Plainsmen senior Walters soars to provincial gold

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/06/2022 (1363 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG — Marquis Walters is as natural a talent as you’ll find.

The Crocus Plainsmen senior attended three practices, had only one clean long jump at Brandon’s zone meet and needed just one attempt to win a varsity boys provincial gold medal at University Stadium on Friday.

Walters’ first leap of 6.24 metres was the only one over six all day, then he padded it with a 6.38 on his fourth of six attempts.

“I just surprised myself,” Walters said.

“The main thing was since we got our spacing right before, I didn’t have to think about hitting the board. I knew I was going to hit it every time or at least before it. All I had to think was ‘Jump far.’”

Walters admitted he didn’t stay that active during the COVID-19 pandemic — “I played a lot of videogames.” — but his raw ability was more than enough.

The crazy thing is he nearly failed to qualify for the final in the first place. Walters tries to jump off his left foot but struggled to measure out the right approach and either launched off his right or faulted on each attempt, posting a mark of 5.56m, nearly 40 centimetres back of his city record 6.05m.

His nerves lasted for one jump on Friday, then he relaxed as the best jump anyone else landed was 5.92m.

Understandably, Walters hadn’t considered a future in track and field. It’s worth noting university programs have taken men with lower personal bests.

“I’m planning to flip cars. I took automotive in school,” Walters said. “I want to make multiple streams of passive income for myself so I don’t have to work so much, but I’d take a scholarship.”

• • •

Tryn Turner got a whole lot better overnight.

The Neepawa Tiger threw 31.08m in the varsity javelin preliminaries on Thursday to sit in second place, then spent some time breaking down film with the longtime Zone 7 boys javelin record holder, Chris Turner, who also happens to be her father.

“It looked like I was stopping too soon so he wanted to give me that extra room to throw. I might lose a metre if I’m back but I’ll throw further,” Tryn said.

“I was actually really nervous. I did not think I was going to do good. My approach wasn’t great (Thursday) so we just fixed it up today and it worked.”

Did it ever. Turner broke her personal best by cracking the 34m mark early, then completely shattered it with a toss everyone knew was special. Turner and competitors stood in shock as volunteers rolled out the measuring tape and read 36.99m.

“I was amazed. I was not expecting that,” said Turner, the gold medallist by more than four metres.

Unlike her older brother Daxx, who specialized in track and field and was named Canada West rookie of the year after a standout season with the Manitoba Bisons, Turner primarily plays hockey. The Yellowhead Chiefs forward put up 12 goals and 10 assists in 25 Manitoba Female Hockey League under-18 AAA games last season.

Turner wants to focus on hockey but finds value in being a multi-sport athlete.

“I just like being active,” Turner said, “and it’s fun to get out there and meet people.”

Meanwhile, in the varsity boys javelin, Cartwright’s Connor Langan won gold with a throw of 50.18m.

• • •

Xavier Folkerts found himself in a fantastic battle for junior varsity high jump gold before settling for bronze.

The Elton Collegiate sophomore cruised through each mark up to 1.70 metres, when all but three competitors bowed out. With the podium set and only the colours to determine, Folkerts, Hapnot’s Kenny McDonald and Churchill’s Waris Njoya traded clutch jumps. The trio encouraged each other throughout the next four rounds.

“I’ve noticed the high jump community is really positive, which I like about it, everybody cheering each other on,” Folkerts said.

First, it was Folkerts, the only one to clear 1.77m on his first try. Njoya hit on his second and McDonald survived with his third and final attempt.

Then McDonald and Njoya cleared 1.79 on their first tries while Folkerts made his first two mistakes before clearing with his last. He dropped out on 1.81, and then Njoya did the same at 1.83 as McDonald claimed gold.

“It was crazy. I just wanted to make the finals,” Folkerts said. “First goal was to make the finals, second goal was top five. To be on the podium was awesome and those two guys are insane, they’re definitely going places.”

• • •

Kendra Schram might have run the fastest final 97 metres of the 100m varsity girls final.

A misstep out of the blocks had the Vincent Massey Viking playing catchup and she broke the line in 12.92 seconds, .05 behind College Beliveau’s Jazmin Birch.

Schram finished a tenth of a second behind her semifinal time but edged Chelsea Tachie of St. Mary’s, the fastest qualifier, for the silver medal.

“I’m pretty disappointed. I messed up my stride three steps into the race, which I was a little bit mad about but once you’re in the race you can’t really stop,” Schram said. “It was an honour running against such fast girls because I’ve never done that other than with my twin (Sydney).

“I’m really thankful for our coach Mr. (Jason) Jones though because even before the race I’ve never leaned when I went across the finish line and he told me that 20 minutes before the race. That might have got me second.”

Schram went into the weekend motivated to prove speed exists outside the Winnipeg perimeter, then learned how valuable the mental preparation of individual sports is for any athlete.

“Track is nothing like I’ve ever been nervous for before, even with soccer, even with the high level we play I’ve never been,” she said.

“I think it’s because it’s a solo sport, whereas with a team sport I rely on my teammates, my teammates rely on me … if I have a problem, that’s on me. If I don’t win, that’s on me, if I do win, that’s on me, too.”

• • •

Lucas Ewert was a little too excited for his first provincial 1,500m final but settled in and won a thriller on Thursday. The Vincent Massey freshman built up a big enough lead to hold off Carman’s Nathan Dyck by .16 seconds for the gold with a time of 4:23.37.

“I didn’t think I had it there. (Dyck) was coming up really quick but gave it my all and my legs were definitely done after that,” Ewert said. “It came as quite a surprise, especially when you’re racing guys older than you that have been doing this longer.

“… I didn’t expect to come out on top but it was a nice feeling.”

Jones had to rein Ewert in almost immediately after the gun when he sprinted to the front of the pack. The longtime coach adjusted his speed each time he rounded the first corner.

“Every time I went by I could hear his voice clear as day yelling at me,” Ewert chuckled. “It helped for sure.”

Full results are online at files.mhsaa.ca.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @thomasmfriesen