Charlo will send 15 to state track competition

Charlo track teams put up some good numbers at the Western C Divisionals last weekend, as the team will take 15 athletes to the state track competition this weekend.

Bo Herak, Brandon Rollins, Joey Ray, Jeff Bucholz, Aaron Young, Adri Hammond, Amanda Murphy, Ma'Rya Hungerford, Samijo Kain, Staci Stipe, Hayley Carr, Megan Harriman, Kate Coburn, Rochelle Toussaint and Rhondell Esterby will all represent Charlo at the state meet in Helena this weekend.

"We had a couple we weren't anticipating, and some we thought would make it didn't. But basically we got everyone that was supposed to go, and a few more. A lot of our kids had personal bests, which is what you need in divisionals and going into the state meet," said head coach Bret Thompson.

On Friday, the boys took sixth with 16 points out of 16 teams and placed Joey Ray in the top spot in the shot put with throw of 51-9 1/2 — yet another school record, breaking his old mark by more than two feet.

"Joey threw really well. Let's hope he can do that at state," said Thompson, who has believed Ray can break the 50-foot mark all season.

Brandon Rollins came in fourth in the 800 in a time of 2:06.62.

The girls took third with 28 points. Amanda Murphy's shot put of 36-8 3/4 put her in first. Megan Harriman took third in the shot put with 32-7.

Murphy will look to defend her title this year, and Thompson said he's optimistic for her.

"We worked pretty hard in practice [earlier this week], and got a few things straightened out in her technique. I'm hoping she'll fight to defend her title," Thompson said of getting Murphy psyched up for the event.

Hayley Carr came in fourth in the javelin with 109-2 and Rhondell Esterby took fourth in the long jump clearing 15-4. The girls took fifth in the 400 relay with a time of 54.19.

Saturday, Charlo girls finished with 67 points for second place right behind Twin Bridges with 73 points. The girls had two winners; Adri Hammond's 9-6 pole vault beat the competition and Murphy nabbed the top spot in the discus with a throw of 109-3. Katie Coburn placed in the discus as well with a throw of 98-4 for fifth place.

Hammond also placed in the 800, taking fifth with 2:35.34, Samijo Kain took fifth in the 100 hurdles with 18.03 and the 1600 relay saw the girls take fifth with 4:30.82.

Charlo placed two girls in the high jump. Rochelle Toussaint landed fourth with a 4-10 jump and Kain took fifth clearing 4-10.

In the triple jump, Ma'Rya Hungerford took third with 32-7.

Hayley Carr came in sixth in the pole vault with 7-0.

With 43 points, the boys took fourth with Bo Herak placing in three events. He nabbed first in the pole vault, clearing 12-6, third in the 110 hurdles in a time of 16.61 and third in the 300 hurdles in 42.10.

"Bo had a great meet. Both his hurdle times were personal bests. Right now his highest jump [in the pole vault] is the best in the state, and in hurdle times he's just out of the placing right now," Thompson noted.

The boys took third in the 1600 relay with a time of 3:41.73, which was 10 seconds faster than any previous times, Thompson noted, with Bucholz, Young, Herak and Rollins making up that team.

Joey Ray took sixth in the discus with a toss of 129-9.

Last year, the girls finished with 26 points, good enough for sixth, although Thompson noted that even 30 points can place a team. The boys only had one point last year for a sixth place finish, but have some good athletes this year who have been putting up numbers that could put the team in the running.

"Big Sandy and Chester are going to be tough, and after that, I think it might be a fight for third," Thompson said, noting how the Eastern teams seem to have an advantage in the running events after training for so long in higher altitudes.

"The girls will have a few more events, and we could be right there. We can pick up a lot of little points. We have kids that have improved enough that on the right day the girls could get as many as 40 points," Thompson said.