Runners, throwers, jumpers get ready

Despite rain, wind, cold weather, and lots of snow in Noxon, the boys and girls on the four high school track teams have been practicing and are looking forward to the start of the season.

Noxon throwing coach Ken Beaudin donned snow shoes so he could retrieve the tossed discus plates in the 18 inches of snow on the field, said Kelly Moore, head coach for the Red Devils, who has 13 boys and four girls on the team this year, only two fewer than last season. Five of their seniors signed up for the team.

Two of Noxon's athletes qualified for the state championships last year. Tyler Swant competed in the shotput and Kimmy Moore, Kelly's daughter, placed in all five of her running events.

The coach said they used a snowblower to get the snow off the track, but it was still to soggy to use, but they've had the kids running in the halls, the gymnasium, and in the parking lot. Moore said his team is enthused and ready to begin competition. He's especially fired up over the new group of six freshmen boys, who played on the school football team. “I'm glad to see these guys come out,” said Moore.

Noxon's first meet of the year will be the John Jermyn Memorial Relays in Plains, which takes place Thursday.

Head coach Don Stamm said the Plains team strength this year lies in its throwing events. He said he has a lot of hope in particular with senior Ashton Vulles, a multiple state qualifier in the javelin throw. “She'll be one of the favorites in that event,” said Stamm. Brian Taylor, who's coached the Plains javelin throwers for several years, has almost 10 boy and girl jav competitors this year. Stamm be assisted also by Marla Reistroffer, who handles the jumpers, and James Jermyn, who coaches the shotput and discus. He's looking for junior Emma Ehret, one of few girls who signed up for discus and shotput.

Stamm believes he has some strong athletes this year. Ethan Harvey, a discus competitor, was close to qualifying for state in the 2007 season. “He was knocking at the door last year,” said Stamm. The head coach expects several of his throwing team to qualify for state this year, including Harvey.

Twenty-five students came out of the Horsemen and Trotters team this year, which is lower than last year, said Stamm, who started out as the school's track coach 26 years ago. He switched to golf for awhile, then went back to track about five years ago. He has only three seniors on the team this year - all girls - Vulles, Kara Bates and Liceth Proano, a foreign exchange from Equator.

“We're really a young team this year,” said Stamm. “But we've got some good young prospects,” he said of his 17 sophomores and freshmen on the team.

Hot Springs will also send some of its team to the Plains relays Thursday, said Kevin Meredith, the team's assistant coach for the second consecutive year. The team is once again being managed by head coach Dusty Herbert, also in his second year. The Savage Heat team had nine girls and a dozen boys sign up, including three freshmen. Seniors Drew Flagen and his sister Richelle Flagen are veteran track athletes, but new this year is Nick Pavelich, a senior who hasn't competed in track for the last two years, said Meredith, who is training the jumpers and sprinters. Herbert will be mostly coaching the distance runners and throwers.

“They're looking really good,” said Meredith, who added that the team members have good attitudes and are looking forward to the season. Savage Heat athletes Matea DePoe, a junior, and Devon White, a sophomore, qualified for the state finals last year.

Hot Springs is scheduled to compete with Drummond and Alberton at Missoula April 3. The Dave Tripp Invitational, hosted by Hot Springs, is slated for April 24, beginning at 10 a.m.

Once again, Thompson Falls has the largest number of kids on their track team, 63 in all and up five from the start of last season. Randy Symon will serve as the head coach again this year, assisted by Doug Padden, Andrew Gideon and his wife Deb Gideon, and Randy Roberts.

“We've got a lot of talent in the sophomore class,” said Padden, who coaches primarily the throwing events and has been with the team about seven years. But the biggest event for the Bluehawks may be Brian Schenavar's pole vaulting feats. The senior reached 14 feet, 1 inch last year, breaking the Bluehawks school record and the divisional record. He managed a 14-foot, 6-inch height during practice, but Padden said he's shooting for the 15-foot mark this season.

Padden said Jason Flemmer, also a senior, may take the championship this year. He placed second in the javelin last year.

“I'm extremely excited about things this year,” said Padden, who guessed that about half of the team are returning athletes.

The John Jermyn Memorial Relays will start at 2 p.m. Thursday. Stamm said the relays are more a warm up for competition than an actual competition. Plains will participate in the Frenchtown Invitational April 5.

The Bluehawks first track meet will be the Columbia Falls Invitational Saturday. They will also be attending the Alberton-Drummond Invitational. The Sanders County Track Meet is scheduled for April 10 at Thompson Falls.