Mustangs send two to state

The Malta Mustangs were only able to score a few points in last Saturday’s Northern B Divisional at Scottie Field in Glasgow. The team placed tenth at the meet.

The team will be taking two athletes with senior Jace Bishop being the lone returner. Bishop will make his fourth state appearance in javelin, having qualified for state in his first meet of the year with a throw of 178-9.

“I love competing at state there’s less pressure on you,” Bishop said. “It’s a lot more fun and you get to see more people and get to see how everyone else competes throughout the state.”

Bishop hasn’t competed in javelin for the post-season meets having sustained an elbow injury during an earlier meet.

“I’m basically just giving it a rest and stretching it out a little bit and icing it,” Bishop said. “Just trying to rest it for those throws at state.”

Bishop qualified in high jump by clearing 5-8 at the Northern B.

“I’m just glad to make it to state,” Bishop said. “It’s always fun to get back there and compete again.”

Bishop ran the 800 at the Northern B, but before he hit the track, he was stung in the back of the neck by a bee. He finished with a time of 2:13.17 taking ninth in the event.

“It took a lot of my mind off of the 800,” Bishop said. “I put some first aid cream on it and took some Benadryl.”

Bishop was an integral part of the 2017 State B Basketball Champion team and this being the last meet of his high school career, he hopes for success this weekend.

“It’s kind of a good way to end the year,” Bishop said. “To go to state in both sports I did this year. It would be nice to go out the same way we did in basketball.”

Bishop will be joined by sophomore Andres Lopez who took sixth in shot put with a throw of 41-10 ½.

“It was the third meet in a row that Andres has thrown over 40 feet,” Malta Head Coach Tad Schye said. “We’re hoping at state maybe he can go out and get one over 43 and have a personal best again.”

Tanner Smith took seventh in triple jump with a personal best of 38-7 ½ but did not qualify for state. Smith also took eighth in high jump after clearing 5-6.

Jalen Lamb ended his senior season with a season’s best in shot put, a throw of 39-10 which put him in tenth place. Lamb also took twelfth in javelin with a throw of 126-8, a new personal best.

The short relay team consisting of Lopez, Kolter Schipman, Smith and Bishop took seventh with a time of 47.49.

The long relay team consisting of Travis Epperson, Lopez, Schipman and Bishop posted a time of 3:54.57 but took eighth in the event.

A junior, Epperson experienced his first Northern B meet.

“It’s a little more competitive than districts or other meets,” Epperson said. “I’m just glad to be here and I will try my best.”

Tel Jenson took eighth in triple jump with a season’s best of 37-9.

Schipman took tenth in the 300 hurdles with a time of 48.86, a new personal best.

Kendall Moore took eleventh in the 1600 with a time of 5:22.67.