Superior athletes excel in Pocatello
JOHN HAMILTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 weeks, 6 days AGO
Superior track and field standouts Landon Richards, Ava White and Siri Cooper all turned in outstanding performances in the Region 11 Junior Olympics in Pocatello last week, with all three posting qualifying efforts for the National Junior Olympics at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California July 27 through August 2.
Competing in the boys 17-18 division, the two-time defending State C champion and state record holder in the high jump, Richards finished second in Pocatello based on misses. Richards and Ambrose Brainard both cleared 6 feet, 6.75 inches, but Brainard, of the Cliff Jumpers High Jump Club had fewer misses along the way.
Competing in the girls 15-16 class, White placed third in the 400 meter hurdles in 1:07.60, tied for third in the pole vault with a best effort of 9 feet, 0.25 inches, and placed sixth in the 100 meter hurdles in 16.64 seconds.
In the girls 13-14 division, Cooper placed second in the 200 meter hurdles (in a personal best 31.05 seconds) and third in the 100 meter hurdles (17.88).
Since the top five place winners in each event qualify for the national meet, all three Superior athletes are eligible to compete in California later this month at the National Junior Olympics, although it was not known at press time if they plan on attending.
Richards and White both joined the Mountain West track and field club this summer and practiced with and competed for that team, while Cooper attended and competed in meets unattached.
ARTICLES BY JOHN HAMILTON
PHOTOS: Summer softball all-stars
PLAYERS FROM THE NORTH softball program completed summer play with an all-inclusive intrasquad game called the Compass Battle in Sandpoint July 20.
Aldridge and Slonaker head to California for Junior Olympics
Thanks to the donations of many friends, fans and local businesses, Ben Aldridge and Daniel Slonaker raised the necessary funding and were set to leave Montana Tuesday afternoon for the USATF National Junior Olympics at Cerritos College in Norwalk, Calif., this week.
Sidelines: Enrollment numbers not always the entire story
Some numbers are undeniably more important than others, the numbers that decide who competes against who in Montana high school sports perhaps being the most consequential of all for local schools.