State A track: Whitefish grabs gold, bronze

BUTTE — Around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at the State A track and field championships, the Whitefish girls found themselves in a tight spot: They were among four teams within three points.

Roughly 10 minutes later, they were gone. In that span Brooke Zetooney and Hailey Ells went 1-2 in the 200-meter dash, and Erin Wilde became the only girl to clear 5 feet, 3 inches in the high jump.

Add Ells’ third in that event — she cleared 5-2 — and Whitefish suddenly had 93 points. The Bulldogs then won the long relay to put a capper on their fifth state championship.

They also sent coach Kelliann Blackburn, who is retiring this year, out in style.

“I love Coach B,” said Zetooney, a sophomore who won the 100 and 200 and anchored two victorious relays Saturday, to go with her second place in Friday’s 400. “We’re just so happy to win this for her. She’s such a great coach and a great person.”

Dillon, with Treyton Anderson winning the 400 and both hurdles, knocked off defending champion Hamilton for the boys crown.

Based on projections, Whitefish’s girls figured to hit the century mark, but before that pivotal turn of events — as the weather turned chilly, then drizzly, then muggy — Corvallis had 60 points, Whitefish 59, and Laurel and Dillon 58. Whitefish ended with 103. Corvallis finished second at 78 and Laurel took third at 70.

Zetooney and Ells had finished first (in 12.66) and fourth in the 100 earlier; the 200 was all Whitefish.

“It felt really good,” said Zetooney, who won in 25.98 seconds, catching Ells in the final 20 meters. “I wasn’t really expecting to get that time at all, honestly, But I just really wanted to get there.”

Ells ran 26.22; she was also third in Friday’s 400, and third in Saturday’s 300 hurdles.

“It’s been great racing with her,” Zetooney said of Ells, a fellow sophomore. “I ran with her sister (Mikenna) last year. To have another Ells to race with is pretty cool.”

Wilde, meanwhile, was taking care of business not far from the finish line. She, Ells and Hardin’s Kadie Bends were the only competitors to clear 5-2. Bends took second on criteria; Wilde missed on three attempts a career-best 5-7.25.

“That was good points,” Zetooney said.

Blackburn, for her part, noted that she isn’t leaving the cupboard bare. Wilde and Tommye Kelly were the lone seniors.

Of the 1,600 relay, which Whitefish won in 4:03.99, “We had three sophomores and a freshman,” Blackburn said. “Holy crap.”

Rachael Wilmot was the freshman; Maeve Ingelfinger, Ells and Zetooney filled out the team. Ells competed in seven events, including the relays. Three times she ran prelims.

Columbia Falls finished sixth with 36 points. Ally Sempf was fifth in the 100 and third in the 200 for the Wildkats, and helped the short relay finish fourth and the third in the long relay.

Rebekah Walker took third in the triple jump, where Ainsley Shipman of Dillon won her fourth title, to go with her hurdles sweep and a win in the long jump. The senior was second in the 100.

Dillon’s boys matched the Whitefish girls point for point, piling up 103 behind Treyton Anderson, who flew around in his prescription Oakleys to win the 400 and both hurdles, taking third in the 100 and second in the 200 (Laurel’s Jakob Webinger won both).

Hamilton, with Lane Cole winning the 1,600 in a dead heat with Corvalllis’ Brinson Wyche (4:25.25 to 2:25.26), was next with 91 points.

Whitefish was next with 57. The Bulldog boys had to come up big to secure a trophy, and did — starting with Talon Holmquist hitting another career best in the shot put.

“Nobody was expecting us to do that,” Holmquist said. “That was fun.”

Holmquist popped his best throw, 57-8.5, on his first attempt.

“A lot of nerves,” he said. “Not really nervous, just a lot of adrenaline. My first one was my best, and all my throws stayed about 57.”

Later Gabe Menicke hit his career-best in the triple jump: 46-10.75, to give Whitefish two repeat champs.

“He’s been trying for that 47-footer all season,” Holmquist said. “He came really close. We’ve been waiting for him to put one together.”

Ronan’s Payton Cates capped off his senior year with a high jump championship. He was the only one to clear 6-2; the event was held early Saturday, on grounds wet from overnight rain.

“It was really more about adaptability than height today, I think,” said Cates, who tied for second a year ago. “Who has jumped in the rain before.”

Cy Stevenson of Libby took second in the shot put, at 48-9. Teammate Dawson Rose was third in the pole vault.

Browning’s Jeremy Bockus was third in the boys 1,600; classmate Kiara Iron Heart was third in the girls 1,600. Both are seniors.

State A track

100 —1, Zetooney, Brooke, Whitefish, 12.66. 2, Shipman, Ainsley, Dillon, 12.88. 3, Reiter, Kaydance, Havre, 12.96. 4, Ells, Hailey, Whitefish, 13.05. 5, #281 Sempf, Ally, Columbia Falls, 13.06. 6, Wyche, Farah, Corvallis, 13.13.

