Track team sends six to Top 10 meet

By FAITH MOLDAN / Bigfork Eagle

Despite having two meets canceled already this season, six of Bigfork's track and field athletes made their mark among the Top 10 in Western Montana.

Three boys and three girls — Donny Tudahl, Garrett Pewe, Andrew Whittaker, Kayla Carlson, Quinci Paine and Mallery Knoll — competed in the Top 10 meet in Missoula on Tuesday. It marked the second consecutive year for Tudahl and Whittaker. Results will be in next week's Eagle.

"I figured they would have qualified," Bigfork coach Sue Loeffler said. All classes of schools compete in the meet except for Kalispell schools. "It makes it pretty rough," she added of the cancellations.

Tudahl qualified in discus, while Whittaker made it in the 200 and Pewe in the high jump. Tudahl threw 129-8 at the Bigfork Relays April 15. Whittaker clocked at 23.2 in the 200 at the same meet.

Carlson qualified to run both the 1,600-meter run and 3,200 at the Top 10 meet, but only ran the 1,600. Paine competed in the 800 and Knoll ran both the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles. She also qualified for the 100-meter dash, but did not compete in it in Missoula. Knoll finished the 200 at the Bigfork Relays in a time of 27.1. Carlson ran a 5:31 1,600 at the same meet.

"It was cold, but we just needed to go with it," Loeffler said of the cold temperature at the Bigfork Relays. "It's a good conditioning meet and kind of fun."

Bigfork took first place in the coed 800 at the relays. The team of Knoll, Jenna Egdorf, Travis Knoll and Derek Minemyer finished in 1:46. Bigfork also won the Boys distance medley (4:15.3) and girls weight relay (1:01.5).

The Vikes and Vals travel to Frenchtown on Saturday, April 26 at 10 a.m.

Bigfork Relays

Event winners

Girls

200 — Mallery Knoll, Bigfork, 27.1

1,600 — Kayla Carlson, Bigfork, 5:31

Javelin — Ashley Ferda, Whitefish, 100-1

Discus — Jesse, Browning, 87-0

Pole vault — (tie) Ketti Wilhelm, Columbia Falls, and Emily Stoltz, Columbia Falls, 9-0

Shot put — Sam Ladenburg, Columbia Falls, 29-10 1/2

Triple jump — None

High jump — Lauren Standberry, Whitefish, 4-2

Long jump — Hailey Farmin, Whitefish, 13-10 1/2

Boys

200 — Andrew Whittaker, Bigfork, 23.2

1,600 — DeRossier, Browning, 4:54

Javelin — Dustin Beck, Whitefish, 148-9

Discus — Donny Tudahl, Bigfork, 129-8

Pole vault — Kaleb Prestegaard, Whitefish, 13-0

Shot put — Kevin McDowell, Whitefish, 43-6

Triple jump — Michael Samdahl, Whitefish, 36-11

High jump — Chase Fairbank, Columbia Falls, 5-2

Co-Ed 800 — 1. Bigfork, 1:46; 2. Whitefish, 1:47; 3. Bigfork, 1:51; 4. Whitefish, 1:52.

Girls 2 mile — 1. Whitefish, 10:39; 2. Whitefish, 11:27; 3. Columbia Falls, 11:41; 4. Columbia Falls, 11:43.

Boys 2 mile — 1. Whitefish, 8:56; 2. Columbia Falls, 9:01; 3, Browning, 9:11; 4. Columbia Falls 9:59.

Girls sprint — 1. Columbia Falls, 2:07; 2. Bigfork, 2:12; 3. Whitefish, 2:14; 4. Columbia Falls, 2:18.

Boys sprint — 1. Bigfork, 1:47; 2. Columbia Falls, 1:51; 3. Columbia Falls, 1:53; 4. Whitefish, 1:55.

Girls distance medley — 1. Whitefish, 5:05; 2. Whitefish, 5:36. Only two listed.

Boys distance medley — 1. Bigfork, 4:15.3; 2. Whitefish, 4:16.1; 3. Columbia Falls, 4:16.9; 4. Bigfork, 4:40.

Girls weight relay — 1. Bigfork, 1:01.5; 2. Whitefish, 1:02.3; 3. Columbia Falls, 1:03.2; 4. Columbia Falls, 1:33.

Boys weight relay — 1. Whitefish, 50.19; 2. Browning, 50.34; 3. Bigfork, 50.89; 4. Whitefish, 52.5.

Girls long distance — 1. Whitefish, 14:17; 2. Whitefish, 15:26; Browning, 15:58; 4. Bigfork, 16:28.

Boys long distance — 1. Whitefish, 12:05; 2. Whitefish, 13:24; 3. Browning, 13:55.

Girls mile — 1. Whitefish, 4:28; 2. Bigfork, 4:38; 3. Whitefish, 4:58; 4. Browning, 5:29.

Boys mile — 1. Whitefish, 3:43; 2. Whitefish, 3:57; 3. Columbia Falls, 4:03; 4. Browning, 4:07.

Boys shot put — 1. Bigfork, 115-8; 2. Browning, 112-11; 3. Whitefish, 111-4; 4. Browning, 92-7 1/2.

Girls shot put — 1. Browning, 81-4 1/2; 2. Browning, 76-2; 3. Columbia Falls, 67-2; 4. Columbia Falls, 60-4.

Boys pole vault — 1. Whitefish, 31-6; 2. Bigfork, 30-0; 3. Columbia Falls, 8-6.

Girls pole vault — 1. Columbia Falls, 25-0; 2. Whitefish, 13-6; 3. Bigfork, 6-6.

Boys long jump — 1. Whitefish, 54-2 3/4; 2. Whitefish, 51-7 1/2; 3. Bigfork, 51-1 3/4; 4. Browning, 45-11 1/4.

Girls long jump — 1. Whitefish, 38-5; 2. Bigfork, 23-11 1/2.