Thompson Falls track and field team qualifies several for state
Thompson Falls’ Chesney Lowe is headed to this week’s Class C state meet after winning the javelin and placing second in the pole vault in last week’s divisional championships in Missoula. Lowe also qualified in the triple jump with a sixth place finish. (Scott Shindledecker/Valley Press)
In postseason track and field, the name of the game is to advance.
Winning is great, but qualifying for the state championship meet is the ultimate goal.
The Thompson Falls thin clads did very well in their efforts to survive and advance as they qualified 11 different athletes in several different events last weekend at the Western Class B Divisional meet at the Missoula County Stadium.
The competitors will now go up against the rest of Montana’s best Friday and Saturday at the Laurel Sports Complex.
The Blue Hawks had four individual divisional champions, including double winners Justin Morgan, Cody Burk and Chesney Lowe.
Morgan set a new personal best while winning the 3,200-meter run in 9:49.61. Morgan won the race by nearly 19 seconds. The senior shrugged off last week’s loss to Bigfork’s Jack Jensen in the 1,600 and won the divisional event over the Viking freshman.
For Burk, he didn’t have much competition while winning the shot put and discus. He also placed sixth in the javelin to qualify for state.
Lowe continued her winning ways in the pole vault last Saturday as she hit a new personal best of 8 feet, 9 inches to top Deer Lodge’s Natalie Spring by three inches. Lowe also bounced back from a somewhat disappointing finish in the javelin at districts to win the event at divisionals. Her throw of 104 feet, 6 1/2 inches bested Bigfork’s Madison Chappius by nearly 2 1/2 feet.
Jody Detlaff was the Lady Hawk’s fourth divisional champion. She won the discus with a throw of 106 feet, 4 inches. Detlaff enjoyed a good weekend, too, with a runner-up finish in the shot put and a third in the high jump.
As a team, the girls placed second with 91 points. Bigfork won with 201. The boys were fifth with 48 points, well behind Bigfork's 167.
Here are the Class B state qualifiers from Thompson Falls. The top six individuals in each event and relay teams qualified from last weekend’s Western divisional at Missoula County Stadium. Complete results may be found at athletic.net.
BOYS
- Justin Morgan, first, 1,600; first, 3,200.
William Hyatt, sixth, 800 run; sixth, 3,200.
Cody Burk, first, shot put; first, discus; sixth, javelin.
Breck Ferris, fourth, long jump.
Owen Fernstrom, sixth, triple jump.
GIRLS
Josey Neesvig, second, 800;
Faith Palmer, third, 1,600; third, 3,200.
Mollie Nichols, fourth, 1,600; third, 3,200.
Jody Detlaff, first, discus; second, shot put; third, high jump.
Chesney Lowe, first, javelin; first, pole vault; sixth, triple jump.
Hattie Neesvig, fourth, high jump; third, triple jump.
4x100 relay (Josey Neesvig, Hattie Neesvig, Faith Palmer, Chesney Lowe), fifth.
4x400 relay (Josey Neesvig, Faith Palmer, Chesney Lowe, Hattie Neesvig), third.