ARM Invitational features Montana's elite

The top 19 teams from northwestern and central Montana are converging in Whitefish today at the ARM Invitational track meet at Whitefish High School.

The meet, which starts at 10 a.m., will feature 790 athletes, including some of the top in the state at their discipline.

The girls side of the meet will see a mass of returning champions, including three-event winners and record setters in Whitefish senior Marlow Schulz and Bigfork junior Makena Morley.

Schulz set a meet record in the 400-meter run last season and swept the sprints with wins in the 100 and 200. Morley, who also holds a meet record in the 1,600, set a new 3,200 meet record last season while also winning the 800 and the 1,600.

More records could be set this season. Morley has run faster times in each the 800 and 1,600. Plains junior Hailey Phillips, a record-setter last season in the 300 hurdles, has the best time in the state in the event this season and could be pushed by Flathead senior Rhiannon Sturgess, who holds the third-best time.

Columbia Falls junior Carla Nicosia has bested the record triple jump mark by eight inches this season and Havre’s Lacey Waid the pole vault mark by six inches. Glacier junior Keyawna Larson and Plains sophomore Carley Vonheeder  could challenge for a javelin record as well.

While there aren’t as many boys threatening for record contention, there are a few notables.

Glacier seniors Evan Epperly in the 400, Nathan Connell in the 800 and Lonnie Sherman in the pole vault, have all recorded marks that could place first this weekend. Flathead’s Matt Quist has cleared a state-best 6 feet, 8 inches in the high jump and Jess Beaman has the best long jump mark in the state this season.