Boise State Wins Seven Events at Bronco Invitational

The young Boise State track team came away with some positives from yesterday’s Bronco invitational.  The Broncos captured seven titles and produced 33 career-best marks in the event at Jackson’s Indoor Track in Nampa.


Three Bronco juniors remain unbeaten on the season.   Eetu Viitala had a lifetime best of 25-4 in the long jump, bettering his previous high by eight inches.  Viitala was just ¾ of an inch short of an all-time #3 jump in school history.  Mele Vaisima won the weight throw (61-4.25) for her third consecutive victory of the young season. Trevor Kraychir, the reigning Western Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week, heaved the weight 64-7 to win his third straight title as well.  Jeff Daw, Karrie Butler, Rolando Trammel and Paul Robertson are also 3-0 with a victory in the 4 x 400-meter relay (3:15.77). 


Redshirt sophomore Chase Sexton captured the shot put title with a throw of 53-8.50, junior Brian Pierre ran a great mile (4:15.25) and sophomore Jeff Daw broke the tape in the 400 with a career best of 48.01. 


Winning the WAC and doing well in the NCAA Nationals, however, requires more than individual efforts and event titles.  It is the points a team gets from other contributors that separates the teams with a few good individuals from those that get to take the hardware home.  We’ll watch that on this blog and chart their progress.  Yesterday, Alyssa Osai and Nadine Russell had career-bests of 54-10.75 and 53-4.25, respectively, in the weight throw to provide backup for Viitala and finish second and third.  Alex Nelson finished second to Kraychir in the men’s throw with a 59-10.25 effort. 


The well-balanced Bronco quartet could pay dividends in the WAC Championships next month.  Coach J.W. Hardy’s group went 1-2-3-4 led by Daw.  Manoah Wesson ran a career-best 48.17 to take second, Karrie Butler finished in 48.82, also a career best, and Paul Robertson was timed in 49.23.  Eric Capelle was just edged at the finish in the 60-meter dash (6.96) while freshman Justin Maines sported a lifetime best of 8.27 in the 60-meter hurdles to take second.  Promising sophomore Destiny Gammage was second in the 200-hurdles (25.01) while senior BreAnna Craig took second in the pole vault (12-5.50). 


Daniel Thompson still has work to do to join the top WAC pole vaulters, but he cleared a career-best 15-11 to take third yesterday.  Mathew Moyer ran third in the 800 with his lifetime best of 1:55.01.  Racquel Jones is another key to the Broncos’ hopes in the conference championships; she was able to take third in the long jump (18-2.25). 


Boise State hosts the Jackson’s Invitational next weekend in Nampa.  The Broncos are improving week to week and are an exciting group to watch.  That meet starts at 11:30 a.m. Friday with action getting underway Saturday at 9 a.m.