Noxon's Williams launches to new State C record

Noxon senior Ricky Williams has boldly gone where no one, at least no Montana Class C High School high jumper, has ever gone. 

Williams saved the best for last in the last track and field meet of his high school career and in the process broke a 48-year-old state record when he cleared the high jump bar at 6-9 1/2 inches during this past weekend’s Class C State Track and Field championship in Missoula. 

A multiple sport standout throughout his time as a Red Devil, Williams broke the record previously held by Flaxville’s Dave Weltikol, who jumped 6-9 even in 1977. 

Three weeks ago, Williams broke the Noxon school record when he cleared 6-8 in a local meet.  Cascade junior Brant Ligameri was second this year with a jump of 6-4. 

Williams added a third in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, which was won by Hot Springs senior David Chapman, who broke the tape at the 14.89 mark.  Chapman’s Savage Heat teammate Nick McAllister was seventh with a time of 17.07.  Chapman also had an eighth-place finish in the men’s 200-meter sprint, and thirteenth in the shot put (40-00.50) 

Before he was done for the day, Williams placed fourth in the long jump (20-08), which was won by Lustre Christian’s Johnslee Pierre, who leaped 21-11. 

McAllister, who is headed to Northern Montana College this fall on a scholarship, was second in the men’s 300-meter hurdle with a time of 40.58.  The event was won by Pierre, who recorded a time of 39.55.  Hot Springs’ sophomore Ben Aldridge was sixteenth. 

The Hot Springs boys (Daniel Slonaker, McAllister, Aldridge and Chapman) were fifth in the 4X100 relay, which was won by Valley Christian.  Slonaker was eleventh in the men’s 100-meter sprint. 

Alberton junior Shea Fredette had a fifth-place finish in the men’s 800-meter run with a time of 2:01.75, a personal best. Fredette was also twelfth in the 1600-meter run for the Panthers. 

In the women’s competition, Hot Springs senior Georgia Uski was fourth in the discus with a throw of 111-04, and tenth in the shot put. 

St. Regis junior Jamie Cleveland had a solid meet with one ninth, a thirteenth and a twentieth during her two-days in Missoula.  Cleveland was ninth in the 400-meter run, thirteenth in the long jump and twentieth in the 100-meter sprint.  Teammate Cielee Mitchell, an eighth grader, was twelfth in the 200-meter sprint. 

Noxon eighth grader Sandy Bonney was fifth in the javelin with a throw of 114-03, while Whitewater’s Kennedy Simonson won the event with a toss of 124-02.