DICKINSON, N.D. – The Montana State University Billings track and field teams competed on Saturday in Dickinson, North Dakota at the Blue Hawk Games, with the Yellowjackets finishing another meet with impressive performances as the season builds towards the GNAC Championships.
 
Competing in their second to last meet before the conference championship meet, the Yellowjacket's performance would be highlighted by three first-place finishes. On the men's side of things, Ben Ralston would run a PR time of 21.55 in the 200m to top the event. The senior's time moved him into second place in the program's all-time rankings in the event, and seventh this season in the conference. Meanwhile on the women's side, Bella Klein would finish top in the 400m, narrowly missing her PR time with a mark of 58.64. Klein would also run the first leg of the 4x400m relay team which would also claim first place at the meet, with Mya Richardson, Katelyn Hamill, and Madeline Severson combining to run a time of 4:07.69.
 
Continuing on the women's side, the 4x400 wouldn't be the only impressive finish from Severson, who would finish in second place in the 800m with a time of 2:20.20. Richardson would come in fifth in the 100m with a time of 12.49, while also coming in seventh in the 200m with a time of 26.00 even. Hamill would finish 12^th in the 100m, and 13^th in the 200m. In the 1500m, Chloe Shennum would come fifth, narrowly missing out on a PR. In the hurdles, Kyanna Jarvis would finish in third in the 100m with a time of 15.84, while Cecily Eagleton would top the 'Jackets competitors in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:13.42. Eagleton would also top the 'Jackets finishers in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 11:40.00, while Gabi Becker would finish in fifth at 12:11.39.
 
In the jumping events for the 'Jackets, Jarvis and Severson would tie for fourth place in the high jump after clearing 1.50m (4' 11"), while Alyssa Sanchez would lead MSUB in the triple jump with a fourth-place mark of 10.50m (34' 5.5"), and tenth in the long jump with a mark of 4.59m (15' 0.75"). In the throws, Hannah Cooper would lead MSUB in the shot put with a best of 12.08m (39' 7.75"), finishing in fourth. She would also finish sixth in the discus, leading MSUB in the event with a mark of 37.54m (123' 2"), while also finishing seventh in the javelin with a mark of 35.22m (115' 7"). Mattea McColly would lead MSUB in the hammer throw though, taking fourth place behind a huge PR mark of 46.25m (151' 9").  
 
For the men's team, JayCee Herbert would finish in fourth place in the 100m with a time of 10.83, edging out Ralston, who finished sixth with a mark of 10.90.Tyler Grenier would set PRs in both the 100m and 200m with times of 11.21 and 22.99 respectively, while Mason Dezember and Landon Freeman would PR just the 200m with times of 22.15 and 23.34. Brock Grossman would take sixth in the 400m with a time of 51.59, while Lennon Davis would likewise take sixth in the 800m with a time of 2:02.04. Ryan Fenley would finish in sixth place in the 110m hurdles, running a time of 18.03. In the jumps, Payton Kokot would finish in fourth place in both the high jump and long jump, with leaps of 1.85m (6' 0.75") and 6.89m (22' 7.25") in a solid day. Meanwhile, Goodness Okere would take fifth place in the triple jump with a mark of 13.36m (43' 10"). In the throws, Cort Sandefur would show out in a big way, taking fourth place in the hammer throw with a mark of 47.90m (157'  1.5"), fifth place in the discus with a mark of 42.75m (140' 3"), and ninth in the shot put with a mark of 13.78m (45' 2.5"), leading MSUB in each event. Isaac Perkins would finish sixth in the discus with a throw of 42.29m (138' 9"), setting a PR along the way, while Kody Biggs and Braydon Tucker would each PR in hammer throw with marks of 45.21 (148' 3") and 45.08 (147' 11"). Finally, Kody Cooper would lead MSUB in the javelin with an eighth-place finish of 46.16m (151' 5").
 
THE BUZZ: Klein and Ralston were named the Intermountain Health Athletes of the Meet.
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets are scheduled next to compete as part of the Ed Jacoby Twilight, hosted on Friday, April 25 by Boise State University. Live results for the meets will be linked to both team's online schedules when available. The meet will serve as the 'Jackets final tune ups before heading to the GNAC Outdoor Championships.