ABC invite gives last tune-up before divisionals

Here's what happened last Saturday at Polson's ABC Invite.

Kelley lead girls' team, while Fantastic Four pole vaulters lift boys at home meet

POLSON - It will be déjà vu for the Polson boys' and girls' track teams as they hosted the ABC Invitational last weekend and will also be hosting divisionals next Friday and Saturday.

"A number of kids had their best marks last weekend and look to be ready for this week's divisional meet," Polson head coach Bob Gunderson said. "Our girls have won the division the last two years, are the defending state champions and have an outside chance of doing it again if all goes right."

Last weekend, the girls placed third behind a first and second place finish by Breanne Kelley in the 100-meter hurdles (15.99) and the 300-hurdles (48.81). She also finished fourth in the 200 (28.15).

"Breanne had a good meet, leading the team with 25 points," Gunderson said.

Anna DiGiallonardo placed in all five events she entered, taking third in the 100 (13.22), the 200 (28.89) and fifth in the long jump (14-8.5). She was also on both relay teams that finished third. DJ-Conko-Camel had her best throw in the shot put of the year, and placed fourth (30-5). Claudia Hewston placed fourth in the 800 (2:34.05) and fifth in the 1,600 (5:40.30).

"Mesa Starkey didn't run as she is having a little trouble with her lower legs and we decided to rest her for this meet in the hopes that she would be able to have strong divisional performances," Gunderson said. "Sierra Pete is experiencing some problems related to her ACL surgeries and was unable to run in this meet. She is another one that we hope can compete in the divisional."

For the boys, the Fantastic Four pole vaulting crew once again made their presence felt as Zion Lee took first (12-6), Brock Bleazard took second (12-0), Jesse Alfiero took fourth (11-6) and Drew Fouty took fifth (11-0).

"The pole vaulters scored a pile of points with Zion winning and three others placing in the top six," Gunderson said.

Clark Rubel continued his excellence in the throws, getting a PR in the shot put while placing first in the event (47-2). Dale Big Sam backed him up in fourth (43-5) and Riley Sampson placed sixth (40-11).

Another positive was star Vince DiGiallonardo returning to full strength.

"Vince was finally able to participate in more than one event," Gunderson said. "He placed in both the 100-meter and 200-meter and ran on the 4x100 relay, which ran a season-best mark. He also made the finals in the long jump."

DiGiallonardo placed fourth in the 100 (11.71), and sixth in the 200 (24.64). Travis Hayes placed second in the 400 (53.53) while Chris Cote was fourth (54.06). In the 3,200, Jimmy Bjorge placed sixth (10:55.35).

Mike Devlin placed in multiple events, taking fourth in the 300 hurdles (43.69) and fourth in the long jump (19-10.5).

Durglo jumps to three first places while Larsson sets school javelin record

POLSON - Ronan-Mission's Jenny Larsson was having a pretty good day at the javelin. First, she had a throw that went over 100 feet for her personal best by a foot. Then she uncorked a 104-0 throw that placed second at the A.B.C. Invitational in Polson and broke the previous school record.

A record that just so happened to be held by her sister, Lisa Larsson.

"That was awesome," Ronan-Mission Track and Field coach Crystal Pitts said. "She did call her sister right afterward and told her."

The Ronan-Mission girls placed fourth while the boys placed sixth in the final meet before divisionals this year and it appears they're hitting their stride.

"It was a good day," Pitts said. "Some kids are starting to peak at the right time and with divisionals this week, the ABC meet was a good confidence booster."

For the girls, Adessa Durglo swept the jump events with first place finishes in long jump (15-7.5), triple jump (35-2.75) and high jump (5-2).

"In the words of Adessa herself, ‘finally' she had a very good day and the high jump got intense as her and the Stevi girl got into a jump-off where they did three extra jumps trying to determine the winner after they had tied," Pitts said.

Stephanie Lewandowski took fourth in the 100 hurdles (17.98) and fifth in the high jump (4-8). Mariah Cheff placed sixth in 100 hurdles (19.30) and fourth in the 300 hurdles (56.93). Twyla Hogge took fifth in the shot put (29-5.5).

For the boys, Eric Malmquist took fourth in the 400 (53.24), and then placed fourth in the 200 (24.44) and 100 (11.77).

"Eric is running well," Pitts said. "He is so much stronger this year and all of his off-season work is paying off."

Austin Durglo placed fifth in the javelin (145-10).

