Jumps loaded with talent for Archie Roe
Over the years, the Archie Roe Invitational track meet has been the starting point for a lot of state championship performances.
The infield at Legends Stadium has been no exception, as this season’s Archie Roe looks to be full of jumpers, with 12 boys and four girls from the 18 schools at the meet having posted marks in the top 10 in the state this season. In the boys high jump alone, nine of the top 16 jumpers in the state will be at the competition.
With the season winding down, the meet has served as warmup for a run of state placers, with the three jumping events serving as the launching pad for seven state championships and 45 top six finishes just in the last two seasons.
Flathead’s Jess Beaman won both the long and triple jumps at the Archie Roe last season on his way to the Class AA state triple jump championship. He currently leads the state in the triple jump and led the long jump until earlier this week.
“I just like the bigger meets,” Beaman said. “It’s good to have someone right on your heels giving me some motivation.”
Beaman is the latest in a long line of Flathead jumpers that have made a mark at the meet. Matt Tokarz set the meet record in the triple jump in 2013 ahead of state championships in the triple and long jumps. Matt Quist won the high jump last season by two inches. Kwyn Johnson set the state record for the Bravettes in 2012 and Tess Brenneman was the star of the show before her, among a fleet of state placers.
Across town, Glacier has provided its own run of jumpers the last few years. Kyle Griffith was narrowly edged by Tokarz in each of the jumping events and Lexy Boschee won multiple championships in the jumps on the girls side.
This year, Flathead’s Chade Gonter, Keaton Krantz and Bobby Lowry have also posted top marks. Whitefish’s Jed Nagler has jumped higher than any athlete in the state with Troy’s Sean Opland and Bigfork’s Josh Sandry on his heels. Columbia Falls’ Carla Nicosia has been among the top triple jumpers in the state for years and Bigfork’s Marissa Hiza cleared a Class B best 5 foot, 3 inches in the high jump last week.
All of them, and more, will compete today.
“There’s as much talent (in other classes) as is in the AA,” Braves coach Dan Hodge said.
“When we get all of them here as a big group, there are tremendous competitors in every event. We’re going to see a lot of great competition.”
Most coaches called the recent run of elite jumpers a cyclical trend that may give way to distance runners or hurdlers in the next few years. But for now, the jumps are as fun as any event to watch at the meets.
“It’s been really a high mark these last few years for jumpers,” Bravettes coach Tom Gillespie said. “It’s definitely something to go down and watch. It’s great. Who knows how long that will last, but it’s phenomenal the last few years.
“Especially since Archie Roe is one of the later meets in the season, these kids seem like they’re just absolutely at their prime. Whether it’s long, triple or high, for boys and girls, it’s unbelievable.”
The Archie Roe Invitational starts at 10 a.m. today with the boys and girls long jump and girls high jump. The boys high jump is scheduled to start at noon and the boys and girls triple jump at 12:30 p.m.