Local girls shine at Top 10 meet in Missoula
Plains discus thrower Alexis Deming, shown here at last year's 7B District meet, finished third in the discus throw at the Top 10 Invitational meet this past week in Missoula. (Chuck Bandel, VP-MI)
The meet is a preview, in a way, of the rapidly approaching Montana State High School track and field championship competitions.
By the time it was over this past Tuesday in Missoula, several local girls had performances that indicate they will be state level contenders in their events at the end of May.
Heading the group was Noxon senior Emily Brown, who finished fourth in the 400 meter run and seventh in the women’s javelin event.
Brown’s fourth place effort in the 400 was a new personal record in a race where the top three finishers were from Class A schools. Noxon is a Class C level school sports-wise.
Brown crossed the 400 finish line in 1:00.52. The race was won by Stevensville senior Claire Hutchison, who broke the tape in 57.82 seconds.
Brown threw the javelin 113-03 in the event which was won by Drummond senior Jessie Struna, who chucked the spear 128-11.
Plains sophomore Alexis Deming confirmed she will be a state contender in the discus with a third place throw of 108-04. Both competitors who finished ahead of Deming, Alanna Auch of Corvallis (121-06) and Mya Winkler from Hamilton High (110-09) attend Class A schools.
Deming followed up her discus effort with a tenth place shot put throw of 31-01, well below her season best.
The other local woman competitor, Thompson Falls standout distance runner Ellie Baxter, finished eighth in the 3200 meter run with a time of 11:56.75, a new personal best. All seven of the runners ahead of Baxter were from Class AA or Class A schools.
Superior junior Lucas Kovalsky, who has already had a state qualifying pole vault of 12-0 feet, failed to mark in the event at the Top 10 meet.
A total of 35 schools, many of them western Montana AA level competitors, took part in the event.