200 — 1, Zetooney, Brooke, Whitefish, 25.98. 2, Ells, Hailey, Whitefish, 26.22. 3, #281 Sempf, Ally, Columbia Falls, 26.36. 4,Hutchison, Claire, Stevensville, 26.70. 5, #438 Aby, Alyse, Laurel, 26.85. 6, Reiter, Kaydance, Havre, 26.95.

1,600 — 1, Aragon, Mariah, Hardin, 5:22.35. 2, Cook, Carly, Laurel, 5:23.77. 3, IronHeart, Kiara, Browning, 5:31.11. 4, Heiner, Olivia, Ronan,

100 hurdles — 1, Shipman, Ainsley, Dillon 15.14. 2, Lewis, Olivia, Corvallis, 15.54. 3, Herbstritt, Rylee, Corvallis, 15.93. 4, Ingelfinger, Maeve, Whitefish, 16.04. 5, Armstrong, Rylee, Lewistown, 16.06. 6, Jarvis, Kyanna, Havre, 16.89.

300 hurdles — 1, Shipman, Ainsley, Dillon, 44.67. 2, Lewis, Olivia, Corvallis, 45.39. 3, Ells, Hailey, Whitefish, 46.98. 4, Armstrong, Rylee, Lewistown, 47.29. 5, Herbstritt, Rylee, Corvallis, 47.46. 6, Ingelfinger, Maeve, Whitefish, 47.66.

400 relay — 1, Whitefish 'A' (Wilmot, Rachael, Ells, Hailey, Wilde, Erin, Zetooney, Brooke), 49.19. 2, Laurel 'A' (Fox, Mariah, Aby, Alyse, Waddell, Lily, Dantic, Kaitlyn 9), 49.90. 3, Dillon 'A' (Petersen, Lauryn 12, Konen, Kylie, Petersen, Sydney, Shipman, Ainsley), 50.22. 4, Columbia Falls 'A' (Sempf, Ally 10, McAllister, Emma, Sempf, Hannah, Green, Alexis), 51.25. 5, Corvallis 'A' (Lewis, Tyisha, Wyche, Farah, Herbstritt, Rylee, Lewis, Olivia), 51.42. 6, Havre 'A' (Reiter, Kaydance, May, Macee, Filius, Sadie, Jarvis, Kyanna), 51.66.

1,600 relay — 1, Whitefish 'A' (Wilmot, Rachael, Cooke, Isabelle, Zetooney, Brooke, Ells, Hailey), 4:03.99. 2, Corvallis 'A' (Herbstritt, Rylee, Lewis, Tyisha, Wyche, Farah, Lewis, Olivia), 4:08.37. 3, Columbia Falls 'A' (Green, Alexis, Erickson, Siri, Sempf, Hannah, Sempf, Ally), 4:11.46. 4, Dillon 'A' (Petersen, Lauryn, Konen, Kylie, Walker, Jordyn, Shipman, Ainsley), 4:18.87. 5, Laurel 'A' (Erving, Madison, Dantic, Kaitlyn , Aby, Alyse, Cook, Carly), 4:20.40. 6, Miles City 'A' (Sloan, Annaleis, Tooke, Greta, Waterman, Camdyn, Glasscock, Alli), 4:21.25.

High jump — 1, Wilde, Erin, Whitefish, 5-03. 2, Bends, Kadie, Hardin, 5-02. 3, Ells, Hailey, Whitefish, J5-02. 4, Griffin, Ayda, Hamilton, 5-00. 5, Jarvis, Kyanna, Havre, J5-00. 6, #162 Santos, Amber, Dillon, J5-00.

Triple jump — 1, Shipman, Ainsley, Dillon, 37-04. 2, Armstrong, Rylee, Lewistown, 35-02.25. 3, Walker, Rebekah, Columbia Falls, 34-04.50. May, Macee, Havre, 34-03.25, 5, Sloan, Annaleis, Miles City, 34-02.25. 6, #195 Wahl, Kendall, Billings Central, 33-11.25.

Shot put — 1, Lewis, Madison, Corvallis, 40-06.25. 2, Hillis, Maggie, Laurel, 40-00.75. 3, Smith, Sadie, Frenchtown, 39-00. 4, Ross, Aniya, Lewistown, 35-08.25. 5, Botkin, Kayla, Frenchtown, 35-03.25. 6, Winkler, Mya, Hamilton, 35-00.25.

Javelin — 1, Fike, Daeja, Laurel, 142-08. 2, Moodry, Ella, Butte Central, 132-09. 3, Linday, Brianna, Laurel, 132-02. 4, Graves, Bailey, Laurel, 128-07. 5, Lewis, Tahnee, Corvallis, 108-05. 6, Benson, Autumn, Corvallis, 104-05.

