Polson track lets loose at Top 10 meet

WHITEFISH — After the competition at the Russ Pilcher Top Ten Meet at Missoula Big Sky got its taste of Polson track on April 28, and the Pirates and Lady Pirates went on to do some damage in Whitefish at the ARM meet this past Saturday.

At the Top Ten, senior Tara Johnson finished silver at the pole vault to place the highest of the Lady Pirates. Polson took fourth in the 400-meter relay and junior Christa Redcrow finished fourth in the long jump (15-7) and junior Loni Havlovick took fourth in the discus (115-0). Sophomore Breanne Kelley finished sixth in the 100 hurdles (16.43).

Sophomores Katie Finley and Sierra Pete qualified to compete in both relays but Pete was injured in the short relay and the team had to forfeit entry in the 1,600 relay. But she was back in action in Whitefish on Saturday.

At Whitefish, Havlovick was the star for the Lady Pirates.

She captured two gold medals, both in the shot put (34-03) and discus (113-03). Redcrow earned a gold as well in the Triple Jump and Breanne finished in 15.17 to take first in the 100 hurdles. Pete, recovering quickly from a close call earlier in the week, took gold in the 400 (1:00.60). It was her fastest time of the year.

All of the Pirate boys attending the Top Ten came home with treasure. Junior Jason Bowman sprinted to a third place finish in the 100 (11.69) and fifth in the 200 (23.73). At the 300 hurdles, it was senior Chris Alfiero who placed sixth (43.70) still keeping a good pace after a strong previous week. Junior Trae Fouty took fifth in the pole vault (12-0) and Polson placed fourth in the short relay and sixth in the longer competition. Junior Joe Andrews and senior Ryan Kelley joined Bowman and Alfiero in the short race and senior Tucker Morigeau and junior Brock Picard helped out Alfiero and Andrews in the distance race.

Ryan led the way for a strong Pirate showing in the pole vault at Whitefish. He slung his body 13-feet-six-inches to take the only boys’ individual gold in the meet, and Trae finished second with a year’s personal best 13-0 jump.

The 400-meter relay team did it again, this time with a time of 44.71, a notch quicker than at the Top Ten.

Polson hosted the Lake County Invite at 4 p.m. on Tuesday and competes at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Archie Roe Invite in Kalispell.

Polson head coach Bob Gunderson said the Lake County Meet is a good opportunity for kids across the valley and classes to compete with each other. Since it is a smaller meet, it gives more athletes a chance to make a mark.

“It gives the younger kids a chance to compete in a meet for points,” Gunderson said. “Usually, we get some good times out of those kids because they get a chance to compete when they don’t in bigger meets.”

Gunderson said he expects serious competition from around the county - especially from Ronan’s Sadie McMillan - and mentioned that a few years back the Charlo girls won the meet.

With all classes represented, there is no doubt that every athlete in each event could be in for a surprise.