Megan Wellsandt Ritzville Year: Junior Sport: Track Position: Sprinter

The last couple of years, Ritzville seemed to have the top girls sprinters at every track meet it attended.

This year is no different, yet completely different.

Junior Katie Phipps has missed all of the season because a broken collarbone, suffered in a winter sledding accident, hasn’t healed properly.

That left the burden up to classmate Megan Wellsandt, who has kept the Broncos on the fast track.

Wellsandt won the 100- and 200-meter runs and the long jump at the Riverside Invitational on Saturday as the Broncos finished sixth, the highest placing for a B school.

Wellsandt never made it to state last year because of hamstring injuries. During her freshman year, she was limited to the Broncos’ winning 400 and 800 relay teams because of a tender hamstring.

“I haven’t been doing squats; I think that could have been a problem last year,” she said. “But I’m not really sure what caused it so I’ve just been lucky, I guess.”

Her coach, Randy Heidenreich, doesn’t credit luck.

“This is the first time she’s stayed healthy,” he said. “She’s worked out hard in the weight room. She’s done all the things she needs to do to get better.”

And now, Phipps is back.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo