GREAT FALLS — Following the Choteau Acantha Invitational track meet April 12, the Chester-Joplin-Inverness girls track team already has three athletes who have posted state-qualifying results.
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Leading the way is reigning Class C high jump champion Brynn Kammerzell, who competed for the first time this spring in Choteau's event due to her involvement with AAU basketball.
"Every week we have new problems to fix," Kammerzell, now a sophomore, said at Saturday's meet. "This week we were working on driving our knee, so it's just working on the little things every week. It's fun to be back."
Also already clearing the 5-foot mark to qualify for state in Class C is eighth grader Audrey Young, who said Kammerzell has guided her to succeed.
"She's taught me so much — how to get over and achieve our goals and have fun," Young said.
Kammerzell — who cleared 5 feet, 4 inches to win Saturday's meet — said that Young has done the same for her in the quest to repeat as champion.
"I think I'm a lot stronger than last year," Kammerzell said. "It's nice to have Audrey at practice to push me."
The Hawks are a team featured by a majority of underclassmen, but Jayla Ramberg is one of two seniors in the bunch.
Ramberg has already qualified for state in the triple jump with a best of 34 feet, 10½ inches, while also being close to doing so with the 4x100-meter relay team.
"It gives me a sense of pride, but I also know that there are things to work on," Ramberg said. "I'm looking forward to the next, you know, practice or the next meet to improve and honestly make myself better, make my teammates better, and that's the ultimate feeling. I mean, it feels good for the moment, but it only feels good for so long."
All three said the team has a strong bond.
"They're like my sisters to me, I love them so much," Ramberg said. "I'm with them throughout the entire year, and so finishing it off with such a great sport is totally amazing, and I love it. It's awesome."
"It helps a lot in the team sports, even track, like the relay," Kammerzell said. "It's nice to have a good friendship with them because you really get to know them over the year."
"We can do a lot," Young said. "I'm so happy that I'm on this team, and I hope we can go far."
CJI will next compete in the Seeley-Swan meet Saturday afternoon in Missoula.
