Grizzlies make most of limited roster at Burlington Invitational

With junior prom scheduled later that evening, Rocky Mountain head coach Tobee Christiansen made a deliberate decision Friday at the Burlington Invitational, limiting entries and allowing much of his roster to prioritize their big night.

Even with just two girls and 10 boys competing, the Grizzlies returned home with plenty to be encouraged about.

“It was a good meet for those that attended,” Christiansen said, noting the unavoidable conflict with prom. “Mason Moss did well in the hurdles, running the 110 for the first time in a couple of years. The throwers had a good day, and Cooper Ward had a big personal record in the long jump, improving by almost three feet from last season. That’s great growth.”

Moss turned in a strong all-around performance, placing second in the 110-meter hurdles in 16:53 and adding a runner-up finish in the 100-meter dash at 11:89. Ward also made his mark on the track with a sixth-place finish in the 100 at 12:43, while claiming first in the long jump with a leap of 19-1.

In the field events, Rowan Hanusa cleared 8-6 to place second in the pole vault, while Cooper Winland and Evin Clendenen finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the shot put with throws of 39-6 and 37-4.

On the girls side, Avery Thomas and Keylee Christiansen represented Rocky Mountain as the lone competitors. Thomas led the way with a first-place finish in the triple jump at 33-3 and added a fourth-place mark of 13-9 in the long jump. Christiansen placed third in the pole vault, clearing 6-6.

“Avery prequalified in the triple jump,” Christiansen said. “And with just two girls competing, both of them stepped up.”

With spring break arriving this week, the Grizzlies will have a brief pause from competition. Students are out of school Thursday and Friday, along with the Monday following Easter, creating a long weekend that can challenge consistency during the early part of the season.

Christiansen acknowledged the balancing act that comes with the break.

“It takes some dedication on the athletes’ behalf to keep progressing,” he said. “They’ll need to put in time on their own as well as at practice so we don’t lose momentum.”

Rocky Mountain will return to action Saturday, April 11, at the Powell Invitational, where the full squad is expected back and looking to build on a promising start to the season.