WEB EXTRA Ronan hits Bigfork track

BIGFORK - Ronan-Mission track was still battling with absences due to spring events this past week, but it didn't stop the Chiefs and Maidens from competing successfully in two meets.

Most of the squad traveled to Bigfork on Saturday, with a few involved in the District music festival traveling to the Missoula County Invitational to try their luck there.

No Maidens placed in the Missoula meet, loaded with AA competition, but Mission senior Lisa Larsson just missed the finals for the javelin toss with a 97-foot-10-inch throw in her first meet this year.

Mission freshman Rose Bear Don't Walk ran the 3,200-meter and the long jump. Chief seniors Adam Skogen and Danny Beavers also competed in Missoula.

As for Bigfork, it was one memorable day for Mission sophomore Dessa Durglo. Durglo jumps - high and long. That's how she soared 14-feet-9 and 3/4-inches for a personal best distance and gold in the long jump, rose 33 feet for a first place finish in the triple jump and snagged one last first place trophy in the high jump with a 4-foot-10-inch leap.

Mission senior Kelsey Cable finished fourth in all three of those events in her first meet of the season.

Maiden senior Tabitha Carlson's performance was none too shabby either. She took bronze in the 100 with a time of 13.7 seconds after running it in 13.6 during the trials, a personal best.

Carlson also finished sixth in the pole vault (7-0) and the Maidens finished fifth in the 400- meter relay (55.45).

Maiden head coach Crystal Pitts said many of her athletes who didn't place showed a lot of individual improvement.

“It was a good day with several personal bests being recorded,” she said.

The Chiefs also gave the competition a run for its money in several events.

Senior Jamie Engeldrum stole first in the 300 and 110-meter hurdles.

“His 110 hurdle time Saturday was the same time that he ran at state last spring so we were very pleased to see him post that time so early in the season,” Ronan boys' head coach Noelle Decker said.

Placing fourth in the high jump with a 6-foot leap was sophomore Jordan Franklin.

“He wasn't able to reach the 6-foot mark all last year after jumping that in eight grade,” Decker said. “We knew he was capable of jumping 6-foot and mentally this will make a big difference for him from here on out.”

Evan Waldron took sixth in the long jump (19-1) and Mission senior Lynn Birthmark captured sixth place in the triple jump (37-4 and 1/2).

“Overall I was very pleased with the effort of our boys,” Decker said. “We are young and right now I want to focus on improving each week.”

Ronan competes at 10 a.m. on Saturday at a meet in Libby.