By John George
Two members of the New York Mills track and field teams are already looking like they are in mid-season form.
For the boys, senior Kenny Szymonowicz came out of the season-opening gates running, and running fast. Szymonowicz finished first in the 200m dash (23.72) and second in the 100m dash (11.45) at the John Reimer Invitational in Pillager last Thursday. He accounted for 18 of the boys 24 points as they finished 10th at the 11-team meet.
Pillager won the boys team title with 108 points. Becker was third with 89, followed by Parkers Prairie with 73.
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Brandon Menze scored four team points with his fourth place finish in the discus.
The girls were led by Ashley Hagen, who placed in three field events. She won the high jump by clearing five feet. Her leap of 30'3" in the triple jump was good for fifth place and she finished sixth in the long jump with a leap of 14'11". Hagen finished with 13 of the girls 21 points as they finished ninth out of 13 teams.
Becker won the girls team title with 105 points. Milaca edged out Wadena-Deer Creek for second place.
Brittnie Menze finished fourth for the Eagles in the shot put (30'6.5") and Alli Sleiter finished fifth in the 200m dash (29.11).
First meet
The Eagles opened their season a bit late this spring. After two postponements, Mills competed in their first event of the spring at the Thunder Invite on April 17 at Long Prairie-Grey Eagle. No team scores were kept.
Szymonowicz paced the boys as he tied a school record in the 100m dash with a first place time of 11.06. He also took first in the 200m dash (23.03).
Menze finished first in the discus (117'7") and he was the runner-up in the shot put (38'3").
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Ben Jacobson had a pair of top-10 finishes as he took fifth in the 110 hurdles (17.65) and seventh in the 300 hurdles (47.48).
Hagen led the girls team with a first place high jump of 5'0". She also finished fifth in the long jump with a leap of 14'7.75". Bobbi Smith was close behind in the long jump, as she finished sixth with a jump of 14'6.5".
Brittnie Menze was runner-up in the shot put with a throw of 30'10". Her discus toss of 87'0" was good for fourth place.
Other top-five finishes were turned in by Olivia Hendrickx in the 3200m run (4th-13:52.0) and Alli Slieter in the 200m dash (5th-27.09).
Next up for the Eagles will be the Wadena-Deer Creek Invitational on April 27, the Hawley Booster Invite on May 1 and the Hank Emmel Invite in Pelican Rapids on May 3.
