Weather finally cooperates with track schedule

After a long wait, three Sanders County track teams had an impressive outing last weekend in Columbia Falls.

Plains, Thompson Falls and Noxon were eager to compete after poor weather resulted in the cancelation of their respective meets from the previous week. Last Saturday, each was back in action during the sunny and mild conditions during the Columbia Falls Invitational track meet.

The Columbia Falls boys delighted the home crowd, scoring an even 100 points to earn the win over a field of 15 teams. Thompson Falls scored 43.5, good enough for fifth place. Plains finished in sixth with 34 points and Noxon scrounged up 20 to land in a tie for ninth.

Corvallis emerged atop the heap for the girls with 92 points. Plains earned 32.5 points to place seventh and Thompson Falls was right behind in eighth with 28.5. Noxon’s nine points were good enough for twelfth. 

According to Plains head coach Tony Banovich, 17 Horsemen and 10 Trotters set personal records.

“It was just an excellent day for the team; and, a fantastic first full meet of the season,” he said. “All in all, I’m very optimistic about our direction this season.”

Banovich knows his team will only get better as the season wares on. Plains is eager for the return of Caleb Beech, illness, and Ashley Holmes, stress fracture. Additionally, the Horsemen and Trotters have several talented freshman who hope to work their way into the standing by the end of the season.

Two Horsemen earned points for Plains. Taylor Firestone won both the triple, 43-9.5, and long jumps, 21-6, and placed fifth in the 100-meter dash, 12.06. Both jumps were personal bests for Firestone. Carter Montgomery placed third in the mile, 4:49.94, and two-mile, 10:25.3.

The Trotters showed off a trio of throwers who impressed spectators in the discus ring. Franky Weinbrenner placed second, 99-2, Tia Thompson third, 94-7, and Nicole Kunzer fourth, 93-10. Also earning points for Plains were Kelsey Beagley, Nicole Rehbein and Diamond LaDeaux. Beagley placed second in the long jump, 14-8.8, Rehbein fourth in the 200-meters, 28.48, and LaDeaux fifth in the two-mile, 13:41.32.

Although his team was missing a number of athletes, who were taking their ACT exams, Thompson Falls head coach Randy Symon was pleased with his team’s performace over the weekend.

“Overall it gives us a chance as a team to look at where we’re at and see what we’ve done then set some goals for the rest of the season,” he said. “We’ve had a chance to see how the other teams in the conference have done and now we know what they’re capable of doing.”

A number of Blue Hawks comprised Thompson Falls’ team points. Preston Schubert finished third in the 110-meter hurdles, 17.54, fourth in the 300-meter hurdles, 44.45, and tied for fourth in the high jump, 5-10. Dominique Holt placed fourth in the 110-meter hurdles, 17.75, tied for fourth in the pole vault, 11-0, and high jump, 5-10, and fifth in the 300-meter hurdles, 44.46. Cody Phillips won the pole vault, 12-9, and placed second in the javelin, 160-6. Chalis Wilson tied for fourth in the high jump, 5-10, and Collin Lester finished sixth in the 200-meter dash 24.89. Thompson Falls also finished sixth in the mile-realay, 3:50.9.

Hope Reid led the Blue Hawks placing second in the high jump, 5-0, third in the 300-meter hurdles, 51.03, fifth in the 100-meter hurdles, 16.74, and pole vault, 7-6, and tied for sixth in the 100-meter dash, 13.74. Leann Lantz placed third in the 400-meters, 1:09.20, Allison Vaught fifth in the discus, 90-0, Angela Padden sixth in the 300-meter hurdles, 53.91 and Mariah Naegeli sixth in the two-mile, 14:04.39.

For Noxon, both Adam Moore and Derek Jensen got on the scoreboard. Moore placed third in the 300-meter hurdles, 43.78, and javelin, 157-6, and Jensen finished second in the shot put, 45-5.

Casey Chenoweth placed in two events for noxon, finishing third in the shot put, 31-5.5, and sixth in the discus, 89-0.

All three teams will compete in the Thompson Falls invitation next Thursday.