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M-ettes Track 2018

M-ettes aiming for District 2B title

The Malta M-ettes will retain a handful of state placers from last season but also have major shoes to fill, having lost both Sophia Stiles, who was a perennial state champion and Shay Garfield, who was a state performer to graduation last season.

At the moment Malta has twenty M-ettes signed up, eleven of which are in their first season with Malta. The M-ettes will feature a young group with only four seniors, including TaChante' Cole, Ella Schye, Sammy Dolphay and newcomer Adessa Judd. Malta has eight freshmen, four sophomores, and four juniors.

With a good mix of new and old talent, the M-ettes have been enjoying their time together.

"It's just fun," E. Schye said. "I feel like everyone just likes to have fun."

The team has returned six state performers from the 2017 State B Meet last season, including Cole, Jillian O'Brien, Ella Schye, Kelbee Denham, and Ashton Oxarart. Kyleigh Schipman is currently serving as a team manager, but Malta Head Coach Tad Schye is hopeful that she will be medically cleared to participate after suffering a knee injury during basketball season.

Cole ran the 800 and 1600 meter races at the 2017 State B Meet, posting times of 2:39.39 in the 800 (a personal best) and 5:52.21 in the 1600-meter run. She placed ninth in the 1600 and eighth in the 800.

Since the beginning of the Fall sports season, Cole has been keeping herself conditioned.

"During cross country and cheer season, I was running at least three miles a day," Cole said.

Cole has set her goals high this season, meaning she would have to break through her past previous bests.

"I definitely want to place at state and it would be nice to get a (beat of) five minutes and within forty seconds," she said of her 1600 meter event.

Ella, a senior, made state as a part of the 1600 meter relay team, with Oxarart, Denham, and Schipman.

She has qualified for state in previous years as a thrower, but this year, the soon-to-be college volleyball player will participate in the high jump on a weekly basis.

"I've done high jump in middle school and every once in a while in high school," she said. "I would only do it sometimes when I felt like it, but most of the time I did throwing events."

Ella and all of the other Malta athletes have been doing indoor high jump, but it hasn't been an indicator of how they will perform.

"We haven't been focusing on how high we get, we just move it up and keep going because the measurements aren't accurate," she said.

Ella shared her approach to the bar.

"I use a seven-step for my full approach," Ella said. "I do seven steps, a 'J' and then jump up and lay back."

As for throwing events like shot put, the team has only been able to throw an indoor shot that is the same weight but rubberized so it will not harm the floor.

"Just now I got a 28-5 throw upstairs," Ella said.

The team welcomes cross country standout Leslie Young and middle school track standout Erica Smith.

"Leslie Young ran pretty well for distance in her freshman season (of cross country), so we are hoping that comes across," Coach Schye said. "We have a few cross country girls out."

Coach Schye knows who the team has to beat in order to become district champions this season.

"We have got to compete with Glasgow for the district," Coach Schye said. "Glasgow is probably the odds-on favorite to win (District 2B). We just need to step up and develop as the season goes on."

The M-ettes, like many Northeastern teams, haven't been able to set foot on their track or field. According to Coach Schye, this hasn't been the case for the entire state.

"The southern (Montana) schools are probably already on the tracks," Coach Schye said. "They have been outside running and we are just hoping to get on our track here."

The team has been practicing events indoor, which includes drills like the 40-meter dash, high jump, and the shuttle drill.

"We just go through the basics of it and when we get on the track for the first time, we will actually have some teaching moments but most of our kids have done track at some level so they have an idea," Coach Schye said. "The main thing is to make sure that they're in condition and we are ready to go."

Coach Schye believes there is a benefit to not being on the track yet.

"Typically when things like this happen, we have good performances right away because we haven't been out and they are a little more nervous than usual," Coach Schye said. "They are more amped up."

Malta Schools

Track & Field 2018 Schedule

Date Day EVENT SITE

Mar-12 Monday First Practice Malta

Mar-29 Thursday Glasgow Invitational Glasgow

Apr-3 Tuesday (JH) First Practice Malta

Apr-10 Saturday Fergus Twilight Lewistown

Apr-14 Saturday Havre Lions Invitational Havre

Apr-16 Monday Scottie Qualifier Glasgow

Apr-18 Wednesday Cal Wearley Invitational Havre

Apr-21 Saturday (JH) Havre Invitational Have

Apr-24 Tuesday Malta Invitational Malta

Apr-27 Friday (JH) Wolf Point Invitational Wolf Point

Apr-28 Saturday Golden Eagle Invitational Fergus

May-1 Tuesday Glasgow Top 10 Glasgow

May-5 Saturday Havre-Malta-North Star Triangular Malta

May-5 Saturday (JH) Malta Invitational Malta

May-12 Saturday (JH) Lewistown Invitational Lewistown

May-12 Saturday District 2B Track Meet Glasgow

May-19 Saturday Northern B Divisional Track Meet Great Falls

May 25-26 Fri - Sat State Class B Track Meet Laurel

 

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