George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com
For the second time in four years, the Montana State University-Bozeman women’s track and field team is getting an outstanding throwing prospect from the Hi-Line. Earlier this week, Havre High senior Lena Suek announced she has signed a national letter of intent to compete for the MSU track and field team. Suek is the second standout from the area to throw for the Bobcats. Former KG standout Kim Berg is a nationallyranked javelin thrower for the Cats, and Suek will also likely throw the javelin in Bozeman the next four years. “I just really felt like the coaches there are awesome,” Suek said. “And a lot of people have told me that Mike (Carignan) is one of the best coaches in the nation, so I felt like Bozeman was a good place for me. “I also just really like Bozeman,” she added. “It’s a great place and I think it is a school where I can get a really good education.” And education is important to Suek. Aside from being a standout on the track, she also excels in the classroom and the community. Suek, who has carried a 3.7 GPA in high school, is a member of the National Honor Society, Key Club, the HHS Student Council, and she also sings in the HHS choir. But what Suek is perhaps best known for at HHS is what she has done over the last four years, not only on the track, but in the gym. Suek has been a varsity thrower for HHS for four years, and she is a Class A state champion in both the javelin and discus. She is also a two-time Central A champion in both events, and she is likely to repeat both feats again this season at both the Central A meet in Belgrade, and the Class A state meet in Missoula in three weeks. Suek’s efforts garnered her national attention and she became a highly sought-after recruit during her junior campaign. And signing with Bozeman was a move she based not only on the track team and education, but location as well. “I had pretty much made up my mind that I wanted to stay in the state,” Suek said. “So really I was going to go to either Bozeman or Missoula.” And when she gets to Bozeman, Suek will likely throw the javelin and either the hammer or the discus for the Bobcats. She isn’t sure if she will redshirt when the NCAA and Big Sky Conference indoor season begins next winter, but she said that the Bobcats’ coaches are hoping to have her in two events. Aside from her track prowess, Suek has also been in mainstay for HHS in both volleyball and basketball. Suek is a two-time Class A All-State outside hitter for the HHS volleyball team, and she is a three-time all-conference performer. In 2005, Suek helped guide the Blue Ponies to s state runner-up finish at the Class A state volleyball tournament in Bozeman. She was also a three-year varsity player in basketball, but like track and field, she stood out on the volleyball court, so much so that she drew interest from the collegiate level in that sport as well. “I still love volleyball, and I’ll continue to play it in some way,” Suek said. “But I just felt like track is where I could have the most success. So I am excited about it.” With her decision made, Suek will now focus on the rest of her senior season. Suek has already won multiple titles in both the javelin and discus this season, and she has the best discus throw in all of Montana this year, as well as the fifth-best javelin toss. The Ponies have two events remaining on their schedule before the Central A meet in two weeks.
