RUNNING TO STATE: Ronan and Polson track

A look at how Polson and Ronan did at the divisional track meet

last week.

Ronan-Mission track teams break records in strong showing at divisionals

POLSON - The Ronan-Mission track team is apparently set on making the history books. In their last Northwestern A Divisional track meet before they move down to Class B, the Chiefs shined by taking second place as a team behind Columbia Falls and broke numerous school records along the way.

"The boys' team had one of its strongest showings in years at the divisional track meet," Ronan head coach Crystal Pitts said. "I guess it's a good way to leave a mark with our final year competing with the Class A schools."

After setting a school record two weeks ago, the Fab Five Ronan-Mission 400 relay team broke their own record at divisionals and placed first in the conference (44.12). Eric Malmquist, Marcus Hungerford, Riley Dennis and Jordan Franklin combined for the performance and beat out their Mission Valley rival, Polson, who took second.

"Three of the boys have been off the relay at different times due to injuries and Jalen Bell has stepped in and helped keep the relay running," Pitts said. "Thus the boys call themselves the Fab Five."

The 1,600-meter relay team set a Ronan High School record with a 3:32.0 thanks to the running of Malmquist, Hungerford, Dennis and Austin Durglo and placed third at divisionals. They'll try and break the co-op record (meaning since Mission and Ronan have done track together) next week at state.

Franklin defended his 100-meter dash title by taking first (11.63) and Malmquist followed him up by placing fourth (11.76).

"This is the first time Ronan has had two boys place in one sprint at the same time," Pitts said.

Franklin, defended another divisional title in the high jump (6-5), which was his personal best and he was also followed by teammates Jalen Bell in third (5-10), also a personal best and Marcus Hungerford (5-10) in fifth.

Bell also won the divisional championship in the triple jump and took fourth in the long jump (20-6.5) in just his first year of competing in track.

Paden Alexander placed third in the 1600 (4:45) with a personal best performance and record another best by placing second in the 3,200 (10:24).

Pitts also added that Durglo threw a personal best in the javelin (150-11) for sixth place, just four inches from qualifying for state and Hungerford ran his best in the 800 (2:02.97) and just missed out on state by placing sixth.

GIRLS

POLSON - Somebody better make some room in Adessa Durglo's trophy case.

At the Northwestern A Divisional track meet last weekend, she won her fourth divisional triple jump (36-0.75) championship with a school-record leap, her second long jump title (17-0) with another record-breaking mark and her first high jump (5-2) championship.

And she wasn't done: she had fifth place finishes in both the 100-meter (13.58) and 200-meter (28.07) dash. Joining Durglo in the high jump was Jenny Larsson who placed second (5-0), as Ronan swept the first two spots in the event.

Larsson also placed third in the javelin (97-4), a week after setting the school record in the same event.

Twyla Hogge finished second in the shot put (31-5) with her personal best throw and will be taking her first trip to state.

Ronan also got good performances from Stephanie Lewandowski, who placed second in the 100 hurdles and sixth in the 300 hurdles (53.47). Courtney Clairmont took sixth in the 800 and helped anchor the 1,600-meter relay team to a fourth place finish (4:41.57) to advance to state.

Freshman Kiana Howell made the 100-meter finals and also ran on both relay teams which will compete at the state meet next week. Fellow freshman Kaylie Durglo made the finals in the triple jump with a personal best (30-2) and also had personal bests in both relay races.

Polson girls take second while Fantastic Four pole vaulters shine again for Polson boys

POLSON - Polson's Jimmy Bjorge rounded the final corner of the divisional 1,600-meter race, and with just 100 precious meters left, entered the phase of the race that separates the men from the boys.

It's also the phase of the race that separates those going to state from those going home.

Like the other runners, Bjorge's legs and muscles were at their limit and still, he kept pushing. He kept straining. And when it came down to the line, it was his final lunge that punched his ticket to state and a personal best of 4:49.08.

Coaches mobbed Bjorge, but at that moment, all he wanted to do was lie down.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you get to the state track meet, being held next week in Missoula.

Polson will be taking 16 boys, after placing fourth in a meet that was dominated by Columbia Falls and just 14 points separated second and fifth place.

"Our boys did as good as they could do in this meet," Polson head track coach Bob Gunderson said. "They competed very well as indicated by the number of season best performances."

Both of Polson's relay teams recorded personal bests as they took second in the 1,600 (3:30.35 - Mike Devlin, Chris Cote, Zak Camel, Travis Hayes) and 400 (45.34 - Paul McClurg, Devlin, Eric Williamson, Vince DiGiallonardo). The individual qualifiers also had good showings.

"Every boy that qualified for state in an individual event had a personal record," Gunderson said.

The Polson boys had two divisional champions as Clark Rubel won the shot put (47-9.5) and Zion Lee placed first in the pole vault (13-0).

