SUBMITTED PHOTO Hat High's track and field team stand with the 4A banner after winning it for the third time in a row at the Alberta Schools Athletics Association championships in Calgary on Saturday, June 8, 2019.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken
The Hat High Mohawks track and field team defended its place on top of the province with another dominant team-wide performance at the Alberta School Athletics Association championships on Saturday at Foothills Athletic Park in Calgary.
The Mohawks racked up a staggering 595.75 points to convincingly clinch their third consecutive 4A banner, and fourth overall, with 86.25 points of breathing room on runner-up Strathcona.
“I think we’re just exhausted, but I guess that’s what it takes to win,” said Hat High track and field coach Glen Mori. “The kids were fantastic. The weather was absolutely terrible on them and they were awesome. There’s no better group of kids that I know than our group. I’m just thankful to have the opportunity, and I know our coaching staff is thankful to have the opportunity to work with the kids that we do, because they truly make it. They’re the ones that drive the boat.”
In a sport filled almost exclusively with individual events, Mori says it’s great to be able to pull for common goal as a team.
“It’s a culture that’s built within our school and it’s one that we really pride ourselves on, that we are in this together and as much as we are a bunch of individuals competing for individual personal bests, the team is more important,” he said. “If one person falters, it’s OK because as a team we’re going to keep moving forward and we’re going to have a great time together and keep working on the process of the end result. It’s not always the end result that we’re focused on, but the process, and we really quite enjoy the process with our kids.”
Josh Suelzle left Calgary with an intermediate aggregate gold medal after compiling 44 points, besting Western Canada’s Winston Clarke by just one point to reach the top of the podium. Suelzle took home silver in discus and javelin, with throws of 39.02 metres and 50.06 metres, respectively, as well as bronze in the shot put with a throw of 13.58 metres to take the aggregate gold.
“He didn’t disappoint at all during the weekend,” Mori said of Suelzle. “He’s just a steady person on our team that consistently goes out there and performs.”
Elic Ayomanor picked up a junior aggregate silver after collecting a total 33.50 points Saturday, just 8.75 points behind Calgary Crescent Heights’ Kashay Kelsick for gold. Ayomanor took gold in the 200-metre dash with a time of 22.42, silver in the 400 at 50.76.
“He’s a phenomenal athlete, but more important he’s a gem of a kid,” said Mori. “I know he’s going down to prep school next year but it was phenomenal to watch him race and run.”
The Mohawks garnered 301 of their points through field events, 115 via sprints – a 4A best – 44 on distance runs, 82 in hurdles and 36 in relays. The Mohawks also picked up 15 points through the intellectual division and 2.75 points from zone relays.
“We try to pull a lot of the talented athletes from all over our school, and given that we try and really focus on events that are skill-based, that way we can teach them the technique or the skills to be successful and within the nine weeks we can get them to become provincial champions,” said Mori. “Some of the distance events, it takes a little bit more because those kids run all year-round. So a lot of multi-sport athletes with a lot of talent, and a lot of hard work that started in September – with whether it’s football or volleyball – that all ties in with track and field for us.”
Orin May clinched gold in the intermediate boys 100-metre hurdles with a time of 13.55 seconds and Gloria Lockbai took bronze in the senior girls high jump at 1.50 metres. Aimee Maurice took silver in the intermediate girls pole vault with a final jump of 2.50 metres, while Noah Dolter earned senior pole vault bronze with a 3.10-metre jump and Kyle Spackman took intermediate pole vault bronze by clearing 3.00 metres.
Sam and Jayce Henderson also combined to take fourth in the boys unified partner heptathlon after taking first and third in the long jump, first in the 400-metre dash, as well as second and third in javelin.
Bow Island’s Senator Gershaw clinched the 1A banner with a total of 95 points, besting second-place E.H. Walter by 10.5 points. Eagle Butte took 17th among 3A schools with a combined 67 points, while Crescent Heights settled for 19th with 57 points and McCoy was 24th with 47.25 points. Hat High also won the 4A boys banner with 311 points and took third in the 4A girls division with 267 points, while Gershaw placed second in 1A girls.
Eagle Butte’s Montana Wright took home a bronze medal in the intermediate girls javelin with a throw of 33.17 metres. Gershaw’s Karli Haugan left with a bronze medal in the senior girls discus after registering a throw of 28.98 metres.
