Vikings do damage on their own track

CHARLO — At The Russ Pilcher Top Ten Meet at Missoula Big Sky, four Charlo athletes competed.

Junior Jaris Kelley recorded an 8-foot-6-inch pole vault to share sixth place and Jame Peterson matched that spot with a 12-foot vault for the boys. Shaelyn Fell and Zach Daugherty also competed for Charlo, racing for times near their personal best.

It was a good experience to compete against the best of the west, Charlo head coach Bret Thompson said.

“I guess it’s kind of a privilege as far as being invited and having a time good enough to get to compete says a lot for them. Three of the four are underclassmen and it’s the first time for all of them,” Thompson said. 

Charlo won its own Charlo Lions’ Club Meet handily in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions.

The girls scored 201 points and placed first in 11 events - many of them were double winners.

Freshman Deondra Brown finished first in the 100 (13.75) and 200-meter dash (29.44).

Brittany Shaver took first in the 800 (2:43.10) and 1,600 (6:03.06).

Kate Coburn threw for two golds, with a 31-foot shot put toss, and a nice distance in the discus (93-2).

The Viking boys were even more dominant, finishing with 304 points. Lincoln was second with 90. The Charlo boys finished with ten golds. Daugherty finished first at the 800 (2:13.43) with a bit slower time than he recorded at the Top Ten and took the 1,600 (4:57.51).

Brandon Pope was the other double gold medalist for the Charlo boys, with a 5-foot-10-inch high jump and the top finish at the 110 hurdles (17.14).

Charlo won all four relays at its meet.

Charlo competed at the Lake County Meet on Tuesday in Polson.

Going into the meet, Thompson said it gave his athletes a shot at Polson, who his kids hadn’t competed against this season.

Otherwise, his team still has its eye on tournament time.

“Hopefully here in a month we’ll get some personal bests which will put us right in it come divisionals and state meets,” Thompson said.

He was happy to see three or four of his boys place in several events at the home meet.

“I’m hoping that’s something that we see down the road, whether it’s this year or next year, is going to benefit this program,” he said.

Charlo competes at 10 a.m. at Missoula Big Sky for the Seeley invite.