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A 90-degree day, in the “Icebox of the Nation” no less, robbed the Ely Timberwolves of an opportunity to truly gear up for the looming subsection boys track meet.
Particularly in the distance events, the Timberwolves lightened the load for some of their top athletes because of the heat, and the team also tinkered with its relay lineup at Wednesday’s Iron Range Conference Meet.
Nonetheless, the Wolves still managed a fourth-place finish in the event and probably would have been even higher had they been at full strength.
Senior Silas Solum, one of the team’s top athletes, missed the event because of final exams at the Vermilion campus of Minnesota North College.
“We were just four-anda- half points behind (thirdplace) Chisholm,” said Ely Head Coach Will Helms. “If we would have had Silas’s usual production we would have been right there... And our strength is mid-distance and a lot of those guys didn’t double up because of the heat. Knowing it was going to be 90 degrees we didn’t have a lot of guys doubling and tripling up because we wanted to make sure we kept fresh legs.”
In all, the Wolves had 15 finishes of top-six or higher on the day, including all four relays.
Sophomore Oliver Hohenstein had Ely’s highest overall showing, placing second in the 1,600 meter run in 5:07.97.
Teammate Blake Houde was third (5:09.42) in the same event and senior Dylan Durkin had three top-five showings paced by a thirdplace long jump of 17-11.
Wyatt Devine took third in the 800 meter while thrower Wyatt Mattson was fourth in both the shot put (36-2) and discus (106-10).
“Wyatt Mattson is having a lot of success,” said Helms. “In the discus and the shot put, he’s having some personal- best throws and Milo (McClelland) is right here with him.” Senior Eli Olson also showed off his talent in multiple events, taking fourth in the triple jump (36-11), sixth in the long jump (17-5) and contributing to a fifth-place four-by-400 relay with Hohenstein, Brooks Brenny and McClelland.
Ely’s top relay was the four-by-800 quartet of Otto Devine, Aksel Skustad, Mc-Clelland and Brenny. They placed third in 9:23.33.
The Wolves get another tune-up opportunity Saturday at Rock Ridge, where they participate in the Kerzie Invitational.
It’s the final regular season event with the 7A North Subsection Meet to follow on Thursday, May 22 at Aurora. Ely will be looking to advance individuals and relays to the 7A Meet at Duluth on Wednesday, May 28.
Ely’s IRC finishers were:
• 100 dash - 17. Jack Rintala, 13.0; 24. Brady Strange, 14.28;
• 200 dash - 5. Durkin, 24.22; 19. Noah Axlesson, 28.84; 20. John Schiltz, 29.01;
• 400 dash - 12. Skustad, 1:03.74; 14. Axlesson, 1:04.58;
• 800 run - 3. Wyatt Devine, 2:12.95; 7. Brenny, 2:25.84;
• 1,600 run - 2. Hohenstein, 5;07.97; 3. Houde, 5:09.42; 7. Oren Solum, 5:42.31;
• 3,200 run - 7. Mason Kurnava, 12:00.98;
• 300 hurdles - 6. Otto Devine, 51.64;
• Four-by-100 relay - 5. Noah Anderson, Mattson, Tory Hughley, Rintala, 51.51;
• Four-by-200 relay - 5. Durkin Hughley, Mattson, Anderson, 1;44.69;
• Four-by-400 relay - 5. Olson, Hohenstein, Brenny, McClelland, 4:00.52;
• Four-by-800 relay - 3. Devine, Skustad, McClelland, Brenny, 9:24.33;
• Shot put - 4. Mattson, 106-10; 5. McClelland, 1040; 15. Rintala, 73-11;
• High jump - 5. Durkin, 5-4;
• Long jump - 3. Durkin, 17-11; 6. Olson, 17-5;
• Triple jump - 4. Olson, 36-11.25; 8. Hughley, 3210.5; 10. Kurnava, 30-10.25.
