Ronan track: Bell, Alexander collect firsts
<p>Lucas Gerhardt launches the shot put for Ronan-St.Ignatius</p>
BIGFORK — The Ronan-St. Ignatius boys got use to standing on top of the podium at the Bigfork Invitational after capturing four different first-place finishes and collecting 53 points to place fourth at the meet.
BOYS
BIGFORK — The Ronan-St. Ignatius boys got use to standing on top of the podium at the Bigfork Invitational after capturing four different first-place finishes and collecting 53 points to place fourth at the meet.
For the second straight week, Jalen Bell won the long jump (19-9.50) and triple jump (43-0.75) and placed third in the high jump (5-08). Joining him in the winner’s circle was Paden Alexander, who knocked 18 seconds off his 1,600-meter time from two weeks ago to place first (4:44). He placed second in the 3,200-meter race (10:32.7).
Lucas Gerhardt continued to shine in the javelin event and three weeks after setting a personal record of 151 feet, he topped it by four feet to win the event in Bigfork (155-01).
Michael Knabe brought the speed for Ronan-St. Ignatius in the 400-meter race and placed fifth (56.03).
GIRLS
The Ronan-St. Ignatius girls track and field team scored 24 points and placed eighth at the Bigfork Invitational behind seven different placings.
Ashley Courville returned to the track for Ronan-St. Ignatius and immediately made an impact in the distance races. The Mission cross country runner placed fourth in the 1,600-meter race (6:03) and fifth in the 3,200-meter race (13:04.). Courtney Heath was not far behind her in the 1,600-meter race, finishing sixth (6:22.6).
Twyla Hogge remained consistent in the shotput and placed second (32-04).
In the mid-distance races, Kiana Howell was sixth (1:07.26) in the 400-meter race and Rose Bear Don’t Walk was sixth (2:59) in the 800-meter race.
Stephanie Lewandowski collected a fifth-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles (17.93) and a sixth-place mark in the high jump (4-06). Jenny Larsson placed fifth in the high jump (4-08).
The 400-meter relay team of Lewandowski, Janay Wunderlich,
Lindsay Barber and Howell placed fifth (55.78).