Paden Alexander anchored Ronan-Mission's efforts in the distance races, placing fourth in the 1,600 (4:55.23) and 3,200 (10:40.77).

"Paden just keeps improving," Pitts said. "He has yet to tap himself as he is still learning how to compete on the track. He is fun to watch run."

Jalen Bell was a force in the jumps, placing first in the triple jump (41-4.5) and third in the long jump (20-1.5).

"Jalen has come so far in such a short time in the jumps," Pitts said. "We don't even know how good he could be and he doesn't even know."

The Chiefs' record-setting 4x100 relay team got into a dogfight at the ABC, and finished second (45.45) just behind Columbia Falls.

"Anything is possible in a race measured by one-hundreths of a second between successful relay handoffs and the different between first and last," Pitts said. "Hopefully Jordan Franklin's leg lets him run it at divisionals. He is on a day-by-day basis as we try to prepare him for competition."

Athletic Booster Club Invite Results

GIRLS

Team scores: Corvallis 115, Whitefish 93, Polson 64, Ronan-St. Ignatius 58, Hamilton 49, Columbia Falls 41, Stevensville 39, Frenchtown 37, Browning 18.

100 - 3. Anna DiGiallonardo, Pol, 13.22. 200 - 3. Anna DiGiallonardo, Pol, 27.89; 4. Breanne Kelley, Pol, 28.15. 400 - 6. Maura Soukup, R-M, 1:12.58. 800 - 4. Claudia Hewston, Pol, 2:34.05. 1,600 - 5. Claudia Hewston, Pol, 5:40.30. 100 hurdles - 2. Breanne Kelley, Pol, 15.99. 4. Stephanie Lewandowski, R-M, 17.98. 6. Mariah Cheff, R-M, 19.30. 300 hurdles - 1, Breanne Kelley, Pol, 48.81. 4. Mariah Cheff, R-M, 56.93. 400 relay - 3. Polson, 52.97. 5. Ronan-Mission, 54.92. 1,600 relay - 3. Polson, 4:15.76. Javelin - 2. Jenny Larsson, R-M, 104-0. Shot put - 4. DJ Conko-Camel, Pol, 30-5. 5. Twyla Hogge, R-M, 29-5 _. High jump - 1. Adessa Durglo, R-M, 5-2. 4. Jenny Larsson, R-M, 4-8. 5. Stephanie Lewandowski, R-M, 4-8. Long jump - 1, Adessa Durglo, R-M, 15-7 _. 5. Anna DiGiallonardo, Pol, 14-8 _. Triple jump - 1, Adessa Durglo, R-M, 35-2 _. Pole vault - 4. MacKenzie Banner, Pol, 8-0. 5. Claudia Hewston, Pol, 7-6.

BOYS

Team scores: Corvallis 118, Columbia Falls 102, Polson 81, Stevensville 49, Whitefish 48, Ronan-Mission 40, Hamilton 36, Frenchtown 35, Browning 22.

100 - 4. Vince DiGiallonardo, Pol, 11.71. 6. Eric Malmquist, R-M, 11.77. 200 - 4. Eric Malmquist, R-M, 24.44. 6. Vince DiGiallonardo, Pol, 24.64. 400 - 1, Eric Malmquist, R-M, 53.24. 2. Travis Hayes, Pol, 53.53. 4. Chris Cote, Pol, 54.06. 6. Riley Dennis, R-M, 54.43. 1,600 - 4. Paden Alexander, R-M, 4:55.23. 3,200 - 4. Paden Alexander, R-M, 10:40.77. 6. Jeremy Bjorge, Pol, 10:55.35. 300 hurdles - 4. Mike Devlin, Pol, 43.69. 400 relay - 2. Ronan-Mission, 45.45. 4. Polson, 45.66. 1,600 relay - 5. Polson, 3:44.71. Javelin - 5. Austin Durglo, R-M, 145-10. Shot put - 1. Clark Rubel, Pol, 47-2. 4. Dale BigSam, Pol, 43-5. 6. Riley Sampson, Pol, 40-11. Long jump - 3. Jalen Bell, R-M, 20-1 _. 4. Mike Devlin, Pol, 19-10 _. Triple jump - 1, Jalen Bell, R-M, 41-4 _. Pole vault - 1. Zion Lee, Pol, 12-6. 2. Brock Bleazard, Pol, 12-0. 4. Jesse Alfiero, Pol, 11-6. 5. Drew Fouty, Pol, 11-0