Page 64 - Flathead Beacon // 4.2.14

64 | APRIL 2, 2014
SPORTS
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Nicosia Looks to Build on Larson Ready to Let it Fly
Ogden Aims for Four
Title Defense

Strong Track Record
KEYAWNA LARSON IS no longer an un- IN HIS FINAL SEASON, Todd Ogden THE WHITEFISH BULLDOGS won
known. The Glacier junior is the Class will try to make history. Only one their irst boys state track title since
CARLA NICOSIA, NOW a junior at AA reigning state champion in the jav- other male athlete has won four state 2008 last spring. The Bulldogs are
Columbia Falls, will have already elin after surprising many last spring titles in the javelin, according to the without Logan Harwood, who gradu-
achieved a new personal best in the when she heaved the javelin 140-feet Montana High School Association. ated after scoring 38 of the team’s 78

triple jump before ever taking light and eight inches at the state meet, al- Craig Stiles of Malta won the champi- points at state, but there is still lots of
in Montana this spring. Nicosia com- most 20 feet further than her divi- onship each year between 1968-71. The talent on the track and in the ield for
peted in several out-of-state indoor sional mark from a week earlier and 13 Glacier senior will also try to claim the head coach Derek Schulz. The return-
meets in the ofseason and improved feet better than the state runner-up. all-class state record of 213-04, held by ing leaders are junior Keaton Grove,
on last season’s marks, which earned It ranked as one of the top 10 greatest Nate Bache of Thompson Falls and set who won the 110 hurdles title and
her third place at the Class A state throws in Montana since the new jav- in 2005. Ogden set the Class AA record placed sixth in the 300 hurdles, senior
meet. On the boys side for Columbia elin was introduced in 2002. Keyawna last year, throwing 210-8 in Bozeman.
Sean Foley, who placed second in pole
Falls, Ty Morgan has his sights set on is now focused on a new goal: the state vault and ifth in the long jump, senior

the javelin title a season after placing record, 143-7.
Gage Smith, ifth place in the shot put
second. Nakia Alexander earned third and sophomore Luke May, who earned
in the triple jump a year ago at state.
fourth in the javelin.

Columbia Falls Softball Swings for the Fences
Morley Renews Fast-Paced Pursuit

WITH A STRONG RETURNING lineup from last year’s A FEW WEEKS AGO at the New Balance Nationals In-
third-place squad, the Wildkats could prove to be one of door in New York, Makena Morley placed ifth in the
the best softball teams in Montana yet again. All-state two-mile race, clocking 10:21 and inishing 13 sec-
ace Ashley Trueblood will be a strong presence on the onds out of irst place. It was the latest in a long line
mound and in the batter’s box. As a sophomore last sea-
of amazing achievements by the Bigfork runner, who
son she fanned 156 batters in 150 innings while knock- in barely three years of high school has nearly

ing in 27 runs and hitting .375. The lineup also fea- rewritten Montana’s record books when it
tures all-conference junior outielder Carlee Brown, comes to distance running. The fast-paced
all-conference senior utility Tifany Hummer and junior is coming of a milestone cross coun-
junior Winter Kemppainen. The Wildkats play in try season in the fall when she broke the
the toughest division in the state, and to be the best all-class state record, earned her third
they’ll have to beat the best. No team besides fel- consecutive Class B title and won the Foot
low Northwestern A foes Polson or Frenchtown Locker Western Regional Championships.

has won the Class A state title in six years. Co- This spring Morley will try to sweep the
lumbia Falls came close last year, losing to the distance races a year after earning three
Broncs by one run in the bottom of the seventh runner-ups to Chiara Warner, who gradu-
inning in the state semiinals and then drop- ated. Morley will also renew her pursuit of
ping another nailbiter to Polson to miss Zoe Nelson’s all-class state record in the
out on the championship game. The Lady 3,200-meter race (10:26.18) and Chiara
Pirates have ive returning starters from Warner’s 1,600 record (4:48.24).
last year’s state runner-up squad, while

defending state champ Frenchtown also
brings back a bulk of talent.