The 2026 high school track and field season begins with the first day of competition as early as March 26.
The Kalispell Flathead, Corvallis, Missoula Loyola and Manhattan Christian boys will look to defend their 2025 state championships, while the girls from Gallatin, Whitefish, Loyola and Richey-Lambert enter as reigning champs.
Two boys — William Hollensteiner of Flathead and Wilson Schmidt of Belgrade — will try to improve upon all-class state records they set at last year's Class AA state meet. Hollensteiner won the 400-meter run with a time of 47.22 seconds, and Schmidt won the 800 in 1:50.21.
Hollensteiner also claimed individual titles in the 200 (21.94 seconds) and 300 hurdles (37.94). Schmidt was a two-time state champion in 2025, adding a title in the 1,600 (4:12.60).
A handful of other athletes set records in their respective classifications last May: Livingston's Finn Schretenthaler (Class A record of 4:16.31 in the 1,600), Miles City's Peyton Frame (Class A record of 2:12.35 in the 800), Joliet's Auston Schellig (Class B record of 1:53.79 in the 800), Shepherd's Kaimea Dalke (Class B record of 12.24 in the 100 prelims) and Richey-Lambert's Jolee Klempel (Class C record of 17-9½ in the long jump).
The Fort Benton girls 400-meter relay team also set the Class C record of 49.82 seconds. The Longhorns return Ally Jacques, Etta Wicks and Lilly Ferris, who ran legs on the record-setting team.
A list of returning individual state champions is below. Please report errors or omissions to scores@montanasports.com.
BOYS
100
Class C – Henry Kukowski, Plentywood, 11.29
200
Class AA – William Hollensteiner, Flathead, 21.94
Class C – Henry Kukowski, Plentywood, 22.29
400
Class AA – William Hollensteiner, Flathead, 47.22 (all-class record)
Class A – William Snell, Billings Central, 48.95
800
Class AA – Wilson Schmidt, Belgrade, 1:50.21 (all-class record)
Class B – Auston Schellig, Joliet, 1:53.79 (Class B record)
1,600
Class AA – Wilson Schmidt, Belgrade, 4:12.60
Class A – Finn Schretenthaler, Livingston, 4:16.31 (Class A record)
Class B – Auston Schellig, Joliet, 4:24.35
3,200
Class AA – Owen Thiel, Glacier, 9:16.70
Class A – Ben Bird, Hardin, 9:32.38
Class C – Dawson Parke, Drummond, 10:11.40
110 hurdles
None
300 hurdles
Class AA – William Hollensteiner, Flathead, 37.94
Class C – Johnslee Pierre, Lustre Christian, 39.55
400 relay
Class AA – Helena, 41.8
Class A – Corvallis, 43.25
Class B – Columbus, 43.43
Class C – Valley Christian, 43.98
1,600 relay
Class AA – Flathead, 3:19.76
Class A – Whitefish, 3:23.62
Class B – Fairview, 3:25.01
Class C – Manhattan Christian, 3:26.93
Long jump
Class A – Bridger Burrows, Laurel, 22-0
Class C – Johnslee Pierre, Lustre Christian, 21-11
Triple jump
Class A – Bridger Burrows, Laurel, 46-10¾
Class C – Johnslee Pierre, Lustre Christian, 44-5¾
High jump
Class A – Nick Vojacek, Glendive, 6-4
Class B – Landon Richards, Superior, 6-6
Pole vault
Class AA – Brayden Brisko, Capital, 15-6
Class C – Tanner Vick, Power-Dutton-Brady, 14-0
Shot put
Class AA – Riley McGrath, Gallatin, 53-11½
Class C – Dane Grammar, CJI, 47-11
Discus
Class B – Ryan Sharbono, St. Ignatius, 165-06
Class C – Dane Grammar, CJI, 157-11
Javelin
None
GIRLS
100
Class B – Kaimea Dalke, Shepherd, 12.4 (Class B record of 12.24 in prelims)
200
Class B – Kaimea Dalke, Shepherd, 25.33
400
Class B – Avery Gerdes, Huntley Project, 56.52
800
Class A – Peyton Frame, Miles City, 2:12.35 (Class A record)
Class B – Avery Gerdes, Huntley Project, 2:13.78
1,600
Class A – Peyton Frame, Miles City, 5:02.45
Class B – Natalie Hodgskiss, Choteau, 5:08.68
3,200
Class AA – Lauren Bissen, Glacier, 10:57.69
Class A – Morgan Delaney, Polson, 11:28.82
Class B – Kyla Meissner, Townsend, 11:19.17
100 hurdles
Class A – Reagan Johnstone, Stevensville, 15.17
Class B – Allison Gama, Loyola, 14.8
Class C – Jolee Klempel, Richey-Lambert, 15.5
300 hurdles
Class A – Reagan Johnstone, Stevensville, 45.01
Class B – Sophia Berry, Loyola, 45.05
Class C – Ali Doyle, Turner, 45.26
400 relay
Class AA – West, 47.74
Class A – Havre, 48.75
Class B – Loyola, 49.01
Class C – Fort Benton, 49.82 (Class C record)
1,600 relay
Class AA – West, 3:57.34
Class A – Miles City, 4:02.61
Class B – Loyola, 4:03.20
Class C – Belt, 4:10.10
Long jump
Class A – Alexis Daigle, Frenchtown, 17-8¾
Class B – Kaitlyn Noyes, Townsend, 17-10¾
Class C – Jolee Klempel or Richey-Lambert placed second on jumps (behind then-senior Montannah Piar of Philipsburg) at the state meet, but her 17-9½ tied the Class C record
Triple jump
Class A – Ella Varner, Corvallis, 36-5
Class B – Avery Gerdes, Huntley Project, 37-0½
Class C – Brynne Hill, Richey-Lambert, 35-11¾
High jump
Class A – Grace Silman, Whitefish, 5-4
Class B – Allison Gama, Loyola, 5-4
Class C – Brynn Kammerzell, CJI, 5-4
Pole vault
Class A – Morgan Kindopp, Sidney, 12-0
Class B – Ava Krings, Conrad, 10-3
Class C – Mylee Reuter, Savage, 10-6
Shot put
Class A – Gracie Werst, Hamilton, 42-5
Class B – Denvyr Tuss, Malta, 37-8¼
Discus
Class C – Lillian Boyd, Seeley-Swan, 147-09
Javelin
Class A – Roma Gum, Havre, 115-04
Class B – Addyson Deal, Thompson Falls, 125-10
Class C – Kennedy Simonson, Whitewater, 124-02
