BIGFORK — A freak accident led to a frightening injury at Bigfork’s track practice Thursday afternoon.
Multi-sport star Anders Epperly was struck by a thrown javelin in the chest and was flown immediately to the hospital in Kalispell. Bigfork athletic director Matt Porrovecchio confirmed to MTN Sports on Friday that Epperly is recovering and he avoided what could have been much worse.
Epperly was standing outside the throwing zone, but a gust of wind caused a throw by a teammate to veer off course. The javelin punctured Epperly’s lung but fortunately missed major arteries. He will need to spend perhaps a couple more days in the hospital to monitor his wound, but he is expected to make a full recovery.
The senior helped Bigfork win a second consecutive Class B state basketball championship last month, breaking Montana’s all-time career assists record in the process. He also started at quarterback on the football field for the Vikings.
