BACK ON TRACK

After the year of nothing, something to finally look forward to – a real-life track and field season. Not a virtual competition, but actual almost face-to-face confrontations that we had become accustomed to seeing over the years. Until last year, that is.

Twenty-twenty, the year of COVID-19, will certainly go down in the books as one we will want to forget but likely never will be able to completely erase from memory.

In the meantime, 2020 has thankfully passed and Montana spring prep sports are back here in 2021.

Breaking the string of missed track and field meets from last year, coach Trenna Ferris, who will again be assisted by Amy Gilbert, Jake Susic and Sarah Naegeli in guiding the Thompson Falls track and field team, took her charges into Eureka for the Eureka Time Trials Saturday to open the promising 2021 campaign.

"The meet was very small, yet we saw great big results," Ferris said. "It was nice to get our first meet under our belt and get marks and times. All of our competing athletes placed in at least one event and we had 11 athletes place in every event they competed in."

Ferris said that between the girls and boys, the Hawks registered 14 event wins in Eureka. The Lady Hawks won the meet with 70 team points and the Hawk boys finished second with 81 points.

The efforts of seniors Justin Morgan and Cody Burk, who both qualified for the State B meet Saturday, highlighted the Hawks' showing in Eureka.

Morgan, who also won the 1600 meters in 4:57.03, pre-qualified for the State B meet by clocking 10:31.4 in the 3200. Morgan also ran a leg on the Hawks' winning 1600 meter relay.

Burk punched his early ticket to the State B in the discus, which he won with a best throw of 143-8, in addition to winning the shot put (45-.75) and taking second in the javelin (125-3).

Also expecting to pre-qualify in several of her events soon, senior Jody Detlaff had a productive day for the Lady Hawks, winning three events, claiming first place in the high jump, shot put and discus in Eureka.

Sophomore Chesney Lowe also had a great day, winning the 200 meter dash and the javelin, besides running a leg on the winning 1600 meter relay and taking second place in the triple jump.

Promising Lady Hawk frosh Hattie Neesvig won first place in the long jump, third place in the high jump and fourth in the triple jump, also running a leg on the winning 1600 meter relay.

Hattie's senior sister Josey ran a leg on the 1600 meter relay and placed fourth in the 400 meters.

Faith Palmer ran and threw her way to five placing efforts, joining her teammates to win the 1600 meter relay, placing second in the javelin, third in the 200 meters, fourth in the 100 and fifth in the 400.

Blakely Lakko placed fourth in the shot put and discus and seventh in the javelin, Mollie Nichols took fifth in the 100 meters, sixth in the 400 and eighth in the 200, and Avery Gravning was fourth in the high jump and ninth in the 100.

With the Hawk boys, Dante Micheli made an early-season splash by winning the long jump, placing second in the high jump and third in the triple jump, besides running a leg on the winning 1600 meter relay. Will Hyatt also ran a leg on that winning relay and won the 800 meters.

Breck Ferris had a very productive day in Eureka, also running on the 1600 meter relay in addition to placing second in the long and triple jumps, and third in the high jump and 200 meters

Justin Haagenson took third in the long jump, fourth in the 100, fifth in the 200 and seventh in the high jump, Kael Brown ran down fourth in the 400, fifth in the 100 and sixth in the 200, Levi Myers placed third in the 800, fifth in the 1600 and seventh in the 200 and Briar Palmer was fourth in the 300 meter hurdles, sixth in the 800 and seventh in the 1600.

Seraphina Fisher, Dan Shirer, Alex Sneper, Lance Palmer, Trae Thilmony, Watson Dibona, Keinen Williams, Owen Fernstrum, Peter Mardo and Jack Sharp are the other members of the Thompson Falls track and field team who did not compete in Eureka for one reason or another.

Ferris said that although several student athletes who were expected to join the team this spring did not, that her squad is still in good shape. "The team is smaller than we would like it," she said, "but we are working with those who came out and are excited about our potential."

Above all else, Ferris said her coaches and athletes are just glad to finally be back out there doing what they love to do. "We are so excited to be back out on the track and field and competing," she said. "Missing a season was hard on all of us."

The Hawks will continue competing this week, attending the Bigfork Invitational Saturday.