BOYS

High jump — 1, Cates, Payton, Ronan, 6-02. 2, Kokot, Payton, Park, 6-00. 3, Andersen, Trey, Libby, J6-00. 4, Hansen, Caden, Dillon, J6-00. 4, Holter, Kyle, Butte Central, J6-00. 6, Fleming, Kyler, Lewistown, 5-10. 6, Criddle, Derek, Corvallis, 5-10.

Triple jump — 1, Menicke, Gabe, Whitefish, 46-10.75. 2, Santos, Holter, Dillon, 45-06. 3, Beard, Dayrion, Laurel, 43-09. 4, Kokot, Payton, Park, 43-06. 5, White, Carter, Frenchtown, 43-00. 6, Cates, Payton, Ronan, 42-07.

Shot put — 1, Holmquist, Talon, Whitefish, 57-08.50. 2, Stevenson, Cy, Libby, 48-09. 3, Hanenburg, Kevin, Frenchtown, 47-07. 4, Eaton, Max, Glendive 47-02.50. 5, Boudreaux, Beau, Frenchtown, 46-11.50. 6, Burrows, Andrew, Hamilton, 46-10.50.

100 —1, Webinger, Jakob, Laurel, 11.01. 2, White, Carter, Frenchtown, 11.14. 3, Anderson, Treyton, Dillon, 11.16. 4, Bauder, Tyson, Hamilton, 11.24. 5, Whicker, Jackson, Miles City, 11.29. 5, Simpson, Malaki, Columbia Falls, 11.29.

200 —1, Webinger, Jakob, Laurel, 21.97. 2, Anderson, Treyton, Dillon, 22.04. 3, Sager, Kaeden, East Helena, 22.41. 4, Dantic, Beau, Laurel, 22.53. 5, Schwend, Tanner, Laurel, 22.60. 6, Bauder, Tyson, Hamilton, 22.67.

1,600 — 1, Cole, Lane, Hamilton, 4:25.25. 2, Wyche, Brinson, Corvallis, 4:25.26. 3, Bockus, Jeremy, Browning, 4:30.70. 4, Kirkland, Colter, Hamilton, 4:34.15. 5, Joe, Tayjon, Hardin, 4:34.40. 6, Tomac, Caleb, Havre, 4:35.06.

110 hurdles —1, Anderson, Treyton, Dillon, 14.41. 2, Tschacher, Wesley, Laurel, 15.73. 3, Smith, Bodie, Whitefish, 15.88. 4, Read, Aiden, Corvallis, 15.96. 5, Hardy, Brody, Frenchtown, 16.00. 6, Norslien, Gage, Lewistown, 16.10.

300 hurdles — 1, Anderson, Treyton, Dillon, 39.49. 2, Smith, Bodie, Whitefish, 40.70. 3, #526 Graham, Treyton, Dilln, 41.59. 4, Norslien, Gage, Lewistown, 41.62. 5, Couture, Rueben, Ronan, 42.17. 6, Tschacher, Wesley, Laurel, 42.32.

400 relay — 1, Dillon 'A' (Nourse, Eli, Graham, Treyton, Anderson, Treyton, Christiansen, Kee), 42.63. 2, Laurel 'A' (Schwend, Tanner, Dantic, Beau, McAllister, Cameron 10, Webinger, Jakob), 42.65. 3, Frenchtown 'A' (Schmill, Garrett, Olson, Nate, Ellington, Evan, White, Carter), 43.50. 4, Hamilton 'A' (Bauder, Tyson, Cianflone, Max, Rostad, Tyson, Taylor, Eli), 43.51. 5, Columbia Falls 'A' (Waters,

Adler, Simpson, Malaki, Schrader, Adam, Duval, Jace), 43.51. 6, Livingston 'A' (Rogge, Drew, Kokot, Payton, Grenier, Tyler, Bartz, Carter), 44.30.

1,600 relay — 1, Corvallis 'A' (Jessop, Rauly, Boswell, Gideon, Read, Aiden, Criddle, Derek), 3:27.01. 2, Hamilton 'A' (Taylor, Eli, Cole, Lane, Cianflone, Max, Kirkland, Colter), 3:27.15. 3, Columbia Falls 'A' (Simpson, Malaki, Sundberg, Finley, Schrader, Adam, Duval, Jace), 3:27.86. 4, Whitefish 'A' (Smith, Bodie, Garcia, Barrett, Lund, Gabe, Menicke, Gabe), 3:27.91. 5, Frenchtown 'A' (Ellington, Evan, Warner, Dillon, Schmill, Brady, Schmill, Garrett), 3:30.30. 6, Dillon — 'A' (Hansen, Caden, Graham, Treyton, Garrison, Gavin, Anderson, Treyton), 3:30.69.