The rosters may change but the outcome has not changed in six years – another state championship. For a while it was the hurdles that powered the Blue Devils with Paige Squire and Lakyn Conner winning titles, and then the races with Sadi Henderson setting the pace. Now, it’s the throwers providing the wins with the rest of the team carrying their weight as well.
Zena Smith won the javelin throw with a distance of 139’8”, 19’8” farther than second place. This was her second championship in this event. Corvallis’ second championship was a tiny bit of a surprise. Calla Haldorson threw the discus 129’5”, just under two feet farther than Brookelyn Palin, also from Corvallis who was the favorite going into the event. Haldorson, a freshman, is the reigning National Punt, Pass and Kick champion, and thrives on competition.
Corvallis topped Columbia Falls by 10 points in the team competition. Hamilton was a point behind in third place and Stevensville finished 10th in the girls team scoring.
Penny Jessop Took third in the 100, the 200 and fourth in the 400. Heidi Nisly was third in the 400, second in the 800 and third in the 1,600. Albany Jessop finished sixth in the 3,200. Corvallis’ relay team finished fifth in the 1,600 relay.
Hamilton’s Jacie Schmalz won the 1,600 with a time of 5:15.94. She ran away from the field in the 3,200 with a time of 11:46.75. Second place Barrett Gray of Whitefish had a time of 11:54.56. Taylor Bess took third in the 100 hurdles and third in the pole vault. She was second in the long jump. Baylie Duce finished fifth in the triple jump and Reilly Rostad was sixth. Hamilton’s 1,600 relay team finished sixth.
Megan Pendergast of Stevensville finished second in the 300 hurdles and sixth in the 100 hurdles. Mariah Hinson was third in the long jump, second in the triple jump and sixth in the javelin. Payton Tillotson finished fifth in the discus.
The Corvallis boys finished in third place behind Dillon and Columbia Falls. Hamilton was in 13th and Stevensville finished 15th.
Josh Jessop finished second in the 1,600 with a time of 4:27.64. He was fourth in the 800. Ronald Venema was fifth in the 3,200. Bruce Thomas of Corvallis was second in the 400. Ridge Albright tied for sixth in the high jump. Marvin Reynoso surprised a few with his third place finish in the pole vault where he cleared 13 feet. Braxton Roth took sixth in the triple jump. Skylar Jessop was second in the discus and Zach Jessop was fifth in the javelin. The 1,600 relay team finished third.
Hamilton’s Cameron Meikle won the 1,600, edging out Josh Jessop with a time of 4:27.15. Meikle was third in the 3,200 and teammate Matt Wilson was sixth. Jaylen Taggart finished fourth in the discus with a throw of 146’3”.
Stevensville’s Hunter Casey won the 800 with a time of 1:56.68, two seconds faster than second place. He also took fifth in the 400.
In Class B, Florence’s Caden Venters took third in the javelin with a throw of 161. Benji Philips of Glasgow won with a toss of 190-7. Autumn Round finished third in the triple jump with an effort of 34’5”.
In Class C, Darby finished 6th. Evan Duggan won both the 1,600 and the 3,200. He had a time of 4:34.45 in the 1,600 and just edged out Bradley Wilson of Noxon. Duggan ran the 3,200 in 9:59.99. John Beckers took second in the javelin with a throw of 176’8”; Tyrone Hageman of Jordan won the event with a throw of 180’4”.
Victor’s Jack Powell took fifth in the 110 hurdles.