The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Kelly Carrington Staff Writer Five track and field athletes from Creighton Community School competed in Provincials in Saskatoon over the weekend. Krystal Kawa, Kaitlin Kirk, Ian Fergusen, Kaden Antoniuk, Mason Antoniuk, and Riley Reynolds all qualified for Provincials after competing in the NEESAC meet last Monday. Mason, Kawa, and Kirk were all selected to compete in the 4x100 team relay. Running coaches Ryan Trumbley and Jason Straile had a final practice with their runners Wednesday before heading off to Saskatoon. On Monday, the athletes competed in the NEESAC after the competition had been postponed twice do to the weather. 'The weather was terrible,' said Trumbley. 'But I think we did fine.' 'It affected everyone the same,' said Straile. Trumbley says everyone who the coaches, including throwing coach Vince Cable and jumping coach Janel Pearson, expected to qualified did so. The Kodiaks showed up in Melfort with plenty of Grade 8 athletes and only two Grade 12s. 'We had a really young team,' said Trumbley, noting that 14 of the athletes were in Grade 8. 'They all did really well.' Some of the highlights from NEESAC included Syndi Morrissette breaking the meet's record in the 80-metre hurdle by a full second. 'That was a surprise to us. We know she was good, but she beat it by a full second,' said Trumbley. Reynolds earned top spot in the shotput as Kawa won the long jump. 'She has really spent a long time specializing in the hurdles and 100-metre this year. She didn't spend a ton of time in the long jump and she just jumped to see how it would go and ended up winning it,' said the coach. This weekend, five of the six who qualified competed in Provincials in Saskatoon. Heading into the competition, Trumbley and Straile expected the athletes to compete at a high level. 'I don't know if we have any medal hopefuls, it's tough to say,' said Trumbley. Athletes living in larger cities often have the chance to compete in track and field all year, whereas those in Creighton are lucky to have a month to train. This year, the Kodiaks were able to take their own training up a level as they were able to use the paved running track. 'It gives them a sense of what they will be running on, rather than running on a road for 100 metres,' said Straile. On the paved track, the different courses are outlined and the athletes are able to bring their hurdles to the pavement as well. Rebuilding Year With a core group of Grade 8 athletes, Trumbley says this was a rebuilding year for the Kodiaks. '...we lost a lot of Grade 12s last year. And In the last two years we've really taken a hit in our track and field athletes.' With a large group of Grade 8 athletes coming through the system, both Trumbley and Straile pay credit to Jen Janzen who coaches Grade 7 track and field. 'They don't go to competition, but I think a big part of the reason our Grade 8's did so well was because she was with them last year.' Starting track in Grade 7 gives the athletes one more year to train and one more year to focus on the proper techniques. Results The following Kodiaks competed in the following events at the NEESAC: Kaden Antoniuk _ silver in shot put Krystal Kawa _ Gold in Hurdles, Gold in long jump, silver in 100 m Mason Antoniuk _ Silver in Javelin Ian Fergusen _ Silver in 1,500 Kaitlin Kirk _ silver in 1,500 Riley Reynolds _ Gold in Shot put Blair Pietsch _ Silver in Triple Jump Megan Nivon _ Silver in Hurdles Kylee Anderson _ Silver in Shot Put Tyler Williamson _ Gold in Hurdles, Silver in 200 Jordan Panagabko _ Silver in Shot put Sydni Morrisette _ Gold in hurdles, Silver in 200m
