Benson/KMS girls place third, boys fourth at Long Prairie-Grey Eagle Invitational

Benson/KMS turned in a strong day across the track and field events Tuesday at the Long Prairie-Grey Eagle Invitational, with the girls team finishing third out of nine teams and the boys taking fourth in the nine-team meet in Long Prairie. The Fighting Saints were led by multiple event victories, a school record from Ava Noble and several personal-best performances throughout the afternoon.

Noble delivered one of the top performances of the meet on the girls side. She set a new school record in the 100-meter hurdles, winning in 14.99 seconds, and later added another first-place finish in the 300 hurdles in 44.46. The 300 hurdles result carried extra weight, as Noble finished ahead of Violette Metz, the runner-up from last season's state meet in that event. Noble also helped Benson/KMS place second in the 4x200 relay alongside Julia Claussen, Sophie Krusemark and Kaida Helgenset.

Carly Tolifson also had a big meet for the Fighting Saints. She placed second in the 100 dash, won the high jump and ran on the first-place 4x100 relay team with Maddison Silas, Sophie Krusemark and Julia Claussen. Kaida Helgenset added another victory by taking first in the 400. In the relays, Benson/KMS also earned a third-place finish in the 4x800 with Libby Henry, Kayla Tollefsrud, Porsha Gravely and Silas.

Silas contributed in several events, placing third in the 200 dash and helping the 4x800 relay earn a medal, with season-best times in both. She also tied her personal best in the high jump at 4 feet, 8 inches, good for second place. Henry added a personal-best 1:05.33 in the 400 for fourth place, Tollefsrud ran a personal-best 2:47.30 in the 800 for sixth, and Gravely posted a personal-best 29.82 in the 200 for eighth.

The throws added another highlight for Benson/KMS. Mamie Luft won the discus with a personal-best throw of 114 feet, 2 inches, one of the top field-event marks of the day for the Fighting Saints. Brianna Collins also set a personal best in the discus at 78-10 and finished sixth.

On the boys side, Conner Stine paced Benson/KMS with a pair of sprint victories. He won the 100 in 11.26 and the 200 in 22.94, both personal-best times, and also ran on the winning 4x100 relay that finished in 45.30 with Hippe, Morrison and Silas. Those results helped cap a productive afternoon for the Fighting Saints, whose lineup produced wins, relay points and a steady string of season-best and personal-best performances in the first major stretch of the outdoor season.