ELY - “New” and “event” are relative terms on the track for Maggie Isbell.

After all, the Ely senior is only in her second season of track and field.

Still, Isbell debuted with a splash last spring, and has added the 100-meter hurdles to her usual slate of sprints and the 300 hurdles for her final season, further enhancing her already lofty value for the Wolves.

“Maggie has incredible natural talent, as she never ran track before last year,” Ely girls head coach Jayne Dusich said. “She has a quick start and a powerful, graceful stride that is fun to watch.”

Isbell’s introduction to hurdling began simply enough last season, trying them out one day during practice.

It didn’t take long to realize it was something she could excel in.

“I just did them one day during practice,” Isbell said. “At first it was hard, but once I got it down it felt natural.”

Isbell has added the 100 hurdles to her repertoire this spring.

“The 100 hurdles is kind of hard right now, but I'm getting there,” Isbell said. “I feel like they (the hurdles) are too close for me.”

Isbell opened the season with back-to-back wins in the 300 hurdles at Chisholm and International Falls in mid-April, with a runner-up finish in the 100 dash and fifth-place finish in the 100 hurdles at Chisholm.

Since then, it has been a waiting game to get back on the track due to poor weather.

“It's really frustrating because all I want to do is run,” Isbell said.

While the addition of the 100 hurdles has been a bonus for the Wolves, Dusich believes the 300 hurdles hold the greatest possibilities for Isbell as the season reaches its final month.

“The goal is to get to state in the 300 hurdles,” Dusich said. “These hurdles are about speed in-between and jump. Of course, the better your form is the smoother you fly over the hurdle. Anything else is a bonus.”

For her part, Isbell is trying to maintain her focus and not look too far ahead.

“I feel like (the season) has gone well,” she said. “I just need to keep improving my times and push myself each time to beat the last time I had before.

“I just want to better myself as a person.”