by Scott Sacry
Several Bitterroot Valley track & field athletes excelled at the Russ Plicher Top 10 meet in Missoula on Tuesday, April 22nd. The meet included the best track athletes in Western Montana from all four classes, so placing in this meet is quite an accomplishment. Two area athletes won their event. Madison Lewis from Corvallis won the women’s Shot Put with a throw of 38-06, Lewis also took 4th in the Discus (115-05). Hamilton’s Taylor Searle won the men’s Pole Vault with a jump of 14-00.
Other placers for the women’s side included Stevensville’s Claire Hutchison, who took 3rd in the 400m (1:00.78) while Madi Nelson of Hamilton finished 6th (1:02.29). Olivia Lewis of Corvallis took 3rd in the 300m Hurdles (46.32). Allana Auch of Corvallis took 2nd in the Discus (123-09) and Hamilton’s Mya Winkler took 6th (106-00), Winkler also took 4th in the Javelin (108-04). Hamilton’s Layne Kearns took 3rd in the Triple Jump (35-05.25).
For the Boys, in a highly competitive 800m race, Hamilton’s Lane Cole finished 3rd (1:57.15) and Colter Kirkland finished a hair behind him for 4th (1:57.21). Corvallis’s Derek Criddle took 5th in the 400m (53.03). In the 1600m, Hamilton’s Colter Purcell took 2nd (4:37.69) and Florence’s Nathaniel Gale took 4th (4:39.68). In the 3200m, Corvallis’s Brinson Wyche took 2nd (9:37.28). In the Javelin, Stevensville’s Kellan Beller took 3rd (169-01) and Hamilton’s Tyson Rostad took 6th (163-00)