PRINEVILLE — Three Grant County track and field teams participated in their first meets of the season last week, including Grant Union, Monument and Long Creek.

The Grant Union Prospectors competed at Crook County School’s Breaking the Ice — Icebreaker last Thursday.

Competing with a partial team, against 4A and 5A schools, it was an opportunity for the team to get their feet wet.

A few highlights for the team included, for the boys, Andrew Copenhaver third in the pole vault, and Nick Springer third in high jump.

Head coach Sonna Smith said Clay Johnson, new to the team, was a welcome addition. He placed 13th in the 200 out of 48 competitors.

On the girls side, Trinity Hutchison placed third in the 400 and sixth in the high jump, and Sydney Brockway was fourth in the 100-meter hurdles.

Kaylee Wright was sixth in the javelin and high jump and eighth in the 100.

Chloe Bentz was eighth in the pole vault, and Chelsie Kodesh was eighth in javelin.

“We were competing against 5A and 4A teams, so this was outstanding,” Smith said. “I am looking forward to our next meet when we should be at full strength.”

Grant Union competes at the Friday, April 1, Don Walker Invitational in Nyssa. The team hosts the Small Schools Invitational on Tuesday, April 5.

Monument’s track team, led by head coach Darrin Dailey, is small but mighty.

Ten Tiger athletes from the 1A school finished at least “mid-pack” against their competitors, which included five 4A schools and 13 other mostly larger schools.

A few highlights include Sophia Pettit placing second in the 100-meter dash and third in the 200.

Kyla Emerson finished 10th in the 100, out of 66 competitors, and seventh in the long jump.

Pettit, Emerson, Dinorha Vidrio Landin and Faythe Schafer made up a 4×400 relay team, finishing in 10th place.

Maya Thomas placed 11th in the 3000.

For the boys, Hayden Schafer took seventh in javelin out of 75 competitors.

Next on Monument’s schedule is the March 23 All-Comers event at Oregon City High School and the Wednesday, March 30, Culver Invite.

Long Creek head coach Linda Studtmann took 10 athletes to last Friday’s Diana Thurmond Invitational in Harper.

Highlights for the boys include Kirill Borisov finishing fifth in the 200-meter dash with teammate Aaron Yeung taking sixth, Philipp Dessau ninth and Adam Rajabeliev 11th.

Borisov also placed seventh in javelin, and Fernando Rodriguez was sixth in the high jump and ninth in long jump.

For the girls, Andrea Moreno placed seventh in the 800-meter and 11th in the long jump for the girls. Lilly Stemmann was 12th in the long jump.

Long Creek will next compete at the Tuesday, April 5, Grant Union Small Schools Invitational.

The Prairie City and Dayville teams plan to start their season at the April 1 Don Walker Invitational.