McCorkle's Corner: The College Report XX

Home Coverage – Castle Rock's Wirkkala keeping warm at Rocky Mountain track; plus other local talents at the next level

It takes more than a little snow and cold weather to stop Castle Rock alum Brooke Wirkkala, a senior at Rocky Mountsin College in Montana, who has her eyes set on competing in the NAIA National Championships later this year.. / Photo courtesy of Rocky Mountain College Athletics

By Rick McCorkle for Blast Zone Media / BlastZoneMedia.com

Collegiate Athletics / Alumni Radar

College Track and Field

Brooke Wirkkala has jumped out to a fast and furious start to her senior campaign by notching a pair of school records with the Rocky Mountain College women's track team.

Wirkkala, a senior, opened the indoor season in style with record-setting standards in the high jump and long jump at the Bobcat Preview Meet held in Bozeman, Mont. in December. Her final mark of 5-feet-5 in the high jump placed her second, while her 18-2 1/2 in the long jump led to a fourth place finish. The efforts placed her a quarter-inch shy in the high jump, and 2.5 inches short in the long jump, from the B-Standard marks to qualify for the NAIA National Championships.

At the Mary Winter Classic held in Bismarck, North Dakota, Wirkkala placed second in the long jump (17-4 1/4), and third in the high jump (5-2 1/2), the fourth-best effort in school history.

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