R-SI TRACK: JUMPING TO GREATNESS

MISSOULA — Jalen Bell wanted to jump 21 feet and he did just that. The Ronan-Mission track athlete notched personal bests and placed second in both the long (21-03.5) and triple jump (44-04.25) among western Montana’s best track athletes at the Top Ten Meet last Tuesday.

His teammate, Paden Alexander, competed in the 1,600 meter race and placed sixth (4:40.83) while setting a personal best and missing the St. Ignatius school record by 00.83 seconds.

MISSOULA — Jalen Bell wanted to jump 21 feet and he did just that. The Ronan-Mission track athlete notched personal bests and placed second in both the long (21-03.5) and triple jump (44-04.25) among western Montana’s best track athletes at the Top Ten Meet last Tuesday.

His teammate, Paden Alexander, competed in the 1,600 meter race and placed sixth (4:40.83) while setting a personal best and missing the St. Ignatius school record by 00.83 seconds.

“Another week and their focus will be divisional titles which are not going to come easy,” Ronan-St. Ignatius head coach Crystal Pitts said.

Ronan-St. Ignatius continued the personal record setting on Friday at the Big Sky Track Meet in Missoula. The team placed 17 different times at the event and was first in five of them.

For the girls, Ronan-St. Ignatius continues to excel in the throws with Aspen Jore improving her Ronan high school record and taking first in the javelin (107-10) while Twyla Hogge was first in the shot put (32-10).

“Aspen works hard at the throws and they fit her so well,” Pitts said.

Kiana Howell was fifth in the 100-meter dash (14.30) and fourth in the 200-meter dash (29.29). Jade Gray was second in the 3,200 (13:16) and Victoria Crenshaw was second in the 800-meter race (3:16.33). Crenshaw was fifth in the 400-meter dash (1:15.39), while Courtney Heath was fourth in the 3,200-meter (13:16.) and Nicki Jo Mays was fifth (14:15). Stephanie Lewandowski took fourth in the 100-meter hurdles (17.53) and fourth in the long jump (14-01) while Jenny Larson was fourth in the high jump (4-11) and Kaylie Durglo was sixth in the triple jump (30-0.5).

The 400-meter relay team of Durglo, Lewandowski, Lindsay Barber and Howell took third (55.64) while the 1,600-meter relay recorded its best time of the season and placed second (3:34.40).

The boys took first place in three different events. Alexander set a new St. Ignatius school record and was tops in the 3,200-meter run (10:09). In the sprint races, Riley Dennis led the way in the 400-meter dash (54.50) and in third place was Michael Knabe (55.23). Ryce Hegwood took fourth in the 200-meter dash (24.83) while Marcus Hungerford was second in the 800-meter dash (2:11.13) and Danny Romero took third in the 1,600-meter run (5:03.39).

Lucas Gerhardt continued to tear up the javelin event and placed first again (149-7), and set a personal best, placing third in the shot put (42-8). Also in the throws, Nikko Alexander was fifth in the shot put with a personal best (38-10) and was fifth in the javelin (128-05). Brennan Andrews finished fourth in the javelin (129-11).

Dallas Jore snagged a pair of second-place marks in the long jump (19-7) and triple jump (39-5.5). Dylan Evans was sixth in the long jump (17-04) and triple jump (35-08). The boys 400-meter relay team of Carston Baertsch, Hungerford, Dennis and Skelton placed third (45.66) with a best time of the season. The 1,600-meter relay team of Knabe, Andrews, Dennis and Hungerford took second with another best time of the season (3:38.40).

“The relays had good handoffs and in the 1,600-meter relay people ran their best times of the season,” Pitts said. “Of course, Paden and Aspen’s records were awesome.”

After the Lake County Meet on Tuesday, Ronan will compete at the Big Sky Track Meet on Saturday.