Boys tie for 16th
International Falls’ boys and girls track and field teams were back in Bemidji for the second straight week on Tuesday when the Broncos competed in the BSU Little Amik indoor meet.
In the girls competition, Falls placed fourth in the team standings to once again finish in the top five from among more than 20 teams.
Bemidji won with 102 team points, followed by Park Rapids Area (65.4), Warroad (62.4), the Falls (58.4) and Mesabi East (44.5) rounding out the top five.
Broncos sophomore sprinter Breanna Shofner individually accounted for 14 team points as she placed second in the 60-meter dash in 8.47 seconds and third in the 200 (28.42).
Warroad junior Deidre Hahn won both the 60 (8.21) and 200 (27.64).
Shofner was also part of Falls’ 4x200 relay along with Jaci Scholler, Lexi Owen and Amy Auran to place second in 1:56.53, 24-hundredths of a second behind the winning time of Bagley/Fosston’s relay team.
Scholler also placed fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 30 feet, 1.5 inches. Owen added a fifth-place finish in the 60 hurdles (10.87). And Auran ended up in a seven-way tie for fifth in the pole vault (7-0).
Falls freshman Savanah Olson recorded two top-10 individual finishes, placing second in the shot put (36-9.5) and seventh in the discus (85-6.5).
Crookston senior Hayley Solheim won the shot put (38-2.5), while Bemidji junior Alli Heifort had the longest throw in the discus (117-6).
The Bronco distance runners finishing in the top 10 included seventh-grader Lexi Erickson placing third in the 1600 run (5:52.52) and junior Amber Harms coming in seventh in the 3200 (12:56.06).
Warroad sophomore Lyndsay Fast won the 1600 (5:43.32) and Roseau freshman Madeline Huglen had the fastest time in the 3200 (12:01.16).
Falls sophomore Hailey Fentem placed seventh in the high jump (4-8).
The Broncos also picked up team points in two other relay events besides the 4X200. Erickson, Auran and Harms joined junior Rachel Foss to place sixth in the 4X800 (10:44.23), while Auran, Madeline Dahle, Claire Herzig and Abby Kostiuk also finished sixth in the 4X400 (4:38.36).
Boys place 16th
In the boys competition, Falls ended up in a three-way tie for 16th with 12 team points.
“The boys are working hard,” said Bronco boys head coach Paul Hjelle. “They improved a lot from last week.”
Bemidji also had the top boys team with 99 points, followed by Pillager (85), Roseau (74), Thief River Falls (50.5) and Warroad (30) in the top five.
Falls had two individual fourth-place finishes from Paul Skoglund in the 60 hurdles (9.74) and Jason Pumper in the high jump (5-8).
“Jason Pumper has started off the season on a high note,” Hjelle said. “He could have a very good year.”
Roseau senior Jesse Eastman won the high jump (6-4), while Bemidji junior Tanner Phillips finished first in the 60 hurdles (9.3).
Senior captain Tyler House was Falls’ only other boys competitor to score team points when he placed seventh in the 400 dash (57.28). Pillager senior Wesley DeLong won in 53.53.
“We are getting excellent leadership from our captains and are looking forward to our first outdoor meet at home next week,” Hjelle said.
Falls hosts the Bronco Booster Invite next Thursday.
BSU Little Amik
Team scores
Girls: Bemidji 102, Park Rapids Area 65.4, Warroad 62.4, International Falls 58.4. Mesabi East 44.5, Roseau 41.4, BGMR Freeze 32.5, Thief River Falls 28.5, East Grand Forks 28, Crookston 26.4, West Marshall 26.4, Bagley/Fosston 25, United North Central 17.5, New York Mills 12, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 11, Wadena-Deer Creek 9, Red Lake County 8, Pillager 7.4, Clearbrook-Gonvick 5, Frazee 3, Trek-North 3, Bigfork 3, Pine River-Backus 2, Northome/Kelliher/Blackduck 1, Nevis 1.
Boys: Bemidji 99, Pillager 85, Roseau 74, Thief River Falls 50.5, Warroad 30, Northome/Kelliher/Blackduck 28, Frazee 27, East Grand Forks 26, Crookston 25, West Marshall 24.5, Ada-Borup 18, Deer River/Northland War Eagle 17.5, Nevis 16.5, Park Rapids Area 16, BGMR Freeze 15, Mesabi East 12, Wadena-Deer Creek 12, International Falls 12, Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin 10, United North Central 9, Red Lake County 7, Bagley/Fosston 4, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 3, Pine River-Backus 3.
