HELENA — Carroll College’s only home track meet of the the season, the Trudnowski Open, starts back up Friday at Vigilante Stadium in Helena.
For 16 Carroll College seniors, this meet will be the last time to compete as Fighting Saints on their home turf, which is reason enough be emotional. Though, it’s not just the athletes who could feel the water works coming on Friday afternoon. Head coach Harry Clark admitted that Friday afternoon is going to be an emotional one for him, especially.
“It’s going to be an emotional weekend for me, for sure, because these kids that came in and are leaving right now really are the bones of the program. That’s why we’re really good right now,” said Clark. “Look at what they’ve done the last four years, with our program being top four in the country and things like that. I couldn’t be more proud of this senior crew.”
While Friday could prove to be emotional, that still doesn’t do away with the countless track and field events immediately following Carroll’s Senior Day festivities. The meet does pose an opportunity for seniors to either break personal records or even eclipse NAIA ‘A’ standards and get immediate bids to the national track and field championships in May.
“It would mean a lot, for sure. I just have a preliminary mark right now, so it definitely would be nice to get to the ‘A’ qualifier to be for sure going and not take up a ‘B’ spot that someone else could be using,” said senior pole vaulter Keaton Brady. “I’d definitely like to do that this weekend and get it out of the way.”
“It would be really cool to reach a (personal record) in Helena,” said senior pole vaulter Mika Robinson. “I mean, we get to practice here every day, and it would be pretty fun to do that in front of our family and friends that are going to be here.”
The Trudnowski Open’s Senior Day ceremony will be at 12:30 p.m. with track and field events starting at 1 p.m.
