Griz start season well at Spokane Indoor Challenge

Friday, January 13

Spokane, Wash.

Montana

Spokane Indoor Challenge

Photo by: Torrey Vail

1/14/2023 11:53:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Results (PDF)Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2 Photo Gallery 3 Photo Gallery 4

By: Montana Sports Information

Montana kicked off its 2023 indoor season with an impressive showing at the Spokane Indoor Challenge on Friday and Saturday. The Grizzlies had double-digit athletes record indoor PRs in just the first event of the year, a great start for a team that had been waiting months to finally get some competitive action.

The Griz had good showing from top to bottom, getting things started with a sweep of the top two spots in the men's distance medley relay on Friday night. It set the tone for the rest of the meet for the Grizzlies and first-year head coach Doug Fraley.

"I am very pleased with the way things went for our first meet of the year," Fraley said. "We had some good performances from both the upperclassmen and some freshmen in their first collegiate meet, so it was very successful."

It was the team composed of three freshmen and a senior that set the tone for Montana, as Lane Cole, Taylor Johnson, Will Dauenhauer and Cooper Morris won the men's distance medley. Montana also finished second, getting a good start in the fourth event of the meet. The women's team finished second in the distance relay with a time of 12:26.78.

There were several more podium finishes for Montana. Beatrix Frissell placed third in the women's 3000 meter race with a time of 10:37.08. Ariel Clark took third in the women's weight throw, reaching 52-2.38. Morgan Radtke finished third in the high jump by clearing 5-3.39.

There were several more standout freshmen making their collegiate debuts. Patrick Kremer performed well in the high jump with a mark of 6-4.38 to place fifth. Colin Shaules ran the mile in a time of 4:28.58 to finish seventh overall, and Taylor Johnson led a pack of Montana runners in the 400 meter race with a time of 49.32.

Porter Coffield found the podium in the 60m hurdles, joining senior Jaydon Green who finished second with a time of 7.98.

There were several good performances from freshmen on the women's side as well. Erin Wilde jumped 5-3.39 to take fifth in the high jump while Brooke Stayner was 12^th in the high jump and 9^th in the 60m hurdles. Kara Mattson also had a top 10 finish in the long jump with a mark of 17-7.02, leading a trio of Grizzly freshmen in that category.

In the 3000-meter race, the Griz placed four runners in the top 10 including freshmen Kayla Ingraham (10:38.69, 5^th) and Iris McKean (10:41.95, 6^th). Junior Jaylyn Hallgrimson placed seventh with a time of 10:43.36.

The Grizzlies, with pole vaulting coach Erica Fraley leading the way, had five females in the top 13 with three of the top eight. Shealynne McGee set a new PR at 12-4.43 to miss out on the podium by just one spot, while sophomores Aly Tekippe and Emma Zimmerman each cleared 11-10.52 meters. Molly Chambers also set a PR in the event at 11-10.52, showing great improvement as a unit under Fraley.

Ty Ferguson had a PR of 49.67 in the 400 meter, going sub-50 for the first time in his indoor career. A couple of Grizzlies set new personal records in the 3000-meter race. Maxwell Scott was the best finisher for Montana at 11^th with an 8:38.64 time, while Rogelio Mares set a new PR with a 9:04.23.

Katie Whitehurst had a great showing in the 800 meter, winning her heat and finishing fifth overall with a new PR of 2:16.77. The women's distance runners finished in a good grouping in the mile, and Mackenzie Morgan set a new PR with a 5:31.04 time.

Noah Ramirez narrowly missed a spot on the podium in shot put with a toss of 51-4.14, while his sister Savana Ramirez threw a PR of 49-7.67 meters in the weight throw.

"The team attitude was great, the energy was great, and it's a good first step for us and we look forward to building on it as we move through the indoor season," Fraley said.

