The International Falls girls track and field team won its second consecutive outdoor meet of the week in less-than-ideal weather conditions after placing first out of a dozen teams in Thursday’s GNK Titan Invite.
The Broncos finished on top with 139 team points, followed by Mesabi East (110), the meet host Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin (98), Crosby-Ironton (77) and Mountain Iron-Buhl (45) rounding out the top five.
“We had a great ‘team’ attitude today with everyone out cheering for their teammates throughout the meet,” said Falls senior captain Brittany Fisher.
Of the 14 individual events, the Broncos had a top-three finish in 11 of them.
Sophomore Breanna Shofner accounted for 34 team points when she won both the 100-meter dash (12.87 seconds) and 200 (26.62), placed second in the 400 (1:03.75) and came in third in the long jump (13 feet, 8.5 inches.)
Sophomore Lexi Owen won the 100 hurdles (17.53) and placed second in the 300 hurdles (51.37).
Sophomore Hailey Fentem placed first in the high jump when she won on tiebreaker criteria as one of three girls to clear 4-10.
“Hailey Fentem had a great day in the high jump by taking first place as she jumped against a number of tough competitors,” said Falls high jump coach Dan Zika.
Freshman Savanah Olson placed second in the shot put (35-10) and third in the discus (86-4).
Sophomore Jaci Scholler placed second in the triple jump (30-1.5).
Junior Amber Harms came in third in the 3200 run (12:36.33).
The Broncos had two top-three finishes in the four relay events by placing third in both the 4X100 (56.26) and 4X800 (10:51.33).
Falls boys fifth
In the boys competition, Falls finished fifth out of 11 teams.
Virginia won with 111 points, followed by Crosby-Ironton (99), Eveleth-Gilbert (95), Bigfork (84) and the Falls (69.5) as the top-five teams.
“The competition was tough with Virginia and Crosby-Ironton attending the meet,” said Broncos senior captain Tyler House.
The Falls boys had one individual first-place finish with sophomore Paul Skoglund winning the 110 hurdles (17.31).
The Broncos also had a trio of third-place finishes in three field events from House in the triple jump (37-2.5), junior Jason Pumper in the high jump (5-6) and junior Cade MacKay in the pole vault (9-6).
“(It) was a tough meet, but the team came ready to compete, and I feel we did very well as a team in the cold out there,” Pumper said.
Falls’ only top-three finish in the relay events came by placing third in the 4X100 (49.09).
The Bronco boys and girls teams will be back in action Tuesday when they host the Falls Invite.
GNK Titan Invite
Team scores
Girls: International Falls 139, Mesabi East 110 Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin 98, Crosby-Ironton 77, Mountain Iron-Buhl 45, Virginia 41.50, Eveleth-Gilbert 38.50, Albrook/Cotton/Cherry/Tower 36.50, Bigfork 28.50, Deer River/Northland War Eagle 28, Ely 26, Chisholm 20.
Boys: Virginia 111, Crosby-Ironton 99, Eveleth-Gilbert 95, Bigfork 84, International Falls 69.50, Mesabi East 63, Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin 44, Deer River/Northland War Eagle 39.50, Chisholm 33, Albrook/Cotton/Cherry/Tower 30, Ely 28.
