MISSOULA — Two runners at the Class AA state track and field meet Friday accomplished feats never before seen in the state of Montana.
But only one of them won a gold medal while doing so.
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"I've wanted to go under 1:50 for my entire track career," Belgrade's Wilson Schmidt said after winning the boys 800-meter run in an all-class state record time of 1 minute, 49.29 seconds. The senior, who broke his own record of 1:50.21 he set last spring, let out a celebratory yell when he saw his official time on the MCPS Stadium scoreboard.
"I wanted to be the first ever in the state to break that barrier," Schmidt continued, "and it feels good that all my work finally paid off."
Photos: Day 1 at the 2026 Class AA/B state track and field meets in Missoula
For as fast as Schmidt's time was, he wasn't alone for much of the race. Bozeman's Taylor Neil stayed on Schmidt's footsteps for as long as he could.
It wasn't until the final straightaway that Schmidt gained a little separation and ultimately beat Neil by nearly three seconds. Christian Landers, another Bozeman runner, was third.
"That helps so much. I didn't see any of them for the race, but I could sure as hell hear their footsteps behind me," Schmidt said of his competition. "That scared me enough to push that last 200 and really get under.
"That first lap I felt like I gave it my all, barely anything left in the tank. Then that last lap is just push and pray."
Schmidt said he will continue his running career at Oklahoma State University, where he's looking forward to a change of pace.
"I'm so excited," he said. "It's going to be a lot of fun being in the back of the pack and trying to squeeze my way through."
Emery Peel breaks 100-meter dash record
Billings Senior sprinter Emery Peel joined Schmidt in setting a new standard Friday, but Peel's came in a preliminary heat of the girls 100-meter dash.
Peel, a senior who entered the meet as a strong favorite, became the first girl in Montana history to break the 12-second barrier in the 100 at the state meet. She won her prelim in 11.96 seconds to set the new record and take the top qualifying time into Saturday's final.
Peel also ran the fastest qualifying time in the prelims of the 200-meter dash with a personal-best time of 24.95 seconds, helped Senior to a third-place finish in the 400-meter relay and placed sixth in the long jump with a mark of 17 feet, 1¼ inches.
Naomi Lee captures pole vault title
Naomi Lee of Missoula Sentinel started pole vaulting because "it was the closest thing I could get to flipping upside down" in gymnastics.
Now, she's going out a state champion.
Lee cleared 12 feet, 6 inches, setting a personal record and capping her high school career with a gold medal. She edged Great Falls' Bree MacDonald and Addison Smith, who finished second and third, respectively.
"I just am in shock sometimes — like, oh, I was able to finish through the vault or my takeoff was good — and then I can look up and see the bar's still up," said Lee, who beamed with a look of disbelief after clearing the winning height.
Lee progressed through her high school tenure posting PRs of 8-0 as a freshman, 10-0 as a sophomore, 11-3 as a junior and now 12-6 as a senior.
The keys to Friday's performance?
"I didn't think too much about it. I stayed focused on the task and at the jump, and I didn't let myself get in my head," Lee said. "That was all God. I was just down at the runway praying, and God answered those prayers, so all glory to Him for that."
Tight team races after Day 1
The Gallatin girls and Bozeman boys have slim leads in the team standings after the first day, which was cut short due to weather.
On the girls side, Gallatin has 40 points through eight events to lead Kalispell Glacier (38) and Billings West (37). The Raptors got an event win out of Kate Breeding, who placed first in the shot put with a throw of 43 feet, 11 inches.
Glacier got a pair of wins on the track, as Lauren Bissen took the 3,200-meter run in 11:00.40 and Dacia Benkelman won the 800 in 2:12.79. Billings West got 10 points from winning the 400-meter relay in a state-record time of 47.02 seconds.
Other girls winners on Day 1 were Missoula Hellgate's Elly Reed in the high jump (5-6), Helena Capital's Kaelyn Saari in the javelin (129-6) and Bozeman's Calla Sprecher in the long jump (18-3½).
For the boys, Bozeman has 28 points through six events. Helena is second with 25, followed by Glacier with 243 and Gallatin with 23.
Owen Thiel provided the Wolfpack with a win in the 3,200 meters (9:11.17), while Riley McGrath gave Gallatin a win in the shot put (59-7½).
Other boys winners Friday were Billings Senior's Josiah Coelho in the high jump (6-6), Helena Capital's Brayden Brisko in the pole vault (15-0) and Billings West in the 400 relay (41.91).
For full results from the first day of the Class AA state track and field meet, click here. The meet concludes Saturday.