Spokane Indoor Challenge Results
Men's 60 meters – Cooper Hewett (6.94, 2^nd), Teagun Holycross (7.06, 14^th)
Men's 200 meters – Teagun Holycross (22.56, 21^st), Jason Upton (22.63, 24^th)
Men's 400 meters – Taylor Johnson (49.32, 9^th), Ty Ferguson (49.67, 13^th), Paul Johnstone (49.77, 14^th), Jay Beagle (50.64, 20^th), Cutter Thatcher (50.88, 22^nd)
Men's 800 meters – Will Dauenhauer (1:55.80, 6^th), Casey Crouch (1:56.96, 11^th)
Men's 1 mile – Colin Shaules (4:28.58, 7^th)
Men's 3000 meters – Maxwell Scott (8:38.64, 11^th), Nathan Carter (8:50.11, 22^nd), Lane Cole (9:02.13, 33^rd), Rogelio Mares (9:04.23, 34^th), Cooper Morris (9:09.81, 40^th), Brady Woods (9:11.73, 41^st)
Men's 60-meter hurdles – Jaydon Green (7.98, 2^nd), Porter Coffield (8.42, 3^rd)
Men's 4x400-meter relay – Ferguson, Johnson, Shaules, P. Johnstone (3:24.98, 7^th), Coffield, Thatcher, Crouch, Maxwell (2:26.08, 9^th)
Men's 4000-meter distance medley relay – B: Cole, Johnson, Dauenhauer, Morris (10:33.08, 1^st), A: Woods, Beagle, Crouch, Mares (10:33.94, 2^nd)
Men's high jump – Patrick Kremer (6-4.378, 5^th), Adam Maxwell (6-0.44, 13^th), Alfred Peterson (NH)
Men's pole vault – Zane Johnson (15-5.83, 6th), Carson Weeden (14-11.92, 11th), Carson Hegele (14-6.02, 14th), Carter Peterson (14-0.11, 16th)
Men's long jump – Jason Upton (22-7.65 5^th), Gordon McMillion (20-7.24m, 18^th), Patrick Kremer (20-6.06, 22^nd), Dylan Zink (20-5.67, 23^rd), Alfred Peterson (FOUL)
Men's shot put – Noah Ramirez (51-4.14, 4^th), Wade Rykal (45-11.97, 10^th), Walker McDonald (45-9.61, 11^th)
Men's weight throw – Noah Ramirez (47-10.41, 10^th)

Women's 60 meters – Audrey Smith (8.01, 13th), Kara Mattson (8.26, 24^th) Rileigh McGree
Women's 200 meters – Audrey Smith (26.94, 41^st)
Women's 400 meters - Lily Meskers (58.68, 13^th)
Women's 800 meters – Katie Whitehurst (2:16.77, 5^th)
Women's 1 mile – Bridget Boyle (5:20.92, 19^th), Shay Pederson (5:29.23, 24^th) Mackenzie Morgan (5:31.04, 26^th), MacKenzie Dean (5:47.78, 35^th)
Women's 3000 meters – Beatrix Frissell (10:37.08, 3^rd), Kayla Ingraham (10:38.69, 5th), Iris McKean (10:41.95, 6^th), Jaylyn Hallgrimson (10:43.36, 7^th)
Women's 60-meter hurdles – Brooke Stayner (9.08, 9^th), Kara Mattson (9.46, 9^th), Whitney Morrison (9.51, 12^th)
Women's 4x400-meter relay – DNF
Women's 4000-meter distance medley relay – Boyle, Meskers, Whitehurst, Hill (12:26.78, 2^nd)
Women's high jump – Morgan Radtke (5-3.39, 3^rd), Erin Wilde (5-3.39, 5^th), Brooke Stayner (5-1.42, 12^th)
Women's pole vault – Shealynne McGee (12-4.43, 4^th), Aly Tekippe (11-10.52, 7^th), Emma Zimmerman, (11-10.52, 8^th), Molly Chambers (11-10.52, 11^th), Ani Smith (10-10.71, 13^th)
Women's long jump – Kara Mattson (17-7.02, 8^th), Ainsley Shipman (16-6.03, 14^th), Perry Paffhausen (16-4.46, 15^th)
Women's shot put – Madi Arneson (39-9.17, 12^th), Ariel Clark (36-4.22, 20^th), Ainsley Shipman (26-1.78, 38^th), Morgan Radtke (FOUL)
Women's weight throw – Ariel Clark (52-2.38, 3^rd), Savana Ramirez (49-7.67, 6^th)