Savage Heat fights through cold weather

MISSOULA - The Hot Springs Savage Heat took ninth in the Seeley-Swan Invitational on Saturday, April, 26 in Missoula.

In one of their larger meets of the year, the Savage Heat track team enjoyed several stand out performances from athletes who braved the cold and damp weather conditions to compete.

Temperatures dipped into the low 40s and at times rain came down in sheets as the Savage Heat faced off against the premier track programs in Montana.

Jarod White took home first place in the triple jump, ending his day with a 40-7. White’s teammate, Trevor Paro, also performed well in the triple jump, finishing the event with a 39-9, placing him in fourth place.

In the short distance portion of the competition, Anthony Byrns had multiple top finishes for Hot Springs. In the 200-meter dash, Byrns finished in third with a 23.68 and in the 100-meter sprint, Byrns clocked in just less than 12 seconds with an 11.99, giving him fourth place in the event.

With over 20 teams competing at the Seeley-Swan Invitational, the Savage Heat faced tough competition from both Class B and Class C high schools from throughout the state.

“It’s good to compete against schools we don’t usually see,” said Vicky Nytes, coach of the Hot Springs Track and Field team.

The size of the meet can be daunting for athletes on all of the teams taking part in the meet but Nytes noted how the upperclassmen’s confidence helped guide the younger members of her squad through the meet.

“They get more and more used to it, as freshmen they’re a little overwhelmed, but by the time they are upperclassmen, they are much more comfortable with it,” Coach Nytes explained.

The Savage Heat Track team will spend the week preparing for their next meet, the Whitefish Invitational, which will be held on May 3.

The Seeley-Swan Invitational is a good dose of preparation as the Hot Springs team prepares for the final portion of its season, ending with district, divisional and state meets.