M-ettes win MAC Invitational

The Malta M-ettes won five events on their way to winning the Malta Athletic Club Track and Field Invitational held in Malta on Tuesday, April 23.

The team had a total of 114.5 points. Havre had a total of 78 points, earning them second place. third was Chinook with 62, Whitewater was fourth with 46, Winnett-Grass Range was fifth with 41 points, and Hinsdale was sixth with 25.

"Our team has been doing really good," Sophomore Erica Smith said. "We have a lot of people that have grown a lot since the beginning of the season."

The team was led by Smith who won triple jump and long jump with marks at 32-11.5 and 16-2.25 respectively. The PCN caught up with Smith halfway through the event.

"The meet is going good so far," Smith said. "I had season bests in both of my events."

In the preliminaries, Smith posted a jump just under 14-0 and improved twice, hitting 15-8 in her last leap.

"I just have to keep my speed up and keep gaining confidence in myself and I need to keep looking up," Smith said. "I keep looking at my board."

Smith also took second place in the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 54.74 and third in the 100 hurdles with a personal best of 18.74.

Fellow M-ette Justine Lamb, a freshman, won both hurdles events with a time of 16.90 in the 100 hurdles and a time of 52.79 in the 300 hurdles.

"I just pushed myself to try to get over the hurdles, concentrate, and look forward so I could attack the hurdles," Lamb said after her opening heat of the race.

Lamb was asked about running on the clay track and how it compared to the rubber track.

"Running on the rubber track is harder," Lamb said. "And I feeling like I don't get enough grip to the ground to rip through and keep pushing, but on this track I get enough grip."

Like several athletes, Lamb started the season by doing JV events. Soon after, Lamb was called up to participate in varsity events.

"I was nervous when I found out I moved up," Lamb said, noting that the 100 hurdles was her first varsity event.

The M-ettes had four placers in hurdle events including Kayla Judd who took fifth in the 300 hurdles (57.69) and sixth in the 100 hurdles with a time of 19.48. Jillian O'Brien took sixth in the 300 hurdles with a time of 59.81.

Judd shared what the addition of Lamb and fellow freshman competitor Nikki Nicholson has brought to the hurdle events.

"We have lots of fun together," Judd said. "I like all of the girls that are doing the event."

Judd was asked about the atmosphere at the meet.

"I like our home meet better than the out of town meets," she said. "I just feel like I am more relaxed."

The M-ettes also had a strong showing in high jump, with O'Brien taking third clearing 4-10, Wylee Young taking fifth by clearing 4-8, and Lamb taking sixth by clearing 4-8.

Senior Kyleigh Schipman took first in javelin with a throw of 113-05.

The M-ette long relay consisting of Kaylee Bishop, Skylie Lefdahl, Lamb and Young took second place with a time of 5:08.17. The short relay consisting of Schipman, Smith, Bishop, and Young took third with a time of 55.93.

Carly Garfield took third place in discus and shot put with throws of 101-06 (PR) and 32-01 respectively.

Judd took fourth in the 400 with a personal record of 1:07. Young was fifth in the 400 with a time of 1:11.63.

Leslie Young took fourth in the 3200 with a time of 15:28.41.