Mustangs Welcome New Coach, 24 Athletes!

The Malta Mustangs Track Team is ready to go after the first two weekends of action have been postponed.

This season, the team is 24 strong, bringing back plenty of talent from the 2023 season and welcoming new talent in each class.

"The team consists of four seniors, three juniors, nine sophomores, and eight freshmen," Malta Track Head Coach Shyla Clausen said. "This is the most boys we have had out for track in a while. Some of the boys are brand new to the sport and are a welcome addition to the team.

"Like our Mettes, this group of young men are athletic, driven, and have great camaraderie as well," Clausen continued. "These boys are displaying remarkable determination and drive which will contribute to the future success of the team."

The team returns four state performers including seniors Gavin Slade, Kyle Darrington, Dawson Hammond, and Rylee Brusse.

The team welcomes a new but familiar face at head coach, as Shyla Clausen takes over. Clausen was Malta Middle School track team's jump coach for eight years, including the shortened 2020 season due to COVID. In 2023, she joined the Malta High School track team as the jump coach.

"With the encouragement of my family and previous track athletes, I moved over as head coach this year," Coach Clausen said. "I was a four-year track participant in high school competing in long, high, and triple jumps. I was fortunate enough to qualify for state in the triple as a sophomore and high jump as a senior."

Coach Clausen welcomes back Coach Andy Schell, who has been the throw coach for Malta since 2021. Two new coaches have been added to the team. Lisa Young, who is also an assistant coach for cross country, will coach mid-long distance running, hurdles, and pole vault with Coach Clausen. John Retan, who coaches powerlifting and is an assistant Mustang football coach, will coach the jumping events.

The team has yet to see competition thanks to the Glasgow Invitational and Cal Wearley Memorial meets being postponed. But the team has been working diligently on and off of the track.

"We were stuck indoors for the first couple of days but ended the week by setting up the track," Coach Clausen said. "We were able to get a couple of days in at the track before the weather turned nasty before spring break. This past week has been fantastic and we have been going full throttle at the track trying to get ready for our first meet which is the rescheduled Cal Wearly meet in Havre on April 10th."

Malta High School

Track & Field 2024 Schedule

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ACCORDING TO MALTA HIGH SCHOOL'S WEBSITE AS OF MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2024

DAY DATE EVENT SITE

March 11 Monday First Day of Practice Malta HS

April 10 Wednesday Cal Wearley Invite Havre

April 13 Saturday Havre Invitational Havre

April 20 Saturday Sidney Invitational Sidney

April 23 Tuesday Scobey Froshmore Wolf Point

April 26 Friday Whitewater Invitational Whitewater

April 30 Tuesday 42nd Annual Top Ten Track Meet Glasgow

May 3 Friday Gene Nelson Memorial Track Meet Wolf Point

May 4 Saturday Havre Lions Track Meet Havre

May 11 Saturday District 2B & 3C Track Meet Wolf Point

May 17-18 Fri.-Sat. Northern B Divisional Track Meet Glasgow

May 23-25 Thurs.-Sat. Montana State B Track Meet Laurel

Malta Middle School

April 8 Friday Whitewater Meet Whitewater

Mar. 25 Monday First Day of Practice Murray Field

Apr. 12 Friday Glasgow Invite Glasgow

Apr. 20 Saturday Havre Invite Havre

Apr. 27 Saturday Malta Invite Malta

May 3 Friday North Star Invite Havre

May 10 Friday MS District 2B/3C Glasgow