County teams compete at Summer Games

The Little Bitterroot Services athletes had to contend with another Sanders County team this year at the 2008 Glacier Area Summer Games at Kalispell Friday.

The Noxon Cowboys, consisting of three members — Scotty Simonson, Josh Malson and Josiah Smith — was established just two weeks ago in order to compete in the Special Olympics event at Flathead High School’s Legends Field Friday.

One hundred and eighty athletes from 14 teams competed at the summer games, which began with opening ceremonies at 9 a.m. and finished about three hours later. The athletes ranged from 8 years old to a man in his 70s, said Terri Siefke, the area director for the event this year. The competition included 15 track and field events — walking, running, throwing, and cycling. Singles bowling competition was held Friday afternoon at Pin’N Cue at Whitefish, along with a powerlifting contest at Glacier High School gymnasium in Kalispell, and swimming competition at The Wave in Whitefish.

This was the 27th year of the Glacier Area Games. Kalispell had several teams, said Siefke, who added that the largest team was probably the Flathead Industries of Kalispell. The Troy Mountaineers had the smallest team with two. A Polson team consisted of one family, two sisters and a brother, who have competed at Kalispell for several years.

Seventeen Little Bitterroot Services athletes took part in the track and field events and bowling. The competition throughout the day was divided by age, gender and skill level, which resulted in nearly every athlete walking away with some type of ribbon. Little Bitterroot finished with 13 blue ribbons and placed in the top six slots in more than two dozen events, according to Jenna Marple, the head coach for the team. Nawatha Campbell, a Little Bitterroot Services staff member, was the lead coordinator for the Plains team.

The team from Little Bitterroot couldn’t compete last year due to a lack of coaches and chaperones. Although they were able to participate this year, they couldn’t compete in the bike races because they had no way of transporting the bicycles to Kalispell this year. Campbell hopes to find someone with a trailer for the bikes next year.

“They looked forward to the games this year,” said Marple, who’s in her first year as the team’s coach. She said they also looked forward to seeing the other athletes. The coach noted that the competition is highly important to them because it gives them a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem. “The staff members were very proud of them,” said Marple.

Most of the Little Bitterroot team have competed at the area games in the past. The team this year ranged from Destinee Churchill, the youngest at 19, to Jerry Trainer at 47. Churchill placed in two events — first with a nine-second 25-meter walk in Division 1 and second place in the softball competition with a throw of 16.6 meters.

The team spent a little over two hours in the bowling competition, but Marple said they haven’t received their ribbons yet. She believes more than half of the team will receive blue ribbons in their division.

Eight members of the team are scheduled to compete in bowling, walking, running, and jumping events at the Montana State Special Olympic Summer Games at Great Falls in mid May.

The athletes of the Noxon Cowboys won’t be participating at state this year, said June Malson, Josh’s mother. The 28-year-old Josh Malson and Simonson, 23, have previously competed at the Glacier Area Games, but this was the first time for Smith, 18. Malson has participated in the bicycle races for four or five years and used to be a part of the Little Bitterroot team.

Smith took first in the 100-meter run, crossing the finish line at 17.53 and got two second places in bike races. Malson finished with two third places in the bicycle races and third in the 100-meter walk. Organizers did not record the bicycle finish times. Simonson nabbed second placements in the softball throw and the 10-meter walk, and third in the 25-meter walk.

For the Little Bitterroot team, Jennifer Encinas nabbed two first places. She did the 25-meter walk, finishing with a time of nine seconds. She also tossed the softball for a blue ribbon with a distance of 7.3 meters. Donae Frost, the team’s only wheelchair participant, finished first in the 25-meter wheelchair race. She also grabbed a fifth in the softball throw in Division 7.

Dannie Da Giau took first in her division in the softball throw at 18.5 meters and first in the 100-meter run at 33.81. Lacey Kinser finished the day with first in the softball contest with a throw of 14.5 meters. Her first in the Division 3 100-meter walk at 32.94 gave her another blue ribbon.

Juanita Plant took a blue ribbons with a 13.03-second finish in the Division 1 25-meter walk and with an 8.7-meter softball toss. Dan Boos grabbed a first with his 7.99-second finish in the 50-meter run. He also took second in the softball throw with a distance of 36.7 meters.

Mark McPherson took first place in the 25-meter walk in Division 9 with a 10-second finish. Teammate WIllie Peachie took first in the 50-meter run at 11.90 seconds. In the same competition, Keven Halsey took second place and John Udenberg finished third. Trainer participated in the run, but fell shortly after the start. He was shaken for a short while, but was able to bowl later in the day.

Teammate Donald Lord grabbed top place in the 100-meter dash at 14.68. Lord also took sixth in the softball throw at 15.2 meters.

Phil Seng had a first in the 100 walk, though the coach had no record of his time. He also threw the softball for 21.9 meters, but officials did not record his place.

A second place went to Karen Cisney in Division 7 with a softball throw of 8.7 meters. She also finished fourth with a 55.50 time in the 100-meter walk. Candy Eaton placed second in Division 5 with a 10-second finish in the 25-meter walk and third in the softball competition at 8.2 meters.

Sandy Huot took a Division 5 third with a 11.38-second 25-meter walk and third in Division 6 with a softball throw of 18.8 meters.