A.R.M. Invitational draws diverse field

Fourteen teams entered in today's track meet at Whitefish High School

Come rain or shine, there will be a track meet today at Whitefish High School.

Field events for the annual A.R.M. Invitational begin at 10 a.m. with running events at 10:30.

"These kids and our coaches have learned … I don't cancel much," laughed Whitefish head coach Derek Schulz when reminded of the three Class A track meets that have been called off already this season.

"We've got everything set up on the field. Everything is ready. We're very excited this year. We've got a really diverse group of teams, which is really fun," Schulz said.

Fourteen teams have accepted Whitefish's invitation.

Malta is driving the furthest - 300 miles on U.S. 2. The Mustangs were scheduled to arrive Friday and stay over.

Hamilton is also driving 180 miles up U.S. 93.

The other schools are Columbia Falls, Glacier, Libby, Havre, Eureka, Noxon, Plains, Ronan, Shelby, Superior, Two Eagle River and Whitefish.

"That's kind of what we're looking for with our meet - a diverse group of teams. There's no other meet like that where kids are coming from a long way to meet here and run. I'm excited about it," Schulz said.

The A.R.M. is named for Whitefish community members Lin Akey, Ron Rosenberg and Tim Murphy.

"Those guys were the community members who went out and got donations and contributions that allowed us to have a rubberized track. It's really changed our program," Schulz said.

"When I first started coaching, we had about 30 athletes. Now we have in the 90 to 100 range," he said.

"This meet is really special to us. It's been a labor of love," he said.

There should be some top talent there today.

Several of today's competitors are leading the state this spring.

Misha Trotter of Hamilton may be the top female runner.

Trotter leads the state in the 800 (2:18.4) and is among the top 10 in both the 400 and 1,600. She may have her eye on Brooke Andrus' meet record (2:19.56). Whitefish's own Lauren Kuennen is among the state's best in both 1,600 and 3,200.

Other female athletes attending today who are among the state's best are: Ketti Wilhelm, Columbia Falls (pole vault), Kayla Smart, Glacier (triple jump), the Hamilton 1,600 relay team and the Whitefish team.

In the field events, Glacier's Emilee Hashley has thrown the shot 38-6 1/2.

Among the boys to watch are Whitefish's Drew Coco (1,600 and 3,200), Aaron Tkachyk (long jump) and Kaleb Prestegaard (pole vault), Libby's Seth Wright (triple jump, high jump) and Zack Rowan (400), Columbia Falls' Chase Fairbank (high jump), Eureka's Tanner Newell (javelin), and the relay teams for both Libby and Hamilton.

"Drew Coco is running extremely well. He's put in a bunch of offseason time," Schulz said.

"And Aaron Tkachyk jumped really well in Missoula (at the Pilcher Top 10 meet). He went over 21 feet, which is a really good mark for this time of year. The level he's competing at is really remarkable," the coach said.

Schulz is also looking forward to watching Libby's Rowan and Hamilton's Trotter and Ryan Turley.

"He's just a remarkable kid and a remarkable athlete. He's turning in great times right now," he said of Rowan.

As for Trotter, "She's extremely versatile. She can run any event on the track. She's a miler, she's an 800 runner, she's a 400 runner. She's very special to watch," he said.

As for records - it may be hard to run down some of the marks already posted in past A.R.M. meets.

"We've had some very quality competitors in essentially every event. Our records, over a 10-year time span, they've elevated to really high marks. We've got a great readerboard on those records," Schulz said.

That being said - the distance records may be in some jeopardy.

Cody Henning ran a 50.48 400 in 2004. Rowan is right there with a 50.4 earlier this spring.

The boys' 1,600 mark is 4:32.7, set last year by Whitefish's Ian Mallams. The Bulldogs' Coco has posted a 4:33.6.

In the 3,200, Plains runner Dane Steward set the standard of 9:57.09 in 2005. Coco leads the state with a 9:48.2.

A.R.M. Invitational

Teams attending

Columbia Falls, Glacier, Hamilton, Havre, Libby, Eureka, Malta, Noxon, Plains, Ronan/St.Ignatius, Shelby, Superior, Two Eagle River and Whitefish.

Records

Boys

Event Name School Time Year

100 Steve Heberly Havre 10.6 2003

200 Steve Heberly Havre 22.08 2003

400 Cody Henning Whitefish 50.48 2004

800 Matt Helgath Whitefish 1:57.4 2004

1600 Ian Mallams Whitefish 4:32.7 2007

3200 Dane Steward Plains 9:57.09 2005

110 hurdles Taylor Ferda Whitefish 14.39 2006

300 hurdles Kris Anderson Whitefish 39.6 2001

400 relay Havre Havre 43.92 2003

1600 relay Whitefish Whitefish 3:28.09 2004

Shot Curtis Bean Eureka 52-4.5 2003

Discus Daniel Beaudin Noxon 168-3.5 2003

Javelin Blaine Baker Libby 204-9 2005

Long jump Trevor Gunlock Polson 22-3 2000

Triple jump Chris Hicks Whitefish 45-0.25 2006

High jump Chris Hicks Whitefish 6-7 2004

Pole vault Trevor Gunlock Polson 14-6 2000

Girls

Event Name School Time Year

100 Courtney Ferda Whitefish 12.5 2005

200 Courtney Ferda Whitefish 25.87 2005

400 Misha Trotter Hamilton 58.65 2007

800 Brooke Andrus Bigfork 2:19.56 2005

1600 Lauren Dalton Bigfork 5:12.72 2004

3200 Lauren Dalton Bigfork 11:48.64 2004

100 hurdles Ashley Ferda Whitefish 15.41 2005

300 hurdles Ashley Ferda Whitefish 46.95 2005

400 relay Whitefish Whitefish 50.42 2004

1600 relay Hamilton Hamilton 4:06.2 2007

Shot Bree Fuqua Polson 43-9 2007

Discus Bree Fuqua Polson 143-0 2000

Javelin Dani Finley Charlo 131-3 2003

Long jump Elisha Kampfe Eureka 16-8 2005

Triple jump Johanna Closson Whitefish 35-3 2002

High jump Sarah Hislop Columbia Falls 5-4 2003

Pole vault Kelsey Smith Havre 9-6 2003

Sarah Hislop Columbia Falls 9-6 2004