The Yorkton Regional High School (YRHS) Raider track and field had another extremely strong showing over the weekend when 14 students qualified for the Saskatchewan High School Athletics Association (SHSAA) provincial track and field meet held last Friday and Saturday in Moose Jaw.
Duane Miller, teacher advisor of the YRHS squad said it was a good example of how strong the school's track program has become; two students shone for at least the second year in a row, Gr. 11 student Avery Westberg has long cemented her name into the YRHS record books over the past few years, did it again in Moose Jaw with her accomplishments. Something that coach Miller said he was not the least bit surprised at the talented young distance runner.
High school track and field rookie Matthijs Wenning became the school's first triple gold medal champion at the provincial level since a student by the name of Gail Harris did it back in 1982.
In the senior girls category, Westberg experienced some unfamiliar competition in her action but none that deterred the speedster from adding to her medal count. Coach Miller said he wasn't surprised at Westberg's finishes either. She ran the 800-metre and finished seventh, she won a bronze in the 1500-metre, and topped that off with a gold medal in the 3000-metre. She had also finished in sixth in the 4x400 relay.
"Avery Westberg's gold medal makes her a five-time provincial champion and seven-time medalist in a very short time span of three years."
In other YRHS provincial finishes, Gr. 9 student Brandey Blahut showed that she may work her way into top-three contention, placing fifth in three different distance runs (800m, 1500m and 3000m).
"She has lots of potential," says Miller.
Kyla Bassingthwaite, pictured at the provincials with a shiny bronze medal around her neck, looked very good in her throwing events, winning silver in discus (see Pg C9 for picture), and finished in sixth in both the javelin and 100m relay. She is a repeat provincial medalist in her event.
Daniel Mandziuk finished in fourth in the Midget boys 400m relay.
In the senior boys category, track runner and former football star Cale Brown came through with a fifth place finish in the 400m; John Neibrandt competed in the long jump where he placed in fourth, and had a seventh place finish in the triple and high jump events.
Blayze Tkachuk ran the 3000m distance race and placed in sixth; Cole Ungar placed in sixth in discus and Jeremy Lockhart was good for a silver medal in the senior boys 4x100m relay.
Coach Miller said it was a pretty good day for YRHS track. The medal count for the school goes as follows: gold-four, silver-three and bronze-one.Placings: 4th place (3), 5th place (4), 6th place (5), 7th place (3).
