BILLINGS — Youth was served Friday night at the Opening Ceremonies of the 41st Big Sky State Games, as an incoming high school freshman and a sophomore-to-be claimed impressive victories in the annual Montana Mile and Montana 100 races at the Lockwood track.
Iris Hancock, who less than two months ago was wrapping up her eighth grade year in Bozeman, sped to a win in the women's 100 in her first appearance in the event. And Addison Kegel, coming off a dominant showing as a freshman at Billings Central, broke a longstanding record in the women's mile.
In the men's 100, Jaxon Allery of Montana Tech blew ahead of the field to take the title in his State Games debut, while one veteran — Glendive's Ase Ackerman — finally got over the hump to win the men's Montana Mile in his seventh attempt.
A nasty thunderstorm put the races on hold for nearly an hour, and the spectators that stuck around watched as the Montana 100s commenced for the second straight year while the mile races continued their long tradition — it was the 35th year for the men and the 27th for the women.
Hancock was perhaps the night's biggest surprise based solely on her youth among a strong field in the women's 100. But the invite-only race could serve as her coming-out party.
Hancock won with a time of 12.45, besting high school- and college-level runners, including Billings Senior grad and incoming Montana Tech freshman Emery Peel, who shattered the all-class record in the 100 at the Class AA state meet in May.
She admitted to being nervous well before stepping into the starting blocks.
"I'd never heard about this (race). 'What is this?'" said Hancock, who will attend Bozeman High School in the fall. "And my parents were like, 'This is what you're going to be doing.' Then I got told, 'You're running with college kids, you're running with seniors' and I'm like, 'Oh my goodness, I am?' And I was stressing out this whole day.
"But I'm so glad to be here. My thoughts were going crazy; I couldn't stay with one thing. Just all the nerves and everything. But I was so glad."
Women's Montana 100
1. Iris Hancock, Bozeman, 12.45
2. Sydney Sprenger, Shepherd High School, 12.62
3. Ayla Jansen, Twin Bridges/Montana Tech, 12.71
4. Nora Allen, Billings West High School, 12.72
5. Maya Noble, Three Forks High School, 12.78
6. Emery Peel, Billings/Montana Tech, 12.88
7. Charlize Davis, Billings Rocky Mountain College, 13.27
Meanwhile, it was business as usual for Billings Central's Kegel in the women's mile. Her time of 4:51.35 broke the event record set by Lois Ricardi-Keller way back in 2011.
Kegel led wire to wire and broke the tape at the finish line with nary a soul around her, winning by nearly 24 seconds. It put a stamp on a remarkable year and furthered her standing as an elite distance talent.
"It's been unimaginable. I could have never seen myself in these positions," said Kegel, who during her freshman year won the Class A title in cross country, claimed championships in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 at the state track meet and also won a Nike Cross Northwest Regional title.
She added: "I always try to go out fast just to feel it, get my legs moving. I think I was really going for that record when I heard it was a 4:53. I think that was my main goal."
Women's Montana Mile
1. Addison Kegel, Billings Central High School, 4:51.35 (new record)
2. Jane Allen, Billings West High School, 5:15.06
3. Ali Keith, Billings/Cal State-Monterey Bay, 5:23.17
4. Mary Felig, Broadus, 5:27.21
5. Natalie Hodgskiss, 5:29.7
6. Ava Greenwell, Billings/Colorado Christian, 5:33.51
7. Gracyn Rock, Billings/Montana State Billings, 5:46.39
When Montana Tech's Allery broke the tape ahead of the pack in the men's Montana 100, he pumped his fists and was visibly enthusiastic. Allery, previously a Class AA champion in the 100 meters for Missoula Sentinel, won the race with room to spare, crossing in 10.74 seconds.
"Just all this time over the summer I was just so worried about running a time that will satisfy me, not only at the beginning of the season but also at the end," he said. "I feel like I did that last season, and this year I want to start off strong.
"I was hoping for a 10.6, but 10.7 will work, and I'll work with it. It's only up from here now. To run the times I want to run I'm going to have to train the way I want to train, which will take time. But come winter I'll be ready for indoor."
Men's Montana 100
1. Jaxon Allery, Missoula/Montana Tech, 10.74
2. Buck Prather, Columbus High School, 11.05
3. Dawson Hammond, Malta/University of Montana, 11.18
4. Ryan Lamere, Billings/Rocky Mountain College, 11.35
5. Ian Bullard, Missoula Hellgate High School, 11.38
6. Elijah Gibson, Billings West High School, 11.48
7. John Roberts, Billings/Montana State Billings, 11.49
8. Brayden Zikmund, Manhattan High School, 11.53
Glendive's Ackerman was perhaps the most satisfied of all competitors Friday night. This marked the seventh time he had competed in the Montana Mile. The previous two times — in 2023 and again last year — he finished as high as second place.
But this year was different, as he made his move in the final lap and claimed victory with a time of 4:11.51.
Ackerman has made it a priority to continue training despite his competitive career ending when he finished his college eligibility at Montana State Billings. He is currently attending medical school at the University of North Dakota.
"Every year I've been like, 'I can do it this year,'" Ackerman said. "But it's just a matter of who else is in the race (and) how good of shape they're in right now, because you never really know how good of shape anyone's in.
"It was a good field. Everyone ran fast. But (I) finally got it done. I've been training hard for eight years since high school. Three years out of college, I just love it. It's the consistency. I think it just kind of builds on itself."
Men's Montana Mile
1. Ase Ackerman, Glendive, 4:11.51
2. Owen Smith, Billings/Montana State University, 4:15.18
3. Payton Summers, Wolf Point/Dawson CC, 4:17.91
4. Caleb Tomac, Havre/Rocky Mountain College, 4:19.78
5. Tyler Inabnit, Missoula/Montana Tech, 4:22.33
6. Carson Steckelberg, Bozeman/University of Montana, 4:27.57
7. Ben Bird, Hardin High School, 4:32.33
8. Anthony Ackerman, Glendive/Black Hills State, 4:34.04
9. Bryon Fanning, Three Forks/Montana Tech, 4:34.32
10. Austin Schellig, Joliet/MIT, 4:44.76
The 41st Big Sky State Games are officially underway, and will continue throughout the weekend.
