BILLINGS — The longstanding Montana Mile as well as a new event — the Montana 100 — will highlight the Opening Ceremonies for the 40th Big Sky Sate Games on Friday at Lockwood High School.
This year will mark the 34th Montana Mile race for the men. Bozeman's Carson Steckelberg, a University of Montana runner, won last year's race with a time of 4:19.85. He is back this year to defend his title.
The women's race is now in its 26th year. Last year's champion was Bozeman's Hayley Burns, a runner at Northern Arizona University, with a time of 4:55.98. Burns is not scheduled to run in this year's race.
The Montana 100, featuring some of the top sprinters the state has to offer, is new for the 2025 Opening Ceremonies with the hope that it will become an annual occurrence.
The Opening Ceremonies this year are being moved to Lockwood High School due to the closure of the dilapidated west grandstand at Daylis Stadium. The ceremony begins Friday at 7 p.m., and includes the parade of athletes, torch lighting and the Montana Mile and Montana 100 events.
Following are the full rosters for this year's races:
Montana Mile
Men: Ase Ackerman, Glendive/Montana State Billings; Chase Drange, Miles City/Tiffin University (Ohio); Jackson Duffey, Ronan/Rocky Mountain College; Kye McAbee, Billings West High School; Auston Schellig, Joliet High School; Wilson Schmidt, Belgrade High School; Finn Schretenthaler, Park High School (Livingston); Carson Steckelberg, Bozeman/University of Montana; Peyton Summers, Wolf Point/Dawson Community College; Levi Taylor, Laurel/Montana State University; Caleb Tomac, Havre/Rocky Mountain College; Jackson Wilson, Box Elder, S.D./Rocky Mountain College.
Women: Karis Brightwings-Pease, Hardin High School; Cecily Eagleton, Sugar City, Idaho/Montana State Billings; Natalie Hodgskiss, Choteau High School; Ali Keith, Billings/Cal State Monterrey Bay; Addison Kegel, Billings Central High School; Sydney Little Light, Crow Agency/Rocky Mountain College/Eastern Kentucky University; Sage Brooks, Missoula/Oregon State; Madeline Severson, Manhattan/Montana State Billings.
Montana 100
Men: Cohen Allen, Billings/Brigham Young University; Tyler Grenier, Livingston/Montana State Billings; Elijah Gibson, Billings West High School; Dawson Hammond, Malta High School; Jaycee Herbert, Pavillion, Wyo./Montana State Billings; Ryan LaMere, Billings/Rocky Mountain College; Zach Merrifield, Butte/Montana Tech; Oliver Mow, Helena Capital High School; Ben Ralston, Boise, Idaho/Montana State Billings; Drifter Skillicorn, Polson/Rocky Mountain College.
Women: Nora Allen, Billings West High School; Demry Boyd, Billings West High School; Macy Brandon, Havre High School; Kaimea Dalke, Shepherd High School; Avery Gerdes, Huntley Project High School; Emery Peel, Billings Senior High School; Sofia Szollosi, Missoula Hellgate High School; Regan Torgerson, Shelby High School; Kellan Wahl, Billings/Rocky Mountain College.
