The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

The Chinook Sugarbeeters, Harlem Wildcats, Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds and Turner Tornadoes were in Great Falls this week competing at Memorial Stadium with hopes of punching their ticket to the Combined Montana Class B/C State Track and Field Meet. The 'Beeters, Thunderbirds and Tornadoes took part in the Northern C Divisional Thursday and Friday while the Wildcats were at the Northern B Divisional on Saturday.

Some athletes have already pre-qualified for the State Meet later this week, also at Memorial Stadium in Great Falls, but most were relying on a Top 6 finish to secure their spot. The Sugarbeeters will send 15 athletes on to the State C, Harlem qualified four for the State B and the Tornadoes will send one to the State C.

The weather was less than ideal for both days of the Northern C Divisional this past Thursday and Friday, but the kids pushed through and competed at a high level.

The Chinook girls finished 5th in the team race with 44 points in an outstanding performance. The 'Beeter boys also collected a 5th place finish while scoring 34 points over the course of the two day event.

The 'Beeters had one individual champion, that being senior Toby Niederegger who won the Boys High Jump. Niederegger won the event by clearing a height of 6'2" at the Norther C Divisional.

Niederegger currently holds the top overall mark in all of Class C with a height of 6'4". Chinook freshman Oliver Standiford is also pre-qualified for the State C in the event with a cleared height of 6'0". Junior Levi Jensen will also compete in the High Jump this week having finished fifth in the event at the Northern C Divisional.

Senior Hunter Molyneaux leapt his way to a third place finish in the Long Jump (19'11") for the 'Beeters. Jensen along with junior Braxton Inman qualified in both the 110 Meter Hurdles and the 300 Meter Hurdles. Inman also qualified in the 100 Meter Dash, finishing sixth. Freshman Landen Beck punched his ticket to the State C with a sixth place finish in the 3,200 Meter Run.

Both the 4x100 Meter Relay (Niederegger, Inman, Molyneaux and junior Tyler Schoen) and the 4x400 Meter Relay (Inman, Jensen, sophomore Danny MacKenzie and Schoen advanced as well.

For the girls, sophomore Hallie Neibauer led the way. Neibauer qualified in the 200 Meter (6th), 400 Meter (2nd, 1:04.28) and 800 Meter (2nd, 2:31.12). Junior Anna Terry will compete in two individual events at the State C after finishing second in the 3,200 Meter Run (12:43.88) and third in the 1,600 Meter Run (5:54.67). Freshman Alexus Seymour will move on to the State C following a third place finish in the 800 Meter Run (2:32.91) as well as a sixth place effort in the 400 Meter race.

The 'Beeter girls also qualified the 4x400 Meter Relay with a season best effort of 4:31.70 to finish third. The relay team includes Seymour, Terry, Neibauer and junior Aspyn Colby.

Chinook Head Coach Kendal Harwood thought his team did a lot of good things at the Northern C, "Divisionals was a great success for the Sugarbeeter track team. We're taking a majority of the athletes who competed to the state meet next week."

Harwood highlighted the accomplishments of his team, "(Junior) Braxton Inman had a career meet, placing in all of his events. Braxton isn't afraid to compete in any event we ask him to do. His success isn't a surprise after last year's state meet where we saw him drop times in the last two weeks of the season."

Harwood was quick to note a few individual achievements, "Hallie (Neibauer) ran a great race, establishing a new personal best in the 200 Meter Dash to advance. She will be another athlete with a busy couple of days." Harwood went on to talk about the 'Beeters distance runner, "Anna Terry continues to shine and run near her personal records in inclement weather in both the 1,600 and 3,200 Meter Runs."

One thing that really stood out to Harwood was the effort of both the 'Beeters 4x400 Meter Relays, " The highlight of the meet had to be our mile relay teams. The girls and the boys dug deep and both exceeded expectations. The boys improve by about :13 seconds and the girls were :7 seconds better in one week. That shows the determination and work ethic is alive and well in the Beeter track team."

Harwood is looking forward to the State C Track & Field Meet, "Next week brings a lot of excitement for these athletes, they have really put themselves out there this year. I'm excited to see how it all ends up."

Harwood noted the efforts of those who just missed advancing as well, "Hannah (Schoen) and Quentin (Edwards) were inches from advancing in the Shot Put."

The Lady Cats qualified three individuals for the State B Track & Field meet. Senior Chloe Messerly led the way advancing in all three throwing events while also setting a school record in the process.

Messerly shined in the Girls Javelin recording a throw of 115'3" to win the event. Her effort also established a new mark for Harlem High School eclipsing the previous record held by Lilian Yonkers. Messerly added a third place finish in the Discus (91'8") and a fifth place finish in the Shot Put (31'9.5") to her haul.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Johnson punched her ticket to the State B with a second place finish in the 300 Meter Hurdles, crossing the finish line in :29.36. Senior Taya Trottier also advanced to this weeks meet in both the 1,600 and 3,200 Meter runs, finishing fifth in both events.

Senior Darrius Longknife is the only Wildcat to advance to the State B, qualifying in the 110 Meter Hurdles with a fourth place finish (:17.96).

Head Coach Kim Faulkinberry reflected on the week her team had, "We had a pretty good day considering the week we had. Our kids competed well in spite of their pain. We have a team that supports each other so well. When something happens everybody feels it and rallies around those who need it."

