Blue Hawk thinclads compete at State B meet

One season into her Thompson Falls track and field coaching job, Trenna Ferris is thinking she is one fortunate person, a very lucky coach, if you will.

"It has been an incredibly fun thing to walk into, taking over this program," she said Monday. "Randy (Symon, the previous long-time coach for Blue Hawk track and field) did an amazing job of building this program into what it is today, and I am honored to get the chance to carry it forward."

Making her first trip to the State B meet as Blue Hawk head coach, Ferris guided the Falls girls and boys teams into Laurel last week.

In Laurel, senior Cody Garrison starred for the boys, winning fourth in the javelin (with a best throw of 155 feet, 8 inches) and placing sixth in the pole vault, matching his lifetime best height cleared of 12-6, and scored all five team points for the Hawks.

With the Lady Hawks, junior Maya Stiles tied for sixth in the pole vault, clearing 8-6, and freshman Jody Detlaff tied for sixth in the high jump, clearing 4-10.

Forsyth won the State B boys team title with 86 points, Huntley Project was second with 73 and Manhattan third with 53. Western B champion Bigfork swept to the State B girls title with 106 points, Baker was a distant second with 48 and Huntley Project third with 41.

Ferris had a lot of good things to say about her athletes in action; of how they competed this season and for how they will progress in their careers from this point forward.

"I am so impressed with these kids and so proud of how they did in Laurel," she said. "They really came to compete last week and even our younger kids performed like veterans.

"We had a great season with a lot of team camaraderie," she added. "We will miss the ones that are graduating but are really excited for the future."

Garrison's performance warmed his coach's heart. Ferris wasn't sure if Garrison would even come out for track after he hurt his right elbow late in the wrestling season.

"That was a pretty bad injury, we weren't sure he would even come out this spring," she said. "But I am proud of him for what he was able to do in spite of it. He is going to go on to do great things in life, I am sure of that."

Injuries hampered two of the other better Hawk boys in the late going this spring.

After starting out strong, jumper/hurdler Danny Hoisington has been suffering through what Ferris calls a hip flexor/groin strain problem, and Nate Thibeault, who won second place in the Western B 400 meters, rolled an ankle during the week leading up to state.

"Danny's injury forced him to cut back on his conditioning and ended up hurting his chances to do well," Ferris said. "And Nate could not go on his ankle. I know those two ended up being disappointed by how things ended."

Though the Hawk boys will miss their seniors next year, almost everyone should be back for the Lady Hawks.

"We are looking forward to the future, especially with the girls," Ferris said. "We were very young this year and have some good ones coming up into the program next year, so we should only get better."

Helping Ferris in that regard, assistant coaches Amy Gilbert, Jake Susic and Sarah Naegeli should return to the Falls coaching staff next season.