The track and field state championship meet returns to Kalispell this weekend with athletes from a combined 54 schools slated to compete in the two-day event. At Legends Stadium May 22-23, the meet will feature competitors from Class AA and B vying for individual and team trophies in their respective divisions. It’s only the second time that Kalispell will be hosting the state finale and first since 2009.
State Track Storylines: Breaking Down the Championship Events
In each of the 17 track and field events, there are exciting plot lines worth following this weekend. Here’s a breakdown of each event and the field of contenders. »»» READ MORE
The Godfather of Girls Track in Montana
Neil Eliason established a pioneering girls track program in Kalispell in the early 1960s, paving the way for other teams and helping the sport become officially sanctioned
By Dillon Tabish
Montana created its flagship high school sport — track and field — in 1904. But for the first half century, it was exclusively for boys. »»» READ MORE
Track Tradition Runs Deep in Kalispell
The rich history of track and field in the Flathead Valley is rooted in the early 20th century, when an upstart team of athletes ventured to Missoula for the inaugural Interscholastic meet
By Dillon Tabish
In the spring of 1904, three young men departed Kalispell, surrounded by a crowd of cheering students, and journeyed south to Missoula. The boys rode a horse and buggy at 4 a.m. to the docks at Demersville and boarded a steamboat that glided across Flathead Lake to Polson. From there, they enjoyed the luxury of a stagecoach before being dropped off at the campus of the modern University of Montana. »»» READ MORE
