Griz close out California trip strong

Friday, April 12

Long Beach, Calif.

Montana

Beach Invitational

Scenes from the Al Manuel Invitational on March 22, 2024, at Dornblaser Track in Missoula, Montana.

Photo by: Ella Palulis/University of Montana

4/13/2024 10:51:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

By: Montana Sports Information

Montana track and field closed out a week in California with one last run of good performances on Saturday at the Beach Invitational and Bryan Clay Invitational. The Grizzlies ran late into the night and made the most of the trip south.

The defending indoor and outdoor Big Sky Champion in the high jump proved yet again why she has those titles to her name. Erin Wilde cleared 5-7.25 for the second time this week, and has now gone to at least that bar in three of the four outdoor meets that she has competed in.

The consistency is an encouraging sign for a potential repeat at the Big Sky meet this year, and another trip to the NCAA First Round.

"We were led by Erin Wilde, who jumped 1.71m again and is super consistent and is getting closer and closer to a regional mark," head coach Doug Fraley said. "She had good jumps at that next bar today. The consistency that she is showing, really in vertical jumps the most important thing is what your average is, and she's proving meet after meet that she can clear that 1.71 bar and it means big things are coming."

The Grizzlies picked up another big performance from yet another defending conference champion Jaydon Green. He's been consistently improving all year long and did so again on Saturday, running a 14.12 time to finish 3^rd in a large field.

Green is already the school record holder in the event and made a good push to a regional qualifying time with his Saturday performance. He's coming into form at the right time of the season as the Grizzlies are within a month of the conference championships.

"Jaydon ran a season best on Thursday and it was a bit sloppy, and he was able to come back today and really work on the technical aspect of his race," Fraley said. "He cleaned things up a lot today and because of that was able to run another season best. He's getting very close that form that made him the Big Sky Champion last year. We're really excited with his progress."

In the women's sprints, both Lily Meskers and Mikenna Ells recorded new personal-best times in the 100 and 200-meter dash. Meskers led the way in both as the sophomore ran a 12.07 in the 100m to finish 27^th overall in the 82-woman field, and a 24.71 in the 200m to finish 18^th.

Ells matched her with a 12.07 in the 100 but lost on thousandths of a second, and ran a 24.82 in the 200m to finish 22^nd.

Freshman Karsen Beitz had his best run of the season in the men's 100m, going 10.72 seconds for a 42^nd place finish.

In the women's pole vault, Emma Zimmerman matched a PR that she set on Thursday by clearing 12-4. Molly Chambers cleared 11-10 in the event as both finished in the top 35.

Morgan Thomas had a new PR in the women's discus with a throw of 142-6.

After a bit of a disappointing performance on Thursday, Montana responded with great overall efforts on Friday and Saturday and will leave California with plenty of experience and good progress under their belts.

"I thought it was a really solid effort group wide," Fraley said. "We had some PRs in the sprints, some in the throws, some more consistent vaulting from Emma, and just a good solid teamwide effort, the kids competed hard and did well."

BEACH INVITATIONAL RESULTS
Women's 100m- Lily Meskers (12.07*, 27^th/82), Mikenna Ells (12.07*, 28^th)
Women's 200m- Lily Meskers (24.71*, 18^th/45), Mikenna Ells (24.82*, 22^nd)
Women's 100mH- Jayel Dovichak (14.23, 21^st/65), Ailsa Gilbert (14.58, 31^st)
Women's 400mH- Whitney Morrison (1:04.44, 25^th/52), Jayel Dovichak (1:05.38, 29^th), Brooke Stayner (1:06.18, 32^nd)
Women's 4x400m- Montana (3:47.90, 4^th/12)
Women's High Jump- Erin Wilde (5-7.25, 4^th/39)
Women's Pole Vault- Emma Zimmerman (12-4, 24^th/59), Molly Chambers (11-10, 34^th)
Women's Discus- Morgan Thomas (142-6*, 47^th/77)

Men's 100m- Karsen Beitz (10.72*, 42^nd/90)
Men's 200m- Xavier Melice (21.47, 15^th/57), Taylor Johnson (22.04, 38^th)
Men's 400m- Taylor Johnson (48.96, 16^th/67), Jay Beagle (49.60, 27^th)
Men's 110mH- Jaydon Green (14.12, 3^rd/31)
Men's High Jump- Zachary Travis (6-1.25, 26^th/35)
Men's Discus- Walker McDonald (152-7, 65^th/81)

BRYAN CLAY INVITATIONAL RESULTS
Men's 1,500m- Henry Ballinger (3:50.05, 86^th/190 in Open A), Lane Cole (3:50.64, 15^th/132 in Open B)