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Great Falls CMR throwers are talented, deep

Posted at 9:29 PM, May 14, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-15 13:46:33-04

GREAT FALLS — There’s no feeling in track and field quite like hitting a new personal record (PR).

And at Great Falls CMR, the Rustler throwers have hit a lot of them this year.

“It’s a great feeling,” said senior Hunter Clark. “Amazing just showing that the hard work does pay off. Unbelievable feeling.”

Between the boys and girls teams and across shot put, discus and javelin, four Rustlers have already qualified for state and six throwers have top-10 distances in Class AA.

CMR always tends to have solid throwers with plenty of state titles and podium appearances to show for it. What’s the secret?

“Our Rustler throwing team, we’re one big family,” said senior Breanna Johns. “We’re happy, joking around. But we’re working hard and we all have certain goals to reach.”

Johns is among the Rustler leaders and one of the top throwers in the state. In eight meets this season, she’s won the shot put eight times and currently holds the second-best AA mark at 38 feet, 11 inches.

“My goal is to win state,” said Johns. “Hoping to hit that 40-foot mark. I definitely think I can get there.”

Fellow CMR senior Kylee Gilcher has qualified for state in the javelin with a PR of 123 feet, 6 inches. Gilcher recently signed to throw javelin at the University of Providence next year.

On the boys side, Clark and Nick Konesky have both qualified for state in the shot put with throws longer than 48 feet. Clark (48 feet, 6.5 inches) recently signed with Minot State track and field but has a few milestones he’d still like to hit before his high school career ends.

“Fifty feet is my goal ever since I was a freshman,” he said. “I always wanted to throw 50 in shot and 150 in discus. It’s within my grasp, so hopefully I can kind of peak at the right moment and hit those marks.”

He’ll have a chance at the Eastern AA divisionals in Bozeman this weekend, followed by the Sate AA meet in Kalispell on May 24-25.