WESTLOCK – Westlock-area high school athletes shone at the North Central Zone Track and Field meet at Foote Field in Edmonton May 19, with R.F. Staples School winning the zone banner and the lone St. Mary School runner dominating a pair of long-distance races.
The R.F. Staples track team saw 19 students in Grades 10 to 12 finish in the Top 4 in various track events competing against athletes from schools across the region including those from Barrhead, Morinville, Thorhild and Whitecourt. It was the first time the school has won the 3A zone banner since 2016.
Students who finished in first or second place have qualified to go to provincials in Medicine Hat June 3-4.
“I think we won it by 20 points, so we did really well,” said R.F. track coach Jessica Stevens, noting the Top 4 finishers in track events are given points which are accumulated for the team.
Students competed in all of the standard track events including the long jump, hurdles, shotput, and triple jump — R.F. coaches included Stevens, Kyle Beattie, Wade Hicks, and Leanne Cooper.
While Mother Nature did not cooperate, students rose to the occasion, despite the inclement weather for much of the day.
“It was a miserable, miserable, miserable day. There was rain, sleet, hail, harder rain and then wind and then more wind. It was terrible,” added St. Mary School athletic director Darcy Romanuik.
Meanwhile, SMS Grade 12 student Janelle Romanuik scored double gold dominating the intermediate 1,500 metre in a time 6:00.43 and won the 3,000-metre race in a time 12:43.
“We have a lot of work to do in advance of Medicine Hat. I think a personal best time there along with a Top 10 finish is something she’ll be striving for,” said Romanuik.
“It’s a great opportunity for her as this is the last high school event she’ll be able to participate in.”
R.F. zone results
Paige Snyder- shotput (first)
Timothy Hnatiw- long jump (first), triple jump (second), high jump (second), senior relay team (second)
Rysten Tomlinson - discus (first), Javelin (first), senior relay team (second)
Thomas Oloske - 100m (first), 200m (first), shotput (fourth), senior relay team (second)
Rebecca Letts - long jump (second), 200m (second), hurdles (third)
Dorothy Letts- 200 (third)
Preston Bruens – 3,000m (first)
Vicki Brett – 1,500m (second), 3,000m (second)
Tyson Cena- shotput (third), discus (first)
Samuel Bowsfield- hurdles (first), high jump (third), intermediate relay (second)
Matthew Dick- 3,000m (second), intermediate relay (second)
Matthew Lamarche- 100 (third), intermediate relay (second)
Harvalee Tomlinson- discus (first)
Javon Breckenridge- intermediate relay (second)
Haley Ford- 400m (third)
Sean Kaliel- triple jump (3rd), discus, hurdles (second), senior relay team (second)
Blain Rinas- shotput (first)
Rebecca Felske- high jump (first), 400 (2nd), 800 (first), senior relay team (second)
Heidi Huppertz - high jump (first), triple jump (second)
