Savage Heat compete at State C Meet
<p>Jarod White competes in the long jump. </p>
GREAT FALLS – The Hot Springs Savage Heat competed in Great Falls over the weekend at the State C Track and Field Meet, with a strong performance over the two-day event.
The Savage Heat boys took eighth in the competition, with a team score of 21.5 points.
The first half of the state meet took place on Friday, May 30, with the final competition of the year concluding on Saturday, May 31.
The event featured high schools from across Montana, within the class C level of competition.
Hot Springs Head Coach Vicky Nytes was impressed with her team’s effort during the state meet.
“They all did really good work this weekend,” Nytes said.
Nytes added the bad weather, featuring some rain the night before and morning of day one of the meet, held off over the weekend, allowing the athletes to focus on the competition.
After the first day of the meet, the boys found themselves with two team points.
Tanner Hoff secured fifth place in the javelin throw to put the Savage Heat on the board. Hoff ended with a throw of 158-01 on the first day of state.
On the second and final day of the meet, the Savage Heat surged up the standing, compiling 19.5 cumulative points.
This surge was due in large part to strong performances by Hoff and Jarod White.
Hoff took third in the 110-meter hurdles, clocking in at 15.63, while also placing fifth in the 300-meter hurdles.
In the distance hurdles, Hoff ended with a time of 41.71.
White excelled in the triple jump event, landing a 42-03.25 to ensure a second place finish in the field event.
The Savage Heat also experienced success in the team competitions, taking fourth in the 400-meter relay.
The relay team crossed the finish line at 45.18 in the team race.
“I am impressed with the whole team. We had a very successful season,” Nytes said.
Nytes noted the Savage Heat would be losing five seniors to graduation, but the head coach was still optimistic about next spring’s track and field season.
“We have really strong underclassmen, so we should still have a pretty powerful team next year,” Nytes said.
Hot Springs strong showing at the state meet followed up on two impressive outings at the Western Divisional Meet in Missoula and the District 14C Meet in Polson.
The previous performances allowed Hot Springs to net a top ten finish at state.
The Savage Heat had relay teams for both relay events at this weekend’s meet, something Nytes noted had not happened before.
The placements and podium worthy performances in Great Falls are a great way for the Savage Heat to end their season and begin their summer vacation.
The impressive showing at the state meet ends the current group of seniors high school careers on a positive note.
“It’s always hard to see the seniors go,” Nytes said.
The young members of the team gained a great deal of experience this spring. They should be more than capable of stepping up next season as the Savage Heat looks for another strong year.