Arlee hosts first meet in a decade

ARLEE — Arlee track and field hosted its Brian Bachmeier Memorial Twilight meet this past Thursday. In a collaborated effort, the school brought back the Twilight for the first home meet held in ten years in celebration of Warrior and Scarlet track and field and in memory of a former Warrior trackster who  passed away.

Brian Bachmeier, son of long time Arlee track coach Richard Bachmeier, graduated from Arlee in 2002 and was a four-year letterman in track and field. As Arlee welcomed the competition and fans, Brian was recognized from the announcers booth for his place on the 2001 championship 400-meter relay team and his commitment in many events, especially the 300 hurdles.

One of Arlee head coach Sue Carney’s fondest memories of Brian was watching him compete at his favorite event under the guidance of his father.

From the tower, Arlee’s appreciation for  Brian and his family echoed clearly as athletes took their marks on the home track for the first time.

“The Bachmeier family are strong supporters to Arlee track and field and we would like to thank them all for their dedication,” was the final send off.

Carney remembered the last Twilight as clearly as anyone. She was in the announcers tower at the time when her daughter spoke her first words. Getting all of the equipment in order started with the athletes and coaches of Arlee track and ended with the town itself.

“It took the whole team and the whole town to pull this thing off,” she said. “It was a proud moment when it was done.”

The Arlee athletes embraced the spirit of the meet and competed well.

The Warriors snagged first place with 116 points and the Scarlets met them at the top with 113 points.

When it comes to the pole vault, the other four teams at the meet were no match for the Warriors.

Arlee senior Trevor Rice led the pack with a 9-foot-6-inch jump for gold. Senior Wyatt O’Neill, who competed in the triple jump at the Top Ten Meet in Missoula two days before, thought he’d try his luck with a vault stick and nailed 9-6 as well to take second. Warrior seniors Colten Carver and Jordan Lefler took third and fourth.

Arlee took first in the 400 relay, with a time of 48.15. The following day at Big Sky they improved to a 45.8 for another first place finish.

Warrior sophomore Zach Carver captured first in the 100 (12.08) and Colten, senior Ethan Willougby and Rice placed in the short sprint as well.

Keeping his engine in gear until the end of the 1,600, Jake Trujillo snagged gold with a 5:12.52 finish.

Warrior senior Cubby Pierre snagged first in the 110 hurdles (16.77) to complete the list of gold medalists for the team on the boys’ end.

If the pole vault was the highlight for the boys, then the discus was all Scarlets.

Freshman Becca Nelson bested her upperclassmen teammates with a 88-foot-1-inch launch. She was followed by another freshman Rachelle Meidinger, then older sister, senior Veronica Nelson and seniors Carlee Allestad (scoring a personal best) and Tela Whitman.

Veronica took her gold at the 1,600 (7:17.22) and placed second in the javelin (108-3).

Junior Chelsea Allaire was the only female competitor at the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles. She ran with the boys in the shorter race.

“That’s tough to put yourself up against the boys,” Carney said.

She took home two golds for the effort.

Arlee didn’t take first in the long jump but finished in second through fourth place. In the shot put it was a similar story. No Scarlets were able to take gold, but they finished in the next five places.

Arlee also competed in Big Sky last Friday and in the Lake County Meet in Polson on Tuesday. They compete at 2 p.m. today at Noxon and at a meet in Big Sky at 10 a.m. on Saturday.