdoor championships, scoring twice and finishing third in 2019. At the indoor championships, though, she placed 18^th in 2018 and 12^th in 2019. Ziola's mark on Friday tied a personal best and allowed her to medal for the sixth time in her career.

Montana scored in five of its six field events on Friday, seeing Morgan Radtke place fifth in the women's high jump (5-7.75); Zane Johnson (fifth, 15-7.25) and Carson Weeden (eighth, 15-1.5) both score in the men's pole vault; Jason Upton finish sixth in the men's long jump (23-1.75); and Matt Ward place sixth in the men's weight throw (60-4).

Radtke's high-jump mark was a PR by more than a full inch, as she scored for the second day in a row after placing seventh in the pentathlon on Thursday. The Drummond, Montana, native also finished fifth in the high jump at the 2020 indoor championship.

Neither Johnson (seeded 11^th) or Weeden (13^th) were expected to score in the pole vault, but both had strong performances on Friday to do just that. Both recorded personal bests, including Johnson by more than four inches. Johnson also scored in the pole vault at the 2021 outdoor championship (second) while Weeden is a first-time point-scorer.

Upton also scored for the first time in his career with his performance in the long jump, tying a personal best. Ward, who placed seventh at last spring's outdoor meet, now can add weight-throw points to his resume.

The Grizzlies will earn several track points on Saturday, as well, after a handful of athletes qualified for the finals of their respective events.

Montana had two athletes qualify for both the 60 meters finals – Catie Buck (PR 7.65) and Emma Normand (7.66) – and 60-meter hurdles finals – Ziola (PR 8.53) and Ailsa Gilbert (PR 8.85). Ziola's time was nearly three-tenths of a second better than her seed time.

On the men's side, junior Jaydon Green ran the second-fastest prelims time of the 60-meter hurdles. His time of 8.02 seconds would have broken a school record, had he not already broken the mark earlier this season (7.97). Also qualifying on the men's side was Paul Johnstone (49.34 in the 400 meters).

The Grizzlies nearly had a handful of additional qualifiers, with four athletes finishing ninth in the preliminary round (top eight qualify for the finals), including Cooper Hewett, who was one-hundredths of a second off in the 60 meters (PR 6.92).

Both of Montana's distance medley relay teams finished seventh.

The conference meet will conclude on Saturday, with 22 event finals taking place, beginning at 10 a.m. Fans can follow along via an ESPN+ live stream and through live results.

Friday's Griz Results
Women's 60 meters (prelims) – Catie Buck (PR 7.65, 7^th/22); Emma Normand (7.66, 8^th); Camryn Dezember (7.95, 21^st)
Women's 200 meters (prelims) – Emma Normand (25.35, 9^th/23); Camryn Dezember (26.79, 21^st); Catie Buck (26.92, 22^nd); Carlee Fryberger (27.03, 23^rd)
Women's 400 meters (prelims) – Abby Harmon (59.48, 13^th/22)
Women's 5,000 meters – Beatrix Frissell (17:52.97, 12^th/26); Olivia Lackland Henry (17:53.40, 13^th)
Women's 60-meter hurdles (prelims) – Jansen Ziola (PR 8.53, 4^th/19); Ailsa Gilbert (PR 8.85, 7^th); Carlee Fryberger (PR 8.97, 9^th); Jaree Mane (PR 9.00, 12^th)
Women's pentathlon – Jaree Mane (PR 3,560, 6^th/17); Morgan Radtke (3,448, 7^th); Whitney Morrison (PR 3,329, 11^th); Jansen Ziola (DNF)
Women's distance medley relay – Carly Dahms, Mikenna Ells, Katie Whitehurst, Bridget Boyle (PR 12:22.08, 7^th/11)
Women's high jump – Morgan Radtke (PR 5-7.75, 5^th/17)
Women's long jump – Jansen Ziola (PR 18-11.25, 2^nd/20); Carlee Fryberger (16-1, 20^th)
Women's shot put – Jaree Mane (38-11, 18^th/22)

Men's 60 meters (prelims) – Cooper Hewett (PR 6.92, 9^th/23); Jason Upton (7.14)
Men's 200 meters (prelims) – Paul Johnstone (22.51, 15^th/22)
Men's 400 meters (prelims) – Paul Johnstone (49.34, 7^th/22); Brandon Jones (51.15, 16^th); Ty Ferguson (52.80, 21^st)
Men's 800 meters (prelims) – Quincy Fast (1:54.08, 9^th/18)
Men's 5,000 meters – Maxwell Scott (15:04.01, 12^th/24); AJ Eckmann (15:32.73, 19^th)
Men's 60-meter hurdles (prelims) – Jaydon Green (8.02, 2^nd/15)
Men's distance medley relay – Quincy Fast, Cutter Thatcher, Casey Crouch, Joel Mendez (10:23.08, 7^th/8)
Men's long jump – Jason Upton (PR 23-1.75, 6^th/17)
Men's pole vault – Zane Johnson (15-7.25, 5^th/17); Carson Weeden (15-1.5, T-8^th)
Men's weight throw – Matt Ward (60-4, 6^th/23); Noah Ramirez (53-3.5, 13^th)

Montana's Point-Scorers (Women)
8, Jansen Ziola, 2^nd, long jump
4, Morgan Radtke, 5^th, high jump
3, Jaree Mane, 6^th, pentathlon
2, Morgan Radtke, 7^th, pentathlon
0.5, Bridget Boyle, 7^th, distance medley relay
0.5, Carly Dahms, 7^th, distance medley relay
0.5, Mikenna Ells, 7^th, distance medley relay
0.5, Katie Whitehurst, 7^th, distance medley relay

Montana's Point-Scorers (Men)
4, Zane Johnson, 5^th, pole vault
3, Jason Upton, 6^th, long jump
3, Matt Ward, 6^th, weight throw
0.5, Casey Crouch, 7^th, distance medley relay
0.5, Quincy Fast, 7^th, distance medley relay
0.5, Joel Mendez, 7^th, distance medley relay
0.5, Cutter Thatcher, 7^th, distance medley relay
0.5, Carson Weeden, 8^th, pole vault

Women's Team Standings (Through Friday)
1. Idaho State, 44
2. Northern Arizona, 41
3. Montana State, 35
4. Weber State, 30
5. Southern Utah, 24
6. Idaho, 20
7. Montana, 19
8. Eastern Washington, 13
9. Sacramento State, 7
10. Northern Colorado, 1

Men's Team Standings (Through Friday)
1. Northern Arizona, 63
2. Weber State, 43
3. Montana State, 34
4. Idaho, 33
5. Eastern Washington, 24.5
6. Montana, 12.5
7. Idaho State, 10
8. Southern Utah, 7
9. Sacramento State, 4
10. Portland State, 3