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Ely’s high school track teams are about to make up for lost time.
Idle for almost two weeks, the Timberwolves’ boys and girls teams both head to Hibbing Saturday for the Doc Savage Invitational - one of the area’s longest-running meets.
But that’s only the beginning. Both the boys and girls have four additional regular season events - from May 7-18 - to prep for subsection competition on May 23.
Mother Nature forced the postponement of Monday’s meet at International Falls, and the Wolves haven’t competed since an April 22 event at Deer River.
Ely nonetheless is ahead of its pace from 2023, when a series of snow storms and bad weather kept the Wolves off the track until May.
The Ely teams are both coming off victories at Deer River, with hurdler Leo Stalmer and jumper Eli Olson helping to lead the way.
The Ely boys have received a boost from a solid junior contingent, headed by Olson, Silas Solum, Wyatt Mattson, Tory Hughley, Dylan Durkin and Milo Mc-Clelland.
A strong freshman group has also helped pace the Wolves.
Field events have been a particular strength for the Ely girls, who are led by defending section discus champion Kaylin Visser, Addison Forsman (long jump) and Sarah Visser (triple jump) both had firsts at Deer River, as did senior sprinter Grace LaTourell.
The Ely girls have also been bolstered by impressive depth and strong relays.
• After this weekend, the track teams are both at Tuesday’s Mesabi East Invitational and go in different directions Thursday, with the girls at Hibbing and the boys at Chisholm’s Belluzzo Invitational.
The Iron Range Conference championships are slated for May 14, a meet at Rock Ridge follows May 18, and the subsection event is slated for Thursday, May 23, at Aurora.
