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Track Tenacity

Track and field season is heating up with upcoming signature meets, including Archie Roe

By Dillon Tabish
Flathead's Julia Burden competes in the high jump during the crosstown track meet at Glacier High School on April 18, 2017. Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

It’s not officially track season in Montana until a rainstorm erupts.

As cruel as Mother Nature can be in springtime, it’s impressive to see the strength of will and tenacity among track and field athletes who brave the elements in shorts and T-shirts. Sometimes mittens and ski caps are involved.

Last week’s 10th edition of Kalispell’s crosstown track meet, held on April 18, provided the latest dogged display of local mettle as runners, throwers and jumpers from Glacier and Flathead competed through rain, hail and wind. Just as admirable, several meet records tumbled in the process.

In the 3,200, Annie Hill rewrote her old meet record and set a new top time in Montana. Squinting through the rain and running into the wind in the final stretch, the Glacier junior clocked 10:28.26, nearly 30 seconds faster than the next best time. A few weeks ago, she ran 10:15.21 at the Arcadia Invitational in California, keeping pace with many of the best prep runners in the nation.

Hill also owns the top times in the 800 (2:13.23) and 1,600 (4:52.48) in her pursuit of additional state medals a month from now.

“She’s stronger than she was last year, and she’s got more knowledge in terms of racing,” Glacier distance coach Jacob Deitz said. “A lot of that is learning through trial by fire. She’s raced at the national level for two-and-a-half years now. She’s got a good vision of where she wants to be at the end of the season.”

Another long-distance standout, Ben Perrin, broke his older brother Zach’s seven-year-old meet record in the 1,600. The Flathead sophomore finished in 4:29.07, nearly three seconds faster than his brother’s old mark. The younger Perrin’s time placed him third in the state so far this season behind Missoula Sentinel’s Marshall Beatty (4:25.49) and Billings Senior’s Dawson LaRance (4:26.54). He also ranks third best in the 3,200 with a top time of 9:35.54.

Perrin’s teammate, Jaden Anderson, also ranks high in the 1,600 after clocking 4:31.0 at the Glacier-Flathead dual. Anderson ranks fourth best in Montana in the 800 with a top time of 1:58.55.

Glacier’s Drew Turner and Ethan Larson shined as two of the state’s top sprinters. They tied in the 100, clocking 11.12 seconds and breaking an eight-year-old record held by Flathead’s Ian Damon. Their time ranks seventh best in the state.

Turner stayed busy, winning the 400 in record time. He clocked 50.53 and erased a three-year-old record previously held by Glacier’s Evan Epperly. He also ranks third best in the state in the 200 with a top time of 22.43.

At the crosstown dual, Larson went on to win the 200, and both boys were also part of the winning short and long relay teams.

Glacier’s short relay team has won back-to-back states titles and returns all but one of the fleet-footed legs — Scout Willcut, Ethan Larson and Drew Turner. The boys rank first in the state this spring with a top time of 43.21.

Glacier senior Nikki Krueger, the reigning state champ in the girls discus, is ranked in the top 10 again this spring and also sits first in the shot put with a top throw of 41-2, which she achieved last weekend in Great Falls. Her winning throw in the shot put, 39-2.5, at the crosstown dual broke the old record.

Flathead’s Andy Thomas has emerged as one of the best triple jumpers in Montana. In Missoula, he jumped 43-7.25, second best in the state so far this season, and he won the crosstown event with 40-11. Thomas also ranks sixth in the high jump with a top clear of 6-5.

Glacier’s Hunter Nicholson is also near the top of the rankings with a top triple jump of 42-8, fifth best in the state.

Glacier’s Ahna Kreitinger clocked 47.69 in the 300 hurdles in Great Falls last weekend, the fourth best time in Montana so far. Teammate Abi Fiske landed 35-5.75 in the triple jump, second best in Montana.

The Glacier boys won the Swede Dahlberg meet last weekend in Butte, a top competition among AA teams, further fueling excitement as the season approaches an exciting conclusion.

At Columbia Falls, Dakota Bridwell is the third-ranked javelin thrower in the state with a top throw of 189-5.

In Bigfork, Haile Norred leads the state in the 400 with a top time of 58.87. Her teammate, Bryn Morley, has the second fastest 1,600 time — 5:01.96 — and the fourth best 3,200 time — 11:00. The Bigfork girls short relay team has the top time in Class B, 51.46, and the long relay team is also ranked No. 1, 4:11.84.

Track teams are entering the heart of the season with upcoming local meets that are considered signature events in the state. The 20th annual A.R.M. Invitational in Whitefish is this weekend. The Akey, Rosenberg, Murphy (A.R.M.) Track Meet is one of the largest sporting events Whitefish hosts during the year.

The following week is one of the oldest and most prestigious meets in Montana, the 43rd annual Archie Roe Invitational held at Legends Stadium on May 6. Kalispell is also hosting the Western AA divisional meet on May 19-20, providing one final opportunity for athletes hoping to compete at the state championship meet.

For a breakdown of deep lists of track athletes, visit Montanatrack.com.