A.R.M. draws 16 teams, talented field
May 2, 2009 Northwest Montana A Conference
A.R.M. draws 16 teams, talented field By DILLON TABISH/The Daily Inter LakePublished: Saturday, May 2, 2009 1:08 AM CDT After today, there's only four Saturdays left until the high school state track meets.
In other words, track season is in full stride.
Sixteen teams are descending on Whitefish today for the 11th annual A.R.M. Invitational. With a sunny forecast, field events are set to begin at 10 a.m., and running events kick off at 10:30 on the high school's all-weather track.
Host Whitefish looks to regain its home dominance on both the boys and girls sides. The Whitefish boys won state last year for the fourth time in six years, but have not won the A.R.M since 2007. The girls last A.R.M. title was in 2006.
"It's May, so it's time to start gearing up for the last part of the season," Whitefish coach Derek Schulz said.
One of the state's top distance runners, Whitefish senior Drew Coco, will race after his own record in the 1,600 instead of going for an A.R.M. three-pete in the 3,200. Coco won last year's 1,600 with a record time of 4:25, but has yet to break the 4:30 barrier this spring.
Whitefish pole vaulter Kaleb Prestegaard returns having already beat his winning mark from last year's meet by almost two feet. The senior vaulted a 14-0 earlier this season and is tied for tops in Class A.
Classmate Aaron Tkachyk has a hold on the best long jump in the league, 21-2, which is already farther than his winning jump at A.R.M. last year.
Libby's Seth Wright will be busy trying to beat the high jump record of 6-7, set by Whitefish's Chris Hicks in 2004. Wright is tied for the highest mark in all classes this year having cleared 6-8. He came within an inch of tying the A.R.M. record last year with a winning jump of 6-6. He also won the triple jump that year.
Last year's team winner on the boys side, Havre, is set to return.
Also returning this year are the Glacier girls, who won the A.R.M. last year with 107 points. Led by a solid crew in the field events, the Wolfpack has a shot at repeating.
On the track, reigning 100 winner Maddey Frey, a junior at Glacier, will battle a speedy field in the sprints.
Joining the mix for the first time at the A.R.M. is the defending state A champion Polson girls. The Lady Pirates started the season with a number of returning state-placers, but recently have been hit with a string of bad luck.
All four members of the state champion 400 relay team are either injured or sick. Among them, 300 hurdle state champion Nicole Davey, who also placed second at state in the 400 and pole vault last year, collapsed early last month during a race. On Friday, she was finally diagnosed as having a severe case of mononucleosis.
The three other relay members, Sierra Pete, Breanne Kelley and
Christa Redcrow, are battling through injuries as well and will not compete today.
What started as an 18-girl track team is down to roughly seven, Polson coach Bob Gunderson said.
"I'm putting together what team I can," he said.
Polson's Loni Havlovick will take the field today and leads Class A in the shot put.
Even Schedule
Field events: 10 a.m. - Javelin, shot, discus, triple jump, long jump, high jump, pole vault
Running events: 10:30 a.m. - 100 (trials), 1600, 110/110 hurdles (trials), 100 (finals), 400 relay, 3200 (girls), 400, 300 hurdles, 800, 200, 3200 (boys), 1600 relay.
A.R.M. Records
BOYS
100 - 10.6, Steve Heberly, Havre, 2003
200 - 22.08, Steve Heberly, Havre, 2003
400 - 50.48, Cody Henning, Whitefish, 2004
800 - 1:57.4, Matt Helgath, Whitefish, 2004
1600 - 4:25.44, Drew Coco, Whitefish, 2008
3200 - 9:57.09, Dane Steward, Plains, 2005
110 hurdles - 14.39, Taylor Ferda, Whitefish, 2006
300 hurdles - 39.6, Kris Anderson, Whitefish, 2001
400 relay - 43.92, Havre, 2003
1600 relay - 3:28.09, Whitefish (Justin Scogin, Chris Hicks, Matt Helgath, Cody Henning), 2004
Shot put - 52-4 1/2, Curtis Bean, Eureka, 2003
Discus - 168-3 1/2, Daniel Beaudin, Noxon, 2005
Javelin - 204-9, Blaine Baker, Libby, 2005
Long jump - 22-3, Trevor Gunlock, Polson, 2000
Triple jump - 45-0 1/4, Chris Hicks, Whitefish, 2006
High jump - 6-7, Chris Hicks, Whitefish, 2004
Pole vault - 14-6, Trevor Gunlock, Polson, 2000
GIRLS
100 - 12.5, Courtney Ferda, Whitefish, 2005
200 - 25.87, Courtney Ferda, Whitefish, 2005
400 - 58.65, Misha Trotter, Hamilton, 2007
800 - 2:19.56, Brooke Andrus, Bigfork, 2005
1600 - 5:12.72, Lauren Dalton, Bigfork, 2004
3200 - 11:46.29, Lauren Kuennen, Whitefish, 2008
100 hurdles - 15.41, Ashley Ferda, Whitefish, 2005
300 hurdles - 46.95, Ashley Ferda, Whitefish, 2005
400 relay - 50.42, Whitefish (Kirsten Blackburn, Johanna Closson, Emily Long, Courtney Ferda), 2004
1600 - 4:06.2, Hamilton (M. Trotter, A. Mildenberger, A. Toews, M. Jones), 2007
Shot put - 43-9, Bree Fuqua, Polson, 2000
Discus - 143-0, Bree Fuqua, Polson, 2000
Javelin - 131-3, Dani Finley, Charlo, 2003
Long jump - 16-8, Elisha Kampfe, Eureka, 2005
Triple jump - 35-3, Johanna Closson, Whitefish, 2002
High jump - 5-4, Sarah Hislop, Columbia Falls, 2003
Pole vault - 9-6, Kelsey Smith, Havre, 2003; Sarah Hislop, Columbia Falls, 2004 |
NATIONAL
MONTANA
