Somers track team excels in Polson, Kalispell meets

The Somers track team thrilled fans who made the trip to Polson last week to watch them net their best overall scores to date.

Somers head track coach Luke Johnson said he was extremely pleased with the team's placing in the meet.

"We did very well - unprecedented, I think with how well we did comparatively," he said.

To begin with, the eighth-grade girls second overall. Individually, Jaclyn Rauthe took first in the 100 meter dash with a time of 13 sec. and also took first in the 200 meter dash with 28 sec.

Shelby Clark took third in the 400 meter dash with a time of 69 seconds and fifth in the 100 hurdles with a time of 18 seconds but placed first in the 200 hurdles with a time of 33 seconds.

Briana Patyk placed second in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:49 but took first in mile with a time of 6:06.

The eighth-grade girls relay team took second in 4x100 relay with 57 seconds and second in the 4x400 with a time of 4:51.

Patyk took first place in the high jump with 4'10" inches. Rauthe placed second with 4'6."

The eighth-grade boys took sixth place overall but boasted a few highlights worthy of mention. Among them, Parker Sutton took second place in the mile with a time of 5:16. Caleb Keller took first in the shot put with a distance of 40'11", and Victor Milender took third in discus with his best throw to date, a distance of 106'10".

The seventh-grade boys placed first overall in the meet with some impressive times and performances. For starters, Dallas Grimes took first place in the 100 meter (12.17 sec.), 200 meter (25.94 sec.), and 400 meter dash (59.72 sec.) Bodie Schieffer took third in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:33.

Blaine Newman took second in 100 hurdle 16 sec. and fourth in the 200 meter hurdles (32.16 sec.). Newman also took fourth in the triple jump (29'6").

The seventh-grade boys relay team placed third in the 4x400 relay with their time of 4:24. Tanner Mack placed second in shot put with a distance of 33'.

The seventh-grade girls placed third overall and came within one point of second place.

Brooke Neater took second place in the 100 meter hurdles 16.92 sec. and Elizabeth Chmielewski took third with a time of 17.72 sec. Neater also took fourth place in the 200 meter hurdles 33.27 sec., and Chmielewski placed third in the 800 meter run with 2:46.

The seventh-grade girls placed third in the 4x100 relay with a time of 58 seconds and second in the 4x400 relay with 4:52.

Neater took first place in the long jump with a distance of 12'4” and second in triple jump with a distance of 26'6”. She also won the high jump, clearing 4'10'. Merrick Dragon took second in high jump with 4'2".

"It was a very successful meet," Johnson said. "I don't think that I've ever seen a Somers team get first, second and third in a meet with 40 kids, competing against teams with well-over 100."

As for last week's meet at Kalispell's Legends Stadium, Somers came in second for the overall number of ribbons earned. Although the list of results was not released as of press-time, a few highlights are in order.

Grimes took first place in the 400 meter for seventh-grade boys, with a time of 57 sec. Sutton took first place in the 800 meter for eighth-grade boys, with a time of 2:18. Patyk finished the mile in second place for eighth-grade girls, with her best time to date, 5:57, and also place second in the high jump with a 4'8" jump. Dylan Thomas took second place in the 200 hurdles for seventh-grade boys, with a time of 31 sec.

In other events, Milender placed second for eighth-grade boys in discus with a 100' throw, while Caleb McCracken took third with a distance of 85'. Neater took first place in the long jump for seventh-grade girls with a 13'11" jump. Rauthe finished second for eighth-grade girls in the 200 meter in just 27 sec. Clark finished fourth for eighth-grade girls in the 400 with 1:09.