Thompson captures first place at Missoula Invite

Plains senior track athlete Jessica Thompson’s name is becoming synonymous with first-place finishes in throwing events, especially in shot put.

Thompson, a two-time MHSA Class C state champion in both shot put and discus in 2017, just simply keeps besting herself.

Her throws have gradually improved with each event. In the Jim Johnson Invitational at Frenchtown, she recorded a finals throw of 39 feet, 2.5 inches and at the Eureka Invitational, she outdid herself with a finals throw of 39 feet, 4.75 inches.

Thompson, who has competed in a total of four events, has placed first in all four events this season (not including prelims), while simultaneously being the Trotters’ No. 1 pitcher in the spring. She can simply do it all.

This weekend, Thompson eclipsed all of the marks Friday afternoon at the Dave Tripp Memorial in Polson, where she recorded a throw of 40 feet, 10 inches, a personal record for the college-bound senior.

She didn’t stop there.

Thompson captured a first-place finish at shot put the prestigious Missoula County Public Schools invite, an invitational with all classifications in Montana, and beat Sentinal’s Madi Arneson by nearly two feet. Thompson won with a throw of 40 feet, 3.5 inches and Arneson recorded a second-place throw of 38 feet, 10.5 inches.

Thompson also achieved a personal record with 135 feet, 7 inches in the discus, placing second behind Corvallis’s Calla Haldorson, who won with a throw of 135 feet, 8 inches.

In the meet the day before, she placed first recording a throw of 122 feet, 11 inches, rising up to her increased competition MCPS meet.

“(Jessica) is just a unique athlete and that comes from her family being supportive,” Trotters, Horsemen head track coach Denise Montgomery said. “She has that athletic gene, a good family and a good background. Her parents have taught their kids how to work hard.”

She and the rest of her Plain’s teammates could be eyeing hardware if they accumulate enough points as a team at state anchored by Thompson’s first-place finishes if she continues on her current projected pace the rest of the season.

Before Thompson graduates high school, she still has some unfinished business she would like to achieve before she tries to follow in her sister Leah’s footsteps, who compete with NCAA Division I Brigham Young, to compete at the collegiate level herself.

“She has some (colleges) looking at her,” Montgomery said. “She is such a hard worker, a good kid and has a great family. She is the anchor for our team, and our girls and I are not looking forward to next year (without her).”

She also would like to eclipse some of her sister Leah’s track records before her track career at Plains is finished.

“There are some records on the school board I am sure Jess is looking at,” Montgomery said. “Leah has our record for discus and Jess is looking at trying to get the shot put before she leaves. Thompson and her siblings are so competitive. She knows how to set realistic goals for herself, go for high goals and seems to be able to attain them.”