Hinsdale Track & Field

BY JIM ORR

THE COURIER

The Hinsdale Raiders look to refine their track and field performances over the next few weeks, starting with their annual Jean Dreikosen Memorial Track Meet on Friday at Scottie Field in Glasgow.

"We're getting closer to PRs, but were not there yet," first year coach Lisa Beus told The Courier.

Field events start at 8:15 a.m., track events at 8:30 in the Dreikosen.

Beus, a Montana native who has coached in Alaska and Utah, said her team did "pretty good" as last Friday's Porcupine Invitational. The Raider boys won their team event with 115 points, 14.5 ahead of Nashua. The Lady Raiders were ninth with 19 points.

The veteran Raiders are still rounding into form this spring, with some having missed out on practice during the FFA senior trip over the Easter break.

But the team has some talent and is stacked at pole vault, where former HHS pole vault champion and Minot State All-American Kirk Capdeville is helping mentor the team in the event.

At the Porkie invite, the Raiders swept the top four places in pole vault – and that's how Beus thinks it will stay at least through District on May 6 in Glasgow. Dallas Capdeville soared 11-6, Brett Johnson 11-0, Wyatt Pattison 10-0 and Cache Younkin 9-6.

Early this week, Capdeville was a Top 10 athlete in five events – pole vault, high jump, shot put, 110 meter hurdles and 300 meter hurdles. He looks like a lock for State.

Beus said Lukas Johnson also looks promising in the shot and discuss. Johnson is a Top 10 competitor in those events and won both in the Nashua invite.

Beus added that Pattison has done well in javelin and pole vault, as has Brett Johnson at 3,200 meters and pole vault. Then there's Younkin, who won in the javelin last week.

Other boys team members include Kyle Albus and Wrangler Jones.

In an effort to improve in their own events, track team members in the Senior PE class at HHS will analyze their efforts and record video of one another. They will look at such factors as angles and speed velocity, seeks ways to improve.

On the girls side, senior Courtney Capdeville is performing well in pole vault and was expecting to get a new pole this week. She tied for first in the event last week with a height of 8-0.

Other team members include hurdler Delaney Beil, who's working through a calf pull injury, and throwers Cassidy Boucher and Jade Jones.