The high school track and field season has gotten off to a slow start. Snow and frigid temperatures have forced cancellations across the state. Glasgow, who was slated to host their Snow Buster meet on Tuesday, remains one of the few teams who have yet to compete. Even with the frigid temperatures, there have been some outstanding marks in the early going.
- Coming off of injury yet again, Helena High’s Trey Tintinger picked up right where he left off last spring. Travelling to the Stanford Invitational in California, Tintinger lept a state-best 6-09 3/4.
- A trio of Class AA 3,200 runners qualified for the state meet in blazing fashion at the Arcadia Invitational. Flathead’s Ben Perrin, last year’s 3rd place finisher in the 3,200 at the Class AA State Track and Field meet, ran a 9:04.56. He was joined on the qualifying list by Bozeman’s Duncan Hamilton, and Missoula Hellgate’s Isaac Schmidt. Schmidt placed 5th in the 3,200 and 6th in the 1,600 at last year’s Class AA State Track and Field meet.
- Frenchtown freshman Jace Klucewich has recorded Class A’s top time in the 100 meter dash, and sits behind only Ethan Larson of Class AA Kalispell Glacier (10.96) for the state’s fastest time. Larson holds the fastest 200 time in the state, clocking in at 22.57.
- Big Timber’s Casey Gunlikson, last year’s runner-up in the 100 at the Class B State Track and Field meet, holds the top time for Class B in both the 100 (11.3) and 200 (23.14).
- Allexander Kosel of Roberts, the defending Class C champion in high jump, has already qualified for the State C meet in the long jump, triple jump, and high jump. He own’s Class C’s top mark in the long jump (21-01 1/4) and high jump (6-02), and has the 2nd best triple jump in the entire state. Kosel placed 2nd in the long jump and 3rd in the triple jump at last year’s Class C State Track and Field meet. Kosel’s triple jump mark is second to only Melstone’s Brody Grebe. Grebe launched 44-02 in the season-opening Snowflake Meet in Columbus.
- Sidney’s Carter Hughes had himself quite the weekend in the field events. Hughes, the defending Class A champion in shot put and discus, qualified in both events and holds the top marks in Class A. Sidney pole vaulter Garrison Hughes, the Class A record holder and defending champion, posted the state’s best mark of the early season, leaping 15-06.
- The Arcadia Invitational in Los Angeles hosted a handful of Montana runners. The women’s 3,200 saw six different individuals record state-qualifying times, led by Bozeman’s Camila Noe. Noe, the Gatorade Montana Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, owns the state’s best time in the 3,200, clocking in at 10:18.99. The girls all-class record in the 3,200 is 10:23.31 by former Billings Senior standout and current Stanford Cardinal all-American Christina Aragon. State records must be set at the state meet.
- Bozeman has a pair of high jumpers currently leading Class AA. Lucy Corbett lept 5-06 at the Arcadia Invitational to lead the state. Delaney Bahn, last year’s 3rd place finisher in the Class AA high jump, bounced over 5-02 at the Arcadia Invitational.
- Brynn Morley looks poised to add to her state championship medal collection. Morley is a two-time state champion in the 800, 1,600, 3,200, and 1,600 relay. Morley has posted the state’s best time in the 1,600, running a blistering 4:55.14 at the 78th Nike Chandler Rotary Elite in Chandler, AZ.
- Baker’s Wrenzi Wrzesinski, Class B’s defending champion in the 100, 100 hurdles, and 300 hurdles, posted qualifying times in both hurdle races in her first meet of the season. She ran 16.05 in the 100 hurdles, and 47.89 in the 300 hurdles.
- Huntley Project’s Emily Poole is trying to follow in her older sister Hailey’s footsteps. Hailey won the discus and shot put while also getting 2nd in the javelin at last year’s Class B State Track and Field meet. Hailey set the Class B state record in the javelin (152-08) while at Colstrip. With Hailey gone, Emily has impressed early on. Emily has the top throw in the state for javelin (139-01), and has Class B’s best mark in discus(120-01).
- Jessica Thompson of Plains is Class C’s defending champion in both the shot put and discus. She currently holds the best shot put throw in the state with a toss of 39-02 1/2. Thompson also has the 2nd best discus toss in Class C behind only Klaire Kovatch of Seeley-Swan.
State-qualifying marks for all classes can be found here.
