RSI has two state champions

by Brandon Hansen & Sports Editor
| May 31, 2012 1:00 PM

BUTTE — The Ronan-St. Ignatius track and field team crowned two state champions at the Class B Montana Track and Field Championships last weekend, and fittingly, one came from Ronan and one came from St. Ignatius.

“To do that it takes tough skin, hard work, believing that you can do it and being able to perform in front of all, even when the elements are against you,” Ronan head coach Crystal Pitts said of what it takes to be a state champion.

The two athletes that stood atop the podium had been standouts all season long for Ronan-St. Ignatius and proved to be the best in the state in their respective events. They also placed well in another event.

Ronan’s Jalen Bell, RSI’s jump specialist, earned the triple jump crown with a titanic leap of 43-8.5. He also placed third in the long jump and got over 20 feet with a mark of 20-02.

Mission’s Paden Alexander, an accomplished distance runner for his high school’s cross country team, took home the state title in the 3,200-meter race. While he just started running distance two years ago for the cross country team, Alexander earned a time of 10:18.44. He also placed fourth in the 1,600-meter run (4:41.03).

“They both are good at what they do,” Ronan head coach Crystal Pitts said. “Both are juniors and will be back next year to improve on what they did.”

For the girls, Twyla Hogge proved to be a standout for the track team. She placed fourth (36-6) in the shot put after a season of making good throws.

“It was exciting for Twyla,” Pitts said. “She is a senior and what a great way to close out her career.”

It was Ronan-St. Ignatius’ first season in Class B and with both boys and girls teams winning district titles, it had been a promising one so far. However, it’s still an adjustment for a program that was competing in Class A.

Following the top athletes in Class B proved to be a little tough since it was a whole new group of competitors. It didn’t help that Class B and Class A had their state track meet at the same site.

“We were still getting use to who’s who and that was confusing as we were with the Class A schools this year at state,” Pitts said.

However, that didn’t stop R-SI from bringing home some hardware for both towns.