Faulkinberry was pleased with her teams effort, " Taya (Trottier) qualified in the both the 1,600 and the 3,200 Meter runs. I told her that she didn't need to set any personal records, to just finish in the top six and strive for her personal records next week. Kaitlyn just missed repeating as divisional champ in the 300 Meter Hurdles. She ran a great race to take second and qualify. Darrius (Longknife established a new personal record in the 110 Meter Hurdles to clinch his spot at State. He did a great job of preparing for his race and attacked every hurdle."

Faulkinberry was amazed by the effort her senior thrower put forth, "Chloe qualified for State in all three of her events. On her last throw of (Javelin) finals I whispered some advice into her ear. She did exactly what she needed to do to break our school record held by Lilian Yonkers and launched herself into first place."

Faulkinberry found positives in the efforts of those that just fell short, "Troy LongKnife just missed qualifying in the triple jump. This narrow miss will light a fire under him to work in the off season and he will earn his way to State next year, I have no doubt. We are a fairly young team that got a taste of tough competition and realized what they have to do to get to the State level. The future is bright for Wildcat Track and Field."

The combined Montana State B/C Girls and Boys Track and Field Meet will be held this Friday and Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Great Falls. The State B/C Meet is combined only in that they are being held simultaneously at the same location and are not competing against each other.

Northern C Track & Field Meet • May 19-20, Memorial Stadium, Great Falls, MT

Girls Results - Top 6 advance to State

200 Meter Dash - 6.) Hallie Neibauer, Chinook - :28.28.

400 Meters Dash - 2.) Hallie Neibauer, Chinook - 1:04.28; 6.) Alexus Seymour, Chinook - 1:07.18.

800 Meter Run - 2.) Hallie Neibauer, Chinook - 2:31.12; 3.) Alexus Seymour, Chinook - 2:32.91.

1600 Meter Run - 3.) Anna Terry, Chinook - 5:54.67.

3200 Meter Run - 2.) Anna Terry, Chinook - 12:43.88.

4x100 Relay - 7.) Chinook (Aspyn Colby, Sasha Gallus, Cheyenne Weigand, Hallie Neibauer) - :56.56.

4x400 Relay - 3.) Chinook (Alexus Seymour, Aspyn Colby, Anna Terry, Hallie Neibauer) - 4:31.70.

Shot Put - 8.) Hannah Schoen, Chinook - 30;06.25".

High Jump - 8.) Belle Elliot, Chinook - 4'06"; 9.) Cheyenne Weigand, Chinook - 4'04".

Long Jump - 10.) Cheyenne Weigand, Chinook - 13'10.25".

Boys Results - Top 6 advance to State

100 Meter Dash - 6.) Braxton Inman, Chinook - :11.85; 9.) Toby Niederegger, Chinook - :11.95.

400 Meter Dash - 9.) Tyler Schoen, Chinook - :55.05; 10.) Ryan Doyle, Turner - :55.39.

800 Meter Run - 5.) Ryan Doyle, Turner - 2:08.78

1600 Meter Run - 8.) Landen Beck, Chinook - 5:04.74.

3200 Meter Run - 6.) Landen Beck, Chinook - 11:21.57.

110 Meter Hurdles - 5.) Levi Jensen, Chinook - :17.87; 6.) Braxton Inman, Chinook - :18.06.

300 Meter Hurdles - 5.) Braxton Inman, Chinook - :43.94; 6.) Levi Jensen, Chinook - :44.40.

4x100 Meter Relay - 4.) Chinook (Toby Niederegger, Hunter Molyneaux, Braxton Inman, Tyler Schoen) - :45.32.

4x400 Relay - 4.) Chinook (Braxton Inman, Levi Jensen, Danny McKenzie, Tyler Schoen) - 3:44.76

Shot Put - 9.) Quentin Edwards, Chinook - 39'06.50".

High Jump - 1.) Toby Niederegger, Chinook - 6'2"; 5.) Levi Jensen, Chinook - 5'8"; 7.) Oliver Standiford, Chinook 5'6".

Long Jump - 3.) Hunter Molyneaux, Chinook - 19'11.00".

Northern B Track & Field Meet

May 21, Memorial Stadium, Great Falls, MT

Girls Results - Top 6 advance to State

200 Meter Dash -10.) Kaitlyn Johnson, Harlem - :29.36.

800 Meter Run -7.) Taya Trottier, Harlem - 2:34.93.

1600 Meter Run - 5.) Taya Trottier, Harlem - 6:01.39.

3200 Meter Run - 5.) Taya Trottier, Harlem - 13:12.65.

4x100 Relay - 7.) Harlem (Emma Billmayer, Kaitlyn Johnson, Chloe Messerly, Taya Trottier) - :56.63.

300 Meter Hurdles - 2.) Kaitlyn Johnson, Harlem - :50.83.

Harlem senior Chloe Messerly stands atop the podium after winning the Girls Javelin at the Northern B Divisional. Messerly's effort of 115'3" also established a new Harlem School Record.

Shot Put - 5.) Chloe Messerly, Harlem - 31'09.5".

Discus - 3.) Chloe Messerly, Harlem - 91'08".

Javelin - 1.) Chloe Messerly, Harlem - 115'03".

Triple Jump - 9.) Desiree Smith, Harlem - 27'06.25".

Boys Results - Top 6 advance to State

110 Meter Hurdles - 4.) Darrius LongKnife, Harlem - :17.96.

Shot Put - 8.) Mikkel Rider, Harlem - 38'08".

Discus - 8.) Mikkel Rider, Harlem - 116'08".

High Jump - 9.) Darrius LongKnife, Harlem - 5'02".

Triple Jump - 7.) Troy LongKnife, Harlem - 36'09".