The Fantastic Four pole vaulters dominated once again as Jesse Alfiero placed second (12-6), tied with Brock Bleazard and Drew Fouty took sixth (10-6).

"Our best chances at state will be in the shot put, pole vault and 1600-meter relay," Gunderson said. "In the 1600-meter relay they actually have the second-fastest time recorded among all the class A divisionals last weekend."

GIRLS

Breanne Kelley led the Lady Pirates to a second-place finish at the divisional track meet in Polson last weekend, placing first in the 100 (16.13) and 300 (47.67) hurdles, third in the 400-meter dash (1:00.66) and fifth in the high jump (4 -8).

"Breanne led the team with 30 points," Gunderson said. Mesa Starkey defended her divisional title from last year by winning the 3,200-meter race (11:49.37), while teammate Claudia Hewston ran personal bests in the 800 (third, 2:24.49) and 1,600 (5:29.71) and her leg of the 1600-meter relay.

"Mesa did an outstanding job running with some pain in her lower calf muscle," Gunderson said. "She didn't run the 800-meter as it hurts a little more in the faster races but she had a season-best effort in the 1,600-meter and won the 3,200-meter."

In the relays, Polson took second in the 400 (51.92 - Katie Finley, Jewel Zakit-Ackerman, Breanne Kelley, Anna DiGiallonardo), and third in the 1,600 (4:27.69 - Katie Finley, Sierra Pete, Claudia Hewston, Anna DiGiallonardo).

Anna DiGiallonardo took third in the 100 (12.98) and 200 (26.89) while Jewel Zakit-Ackerman took third in the shotput (29-9) and DJ Conko-Camel took third in the discus (96-9.5).

BOYS

Team scores - Columbia Falls 201.5, Ronan-St. Ignatius 89.5, Libby 82.5, Polson 77.5, Whitefish 75.

100 - 1. Jordan Franklin, R-M, 11.63; 4. Eric Malmquist, R-M, 11.76; 6. Vince DiGiallonardo, Pol, 11.84. 200 - 2. Jordan Franklin, R-M, 23.60; 4. Eric Malmquist, R-M, 23.73; 800 - 4. Travis Hayes, Pol, 2:02.12. 6. Marcus Hungerford, R-M, 2:02.97. 3200 - 2. Paden Alexander, R-M, 10:24.24. 5. Alex Nystrom, Pol, 10:42.35. 6. Jimmy Bjorge, Pol, 10:52.07. 300 hurdles - 5. Jared Rubel, Pol, 44.21. 1600 relay - 2. Polson, 3:30.35; 3. Ronan-Mission, 3:32.33. Shot put - 1. Clark Rubel, Pol, 47-9 _. 4. Dale BigSam, Pol, 43-9; 5. Riley Sampson, Pol, 42-1. Javelin - 6. Austin Durglo, R-M, 150-11. Long jump - 4. Jalen Bell, R-M, 20-6 1/2; 5. Vince DiGiallonardo, Pol, 20-3. High jump - 1. Jordan Franklin, R-M, 6-5; 2. Drew Galbraith, WF, 6-4; 3. (tie) Jalen Bell, R-M, 5-10; 5. (tie) Reese Jensen, Lib, 5-10; Marcus Hungerford, R-M, 5-10.

GIRLS

Team scores - Whitefish 237, Polson 116, Ronan-St. Ignatius 73, Libby 68, Columbia Falls 67.

100 - 3. Anna DiGiallonardo, Pol, 12.28; 5. Adessa Durglo, R-M, 13.58; 200 - 3. Anna DiGiallonardo, Pol, 26.89; 5. Adessa Durglo, R-M, 28.07. 800 - 3. Claudia Hewston, Pol, 2:24.49; 6. Courtney Clairmont, R-M, 2:33.60. 3200 - 1. Mesa Starkey, Pol, 11:49.37; 300 hurdles - 1. Breanne Kelley, Pol, 47.67; 4. Erica Alfiero, Pol, 52.64; 6. Stephanie Lewandonski, R-M, 53.47. 1600 relay - 3. Polson, 4:27.69; 4. Ronan-Mission, 4:41.57. High jump - 1. Adessa Durglo, R-M, 5-2; 2. Jenny Larsson, R-M, 5-0; 5. Breanne Kelley, Pol, 4-8; Shot put - 2. Twyla Hogge, R-M, 31-5; 3. Jewel Zakit-Ackerman, Pol, 29-9; 4. DJ Conko-Camel, Pol, 29-7. Javelin - 3. Jenny Larsson, R-M, 97-4; 6. LaGlen Mitchell, R-M, 87-8. Long jump - 1. Adessa Durglo, R-M, 17-0 1/4; 5. Katie Finley, Pol, 14-7