Bulldog track posts solid performances at state
Bulldog Josh Weller, far left, rounds a corner with a pack of runners in the 800 meter run at the state track meet in Laurel. (Photo courtesy Matt Weller)
As rain begins to fall Lauren Schultz runs a leg of 4x400 at the Class A state track meet in Laurel last weekend. (Photo courtesy Matt Weller)
Sam Menicke competes in the triple jump at the state Class A track meet last weekend in Laurel. (Photo courtesy Matt Weller)
Annie Robertson competes in the long jump at the Class A state track meet in Laurel last weekend. (Photo courtesy Matt Weller)
Bulldog Alex Barker competes in the high jump during the state Class A track meet last weekend in Laurel. (Photo courtesy Matt Weller)
Whitefish's Lee Walburn competes in the 110 hurdles during the Class A state track meet in Laurel last weekend. (Photo courtesy Matt Weller)
Bulldog Lydia Kryshak passes the baton to teammate Annie Robertson in the 4x100 meter relay at the Class A state track meet. (Photo courtesy Matt Weller)
The Whitefish track and field team finished off the season with a solid performance at the state track meet in Laurel last weekend.
The girls finished fifth overall while the boys took three top three finishes.
For the girls, Lauren Schulz in the 400 and the 4x400 relay took home state titles.
Head coach Derek Schulz said his sprinter ran a strong and smart race in the state meet.
“She closed late to win in a sub-60 second time,” he said. “There’s a short list of athletes that have run under 60 seconds in the 400 in school history.”
For the 4x400, the title was the first in school history.
The team consisted of Mikenna Els, Emily Gunlickson, Schulz and Lydia Kryshak.
After Schulz took the lead in the third leg, Kryshak sealed the deal as anchor, coach Schulz said.
“Lydia ran a spectacular final leg,” Schulz said. “She didn’t really need the room but she put the hammer down.” The team’s time of 4:04.33 was less than a second off the school’s record, set in 2011.
Els also took fourth in the 800 and sixth in the 400. Ella Greenberg took fifth in the 800 despite fighting an illness.
For the boys, Lee Walburn, Alex Barker and Sam Menicke made the podium.
Walburn took third in the 300 hurdles (39.95).
“Lee had a very good meet,” Schulz said. “He has had a fantastic year.”
Walburn got third by .03 of a second in the 300 hurdles and just finished short of placing in the 110 high hurdles.
Barker took third in the high jump (6-02) and Menicke took fourth in triple jump (41-10.25).
Class A
At Laurel Sports Complex
Boys
Team scores: Sidney 26, Belgrade 16, Libby 14, Laurel 14, Columbia Falls 12, Dillon (Beaverhead County) 10, Frenchtown 10, Lewistown (Fergus) 10, Glendive (Dawson County) 8, Havre 8, Livingston (Park) 8, Hamilton 6, Whitefish 5, Miles City (Custer County) 2, Butte Central 1.
Events
300 hurdles — 3, Lee Walburn, Whitefish, 39.95.
Triple jump — 4, Sam Menicke, Whitefish, 41-10.25.
High jump: 3, Alex Barker, Whitefish, J6-02.
Girls
Team scores: Frenchtown 25, Lewistown (Fergus) 21, Corvallis 19, Whitefish 19, Belgrade 19, Hamilton 18, Miles City (Custer County) 18, Columbia Falls 17, Libby 16, Laurel 16, Polson 15, Sidney 14, Glendive (Dawson County) 11, Butte Central 10, Hardin 4, Dillion (Beaverhead County) 4, Stevensville 2.
Events
100 — 4, Lauren Schulz, Whitefish, 12.91.
400: 1, Lauren Schulz, Whitefish, 59.44. 5, Lydia Kryshak, Whitefish, 1:00.75. 6, Mikenna Els, Whitefish, 1:01.02.
800: 4, Mikenna Els, Whitefish, 2:25.78. 5, Ella Greenberg, Whitefish, 2:26.88.
300 hurdles — 4, Anna Cook, Whitefish, 48.86.
400 relay: 4, Whitefish (Lydia Kryshak, Annie Robertson, Emily Buckmaster, Lauren Schulz), 50.46.
1,600 relay — 1, Whitefish (Mikenna Els, Lydia Kryshak, Lauren Schulz, Ella Greenberg), 4:04.33.