Powder River Examiner -

"Everyone on the team who went to Divisionals qualified for State," Broadus Head Track Coach Jerry Coulter beamed as he described the team's performance last Friday at the Southern BC Divisional Track Meet in Laurel.

When describing the weather at the event, he took on a more serious tone, as the team fought rain and snow, breezy conditions, and cold at the meet. One spectator we spoke to about the meet noted that the competitors in the high jump were soaked with water every time they hit the sodden mats.

Nonetheless, the Broadus team persevered through the adverse conditions to qualify and move on to State. Adversity has been a a theme for the track team this season, as team member Cale Emmons perished in a tragic auto accident just before the season. Additionally, several members of the team were injured coming into the season and missed earlier meets, while hurdler Zach Jones suffered a season ending injury in the first meet, and more recently Seniors Abigail Martin and Johnny Richards ended their seasons prior to Districts due to injury and illness.

On top of those issues, the weather has been less than cooperative for track meets, with Broadus attending six of ten regular season meets on the season.

That's all in the past as the team looks towards State, which will be held this Friday in Great Falls.

The team will leave early Thursday morning for the journey to the Electric City, scheduled to arrive in the afternoon and practice that day before their meet on Friday. As of Monday the forecast for Great Falls looked warm, with a forecast high of 78, and southwest winds 6 to 11 gusting to 20, as wind is nearly always a factor in Montana's fifth windiest city.

Coulter noted that the Western Division at Class C holds some of the top times in most events, so Broadus athletes will have to perform at the top of their game in order to medal in Great Falls.

Participants placing 1st through 6th place at Laurel qualified for State, we have included those scores here.

Divisional Meet 5/20/22

Matt Hansen, #839, jumps a hurdle at Divisional Track. (Photo courtesy Sommer Schaffer)

BOY'S RESULTS (43 points, 6th Place) – 400 M – Jaxon Bilbrey, 3rd, 54.95; 800 M – Eli Heacock, 3rd, 2:15.19; 1600 M – Eli Heacock, 2nd, 4:55.53, Josh Rasmussen, 5:23.49; 3200 M – Josh Rasmussen, 2nd, 11:34.83; 110 M Hurdles – Matt Hansen, 19.77, Riggin Schaffer, 22.39; 300 M Hurdles – Matt Hansen, 47.43; Shot Put – Tytan Hanson, 35'4¼"; Discus – Tytan Hanson, 3rd, 118'0"; Long Jump – Jaxon Bilbrey, 18'5¼"; Triple Jump – Jaxon Bilbrey, 4th, 39'0"; 400 M Relay – Jaxon Bilbrey, Matt Hansen, Eli Heacock, Riggin Schaffer, 6th, 49.89; 1600 M Relay – Jaxon Bilbrey, Matt Hansen, Eli Heacock, Josh Rasmussen, 4th, 3:57.20.

GIRL'S RESULTS (29.33 points, 10th Place) – 200 M – Maddie Zimmer, 31.54; 400 M – Maddie Zimmer, 1:08.01; 800 M – Maddie Zimmer, 4th, 2:50.60; Shot Put – Zeason Schaffer, 6th, 26'5¾"; High Jump – Zeason Schaffer, 2nd, 4'6", Sophie Irish, 4th, 4'4", Maddie Zimmer, 4'0"; Long Jump – Zeason Schaffer, 2nd, 15'5½"; Triple Jump – Zeason Schaffer, 3rd, 32'1½".