GREAT FALLS — The girls of Class C track and field stood out this past week at the Cascade Top 8 meet with names like Belt’s Lindsey Paulson breaking two meet records on her way to preparing for one last state title in track to wrap what can be described as a brilliant high school running career.
Paulson, a future MSU Bobcat, heads to Bozeman to compete in cross country and track leaving her to enjoy one last month of her high school athletic career.
“I still want to hit some of the goals I have for my high school career at Belt so there’s a little bit of those nerves leaving my last mark of my high school career but it is stress-free knowing I have a running career ahead of me after this.”
With three state titles in both cross country and track combined, Paulson’s name is forever etched in Belt history, a feat that Paulson will proudly look back on.
“I take a lot of pride in that being from a small school. Not a lot of people know about Belt, especially running I guess so being able to bring a bit of pride into those sports, that just makes me feel good to be able to do that,” she said.
Paulson wasn’t the only standout this season as Chester-Joplin-Inverness senior Tatum Hull continues to put up excellent marks in the 100-meter hurdle, long jump and triple jump after being sidelined the last two track and field seasons due to a canceled season her sophomore year and a knee injury as a junior.
“In this track season I was definitely nervous because I hadn’t competed in two years and coming off a pretty big injury and I was nervous but to see myself hitting the marks I was as a freshman, even hitting some PR’s since then, is exciting and amazing,” she said.
Once considered one of the best athletes in the state as a freshman, Hull worried that it’d be tough to ever get back to her old self, but she’s here now defying the odds and making a push for a great senior season.
“I didn’t think I could do it. I had haters that couldn’t think I could do it and I’ve had great coaches that definitely kept me on my horse that’s for sure,” Hull said.
So far, Hull qualified for the triple jump at state and is just a hair away from state qualifying marks in the 100-meter hurdles and long jump. She will head to MSU Billings next year as a member of the track and field team but for both Paulson and Hull one thing is still left on the docket before they conclude