Time for your best

In track and field, the best time for your best is when it counts the most.

Turning in some of their best times, distances and heights when it was the most important, the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks responded with a flock of strong performances at the Western B-C Divisional meet in Missoula last Thursday and Friday.

Fueled by strong efforts from across the Missoula County Public Schools Stadium complex, the Lady Hawks surged to a fourth place team finish with 70 points, while the Hawk boys scored 27 points to place seventh.

Bigfork won the Western B girls' title with 134 points, Loyola was second with 86 and Deer Lodge third with 80. Loyola claimed the boys' crown with 183 points, Bigfork was second at 91 and Eureka third at 70.33.

All those who qualified now move on to this week's combined State B-State AA meet in Kalispell Thursday through Friday. Athletes will be allowed practice time at Legends Stadium and only a smattering of events, including the girls pole vault, will be held Thursday afternoon, with the meat of the meet commencing Friday morning.

Falls head coach Trenna Ferris was pleased with both of her teams' efforts in Missoula last week.

"We recorded 14 personal bests for the girls and 17 for the boys," she said. "What a great time to get a 'best.' We were very happy with how our athletes stepped up and competed last week."

Senior Maya Stiles enjoyed a great meet in her final Western B, winning second place in the pole vault (with a best body-launch of 9 feet even), placed third in the javelin (with a best spear-chuck of 92-7) and fourth in the 100 meter hurdles (in 17.73 seconds). "Maya had an amazing divisional meet," Ferris said, "advancing in four of her five events."

Stiles also joined Trinity Godfrey, Megan Baxter and Gabriella Pallister in winning fifth place in the 400 meter relay in a time of 54.83 seconds.

Enjoying perhaps the finest meet of her young career, sophomore Josey Neesvig was money in the distance runs, winning second place medals in the 1600 (5:57.28) and 3200 (12:50.82) meter runs, and fourth in the 800 (2:38.34), in addition to joining Baxter, Mckenzie Robins and Sierra Hanks to place fourth in the 1600 meter relay in 4:35.78.

"Josey competed hard and made it out in all her distance races," Ferris said. "Her attitude and drive are incredible."

Jody Detlaff won the high jump with a best leap of 4 feet, 10 inches. Lady Hawk teammate Hanks also cleared 4-10 but Detlaff won on the basis of fewer misses. "They have each other for support and went 1-2,"Ferris offered. "It's fun to watch them compete, with and against each other."

Detlaff also won fourth place in the discus and just missed moving on in the shot put with a seventh place in that event. Hanks just missed moving on in the 800 meters after taking seventh place in the race.

Senior Kacey VanZanten completed scoring for the Lady Hawks by spearing fourth place in javelin. VanZanten also competed well in the 300 meter hurdles and the discus but was not quite able to get into placing position.

Sophomore Cody Burk was the star of the Western B-C show for the Hawk boys, winning second in the discus with a best throw of 131-3.5 and claiming third in the shot put with a best effort of 44-.5. "Cody had a personal-best kind of day in the shot put and discus," Ferris said. "We are very excited to have him return to State in two events this year."

Junior Trey Fisher, who has thrown the javelin well all spring, marked 148-2 to win fourth in that event, and Ben Beauchman also earned fourth place points in the grueling 800 meter run.

The 1600 meter relay team of Beauchman, Nick Viera, Roman Sparks and Cameron Lee place fourth, and Lee also ran down sixth place in the 100 meter dash. The 400 meter team of Viera, Sparks, Lee and Isaac Buetow finished seventh, just missing a State B bid.

"The 1600 meter relay set a new best for the season, going 11 seconds faster," Ferris said. "They all really wanted it and knew that they had to have their best race of the season to get it."

Also competing but finishing up their seasons for the Hawks last week were Brad Lantz, Derek Andersen, Lucas Andersen, Wyatt Griffith, Justin Morgan, Lance Palmer, Trae Thilmony, Daniel Ryan, William McPherson, Elli Pardee, Aiden Rosales, Renee Pearson, Annalyn Stover, Julissa Bonney, Riley Wilson and Shaylynda Walker.