Tallier wins four events, Gilman girls are 3rd behind ECC rivals

SPENCER BRIAN PICKETT INVITE

Competing in their third track and field meet in five days, the Gilman Pirates continued to produce in Tuesday’s eight-team Brian Pickett Invitational hosted by the Spencer Rockets.

The girls racked up 75 points to place third behind deep Eastern Cloverbelt Conference teams from Loyal (189) and Neillsville (132.5). The Pirates outscored Auburndale (66.5), Greenwood (45), Columbus Catholic (30), Spencer (28) and Thorp (25).

Junior standout Gracie Tallier won all four of her events to account for 40 of Gilman’s points. That included a new one for her, the 300-meter low hurdles. She hit the finish line in 50.01 seconds in that race to finish comfortably ahead of runner-up Abrial Kubista of Loyal (53.06).

In her more conventional events, Tallier was right at her school record of 12.6 seconds in the 100-meter dash, winning the final in 12.61 seconds ahead of Loyal’s Aubre Robida and Pirate freshman Claire Drier, who was third in a seasonbest 13.4 seconds. Ellie Drier was 15th in 15.04 seconds.

Tallier took the 200-meter dash final in 26.42 seconds, a full second ahead of Loyal’s Leah Scherer. Claire Drier was fourth in a season-best 28.42 seconds and Ellie Drier was 18th at 31.59 seconds. Tallier won the long jump at 15 feet, 10.5 inches, well ahead of Columbus Catholic’s Mira Torbey (15-0.25). Claire Drier was third at 13-10.75.

Sophomore Bailey Angell tacked on 20 more points by winning the shot put and discus. She bumped up her discus distance from the past two meets with a throw of 108-7 that was nearly 14 feet better than a throw produced by runnerup Lilly Hasenohrl of Auburndale (94-9). Emma Grunseth got past 80 feet for the second straight night, taking seventh at 81-5. Angell’s winning toss of 38-7.5 in the shot put beat Auburndale’s Julia Seekamp by just over 3 feet. Grunseth was 14th at a season-best 26 feet.

Gilman’s boys scored 38 points to place sixth ahead of Loyal (37) and Thorp (29.5). Neillsville easily won the team title with 207 points, followed by Auburndale (146), Spencer (89.5), Greenwood (57) and Columbus Catholic (42).

Senior Zack Marion had the highest individual finish, placing fifth in the shot put at 36-11.5, his best throw of the outdoor season. Bryce Chovan set a personal best with an 11th-place throw of 32-1 and Caleb Marion was right behind him at 31-7. Chovan and Branden Ustianowski were seventh and eighth in the discus with throws of 103-10 and 102-9, while Zack (85-10) and Caleb (82-9) Marion were 11th and 12th.

Quintin Franzen scored in both hurdles races, taking fifth in the 110-meter high hurdle finals at 22.26 seconds and seventh in the 300-meter intermediates in 51.46 seconds. His high hurdle preliminary time of 21.28 seconds is a new personal best.

In relays, Branden Ustianowski, Troy Duellman, Franzen and Braeden Person took third in the 800-meter race in 1:42.62, just behind Neillsville (1:42.47) and Spencer (1:42.57). That was Gilman’s second-fastest time of the spring. Brady McAlpine, Duellman, Max Ustianowski and Caleb Marion were fourth in the 400-meter relay at 52.54 seconds, trailing Neillsville (48.7), Auburndale (50.67) and Thorp (51.98).

Max Ustianowski added two more points for Gilman by taking seventh in the long jump competition at 14-10.25. McAlpine was ninth at 14-5.75. Duellman led Gilman in the 100-meter dash preliminaries by finishing 13th in a season-best 12.84 seconds. Person was 15th in the 400-meter dash at 1:01.78, his best time of the spring.

After a two-day break from competition, Gilman is at Cadott Friday before attending the Eastern Cloverbelt Conference championships in Colby on Tuesday.