Staff
Ottawa Senators’ goalie Andrew Hammond is the talk of the netminding world right now.
But Jenny Hammond is doing a great job creating some buzz herself.
The captain of the Muskie track-and-field team seemingly has embraced her new role wholeheartedly, leading the black-and-gold with three individual medals (and four in total) as part of a nine-medal haul at the season-opening Bronco Booster Varsity Invitational meet in International Falls on Thursday.
Hammond’s efforts pushed the Muskie girls’ team to a fourth-place finish in the standings with 40.5 points behind the host Falls Broncos (170.5), Dryden Eagles (75), and Warroad Warriors (68).
Fort High’s boys’ team had an identical fourth-place result with 26 points, sitting behind the Broncos (121.5), Eagles (93.5) and Warriors (89).
“We had great leadership from the seniors,” said Muskie coach Ilka Milne.
“The girls’ teams earned a new meet record points total for the Muskies,” she noted.
“The boys were one point down from their meet record total last year.
“We put our predominantly young team in this varsity meet for the experience and to establish a baseline for their training goals,” added Milne.
“We are very pleased with how well the new members handled the challenge and how well the seniors mentored the team.
“Our relay teams ran well and are working now on smoother transitions,” Milne continued.
“Under Jordan Botsford’s coaching, the throwers have become a tightly-knit unit.”
In her first meet since her OFSAA appearance at the end of last season, Hammond captured gold in the girls’ 200m dash in a time of 30.68—a full three-quarters of a second faster than runner-up Abby Kostiuk (Falls High School).
The Grade 12 senior then tacked on a pair of bronze medals in the 800m (2:49.53) and 1,600m (6:32.41).
Dryden Eagles’ megastar Andie Wood racing to first in both events, including a mammoth 57-second cushion over second place in the 1,600m.
Hammond also had a hand in the Muskies’ bronze in the 4x100m relay in 58.41 (won by the Falls in 56.02) with fellow runners Ashtyn Dokuchie, Meagan Argue and Kenna Robertson.
Meanwhile, Fort Frances sprinted to a silver medal in the girls’ 4x200m relay (1:59.58 to trail the Falls in 1:57.83)
Joining Hammond as a gold club member was Sekina Scheibler, who launched a top toss of 94 feet to edge Muskie teammate Jason Bazylewski (93 feet, eight inches) for first place in the boys’ discus throw.
Bazylewski claimed the silver medal.
Also nabbing silver was Hammond’s OFSAA co-pilot from last year, Jacob Empey, who soared to a distance of 34 feet, three inches in the boys’ triple jump, finishing second to Ethan Phung (39 feet).
Another second-place showing went to Cassandra Moffitt, who also excelled in the triple jump, travelling 27 feet, two inches—only 5.5 inches behind girls’ division winner Jena Sullivan of the Falls.
Missy Hammond finished just out of the medals with a fourth-place result in the girls’ 400m (1:28.25), as did the boys’ 4x100m relay team (53.92).
Dokuchie matched that placement in the girls’ triple jump (24 feet, 5.75 inches), as did Jyllian Westover in the girls’ high jump (four feet, two inches).
Argue took fifth in the girls’ 100m hurdles (20.43), as were Robertson in the girls’ 200m (32.03) and Emily Bird in the girls’ 400m (1:28.35).
Sixth-place finishes were reeled in by Harleigh Brow-Rose in the girls’ 400m (1:31.81), Bailey Jones in the girls’ high jump (four feet, two inches), Arthur Van Ael in the boys’ 1,600m (5:28.39), and Andrew Roth in boys’ discus (73 feet, five inches).
Landing in seventh was Cayla Leimenstoll in the girls’ 400m (1:42.13), Nadia Webb in the girls’ 200m (32.82), Ellie Petsnick in the girls’ high jump (four feet), and Tyler Munro in the boys’ 110m hurdles (30.98).
Munro finished just ahead of teammate Colton Brown, who dashed to eighth spot (34.63).
Mackenzie Flamand muscled his way to ninth place in the boys’ discus throw (67 feet, nine inches).
Just outside of the top 10 were Mitchell Riordon in the boys’ 400m (1:06.12) and Hunter Calvert in the boys’ discus throw (61 feet, 11 inches).
Teruo Skead was 14th in the boys’ long jump (13 feet, nine inches) while Kenton Bowles placed 15th in the boys’ 100m (13.89).
Madison Morrison came in 18th in the girls’ 200m (35.70) while Taly Jernberg powered her way to 19th in girls’ shot put (19 feet, three inches) to match Sara Selman’s result in the girls’ discus (39 feet, nine inches).
Conan Jarvis leapt to 21st spot in the boys’ long jump (eight feet, 9.5 inches) while Tayla Trimble came through for 22nd spot in both shot put (12 feet, nine inches) and discus (32 feet, one inch).
Taylor Steinke’s lone event of the day had her end up 23rd in the girls’ 200m (43.85), with Savannah Sinclair collecting 26th spot in the girls’ 100m (16.99).
Logan Ballard managed to come in 27th in the boys’ 100m (14.65), three spots ahead of fellow Muskie Elias Chambers in 30th (17.14).
The Muskie contingent then took their show on the road to Baudette yesterday for the Border State Invitational.
Results were not available as of press time.
