Mustangs show their strength, win in Whitewater

The Malta Mustangs varsity track team showed up in Whitewater last Saturday for the first time and won the event consisting of eight teams.

The Mustangs had a total of 146 points. Lustre Christian was second with 84 points. Hinsdale was third with a total of 75, Hay Lodge Pole was fourth with 35, Whitewater was fifth with 18 points, Dodson was sixth with 12, Nashua was seventh with 11, and Saco was eighth with four points.

Malta was led by freshman Gavin Slade who won the 100-meter dash, and took second place in the 200, and javelin. Slade posted a time of 12.36 in the 100, a time of 25.87 in the 200, and had a throw of 126-11 in javelin.

Junior David Pitman won in discus with a throw of 127-04.

"I feel good," Pitman said of his win. "I just have to keep working to get better."

Pitman was second in shot put with a throw of 38-2.75. He also set a new personal best in javelin with a throw of 125-9, which gave him third in the event.

Pitman also ran the 100 for the first time in his high school career, garnering the support of his teammates. He posted a time of 15.14.

"Coach (Kaitlyn) Smith had me run it and I kind of like it," Pitman said.

Junior Connor Tuss placed in all four of his individual events. He won the triple jump with a mark of 25-3.75. Tuss took second in high jump by clearing 5-8. Lustre's Jasiah Hambira earned plenty of looks as he won the event by clearing 6-2, and qualified for state.

Tuss was third in long jump with a leap of 16-6 and he was fourth in javelin with a personal best of 121-0.

Freshman Kyle Darrington won the 400 with a time of 58.64. He was third in the 100 with a time of 13.04, and sixth in long jump with a new personal best of 15-0.5.

The long relay team consisting of Rex Williamson, Tuss, Slade, and Darrington was first with a time of 4:17.

The short relay team consisting of Thaddious Adams, Darrington, Williamson, and Slade took second with a time of 50.84.

Ryker Ackerman set three new bests in Whitewater. He was third in discus with a throw of 105-10. Ackerman also took third in shot put with a new personal best of 36-9. His final best was in javelin, a throw of 105-6. Ackerman was eighth in the 100 with a time of 14.24.

"Hard work and dedication," Ackerman said. "I PR'd three times today and I feel really good about it. I just have to push harder and hopefully, I will get to qualify for state."

Chadon Crnkovich was fourth in the 200 with a time of 29.84. He was seventh in the 100 with a time of 14.04.