Farrell Honored At Top Ten

Hundreds of athletes, coaches, parents and fans traversed the Scottie track on Saturday in the slowest lap in Top Ten history. But It was also one of the most important.

The lap was honoring long-time Scottie track coach Bob Farrell, who died in April. Farrell was the originator of the Top Ten meet format in Glasgow, a format that has been duplicated throughout the state.

This was the first meet without Farrell in attendance in some form.

“The lap meant a lot,” said Head Coach John LaBonty. “I’m hoping that that kind of closes things. It’s just been kind of tough.”

The Scottie athletes have been wearing ribbons in honor of Farrell for the past few meets, and while they are not allowed to wear them in the upcoming district, divisional and state meets, LaBonty noted that Farrell will still be remembered and honored.

“We’ll recognize him at divisionals,” he said. “It’s just going to be a little strange [without him there.]”

Glasgow hosts the Northern B Divisional meet this year on May 18.

The lap honoring Farrell was sandwiched between Scottie athletes honoring Farrell the best way they could, performing at a high level at an annual meet he helped start.

The Scotties placed 16 times in total during the meet – 12 by the girls’ team and four for the boys.

There was one slip up, the girls’ 4X100 relay dropped the baton in the final exchange of the race, after being in top two leading teams for the majority of the race.

“We had the little relay disaster . . . pretty rare for them to do that,” said LaBonty. "But I thought we did really well.”

The girls’ long relay exacted some revenge with a silver, just falling behind Plentywood by two seconds with a time of 4 minutes, 24.73 seconds, their best time this season.

Debra Griebel, Rachael Zeiger and Josie Braaten brought home golds for the Scottie girls. Griebel took the top spot in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.0. Zeiger was first in the 800 at 2:26.95. And Braaten finished in 11:52.70 for first in the 3,200.

Griebel was only two seconds away from a first in the 300 hurdles, falling behind Sidney’s Lexi Prevost at 50.30. Zeiger also placed in a second event, finishing in fourth in the 400 with a time of 1:03.81.

Megan Dailey and Abbi Helland both also had a pair of podium appearances for the Scottie girls. Dailey was second in both the high jump at 4 feet, 10 inches and the long jump at 15- 6.

Helland grabbed bronze in the 100 hurdles at 17.23 and fourth in the 300 hurdles at 51.54. Rounding out the girls’ day were Amy Breigenzer, who was fourth in the 100 at 13.79, and Amanda Wolff, who brought home silver in the 1,600, finishing in 5:45.

For the boys, Lane Herbert, Chase Fossum and Austin Green were the highlights.

Green and Herbert both earned silver and Fossum a bronze on the day. Herbert tossed 164- 6 in the javelin and Green finished the 800 in 2:03.81, just .7 seconds behind Culbertson’s Fabion Munioz.

Fossum was only one second behind Malta’s Dalton Brooke and .75 seconds behind Chinook’s Dylan Surber in the 400, finishing in 53.59.

The boys’ 4X400 relay rounded out the day, taking their spot on the podium in fourth with a time of 3:40.71.

On the Class C side of the meet for Valley County, the Raiders of Hindsale and the Porcupines of Nashua were both represented twice on the podium. Bethany Lacock turned up gold in the triple jump, leaping 36- 3 for the Lady Raiders.

Dallas Capdeville represented the boys, finishing in fourth in the pole vault, clearing 11- 6 on the day.

Lane Nickels and Sean Bengochea had podium-worthy performances for the Porcupines. Nickels was third in the 1,600 with a time of 4:58.00 and Bengochea was fourth in the shot put, heaving 45- 5.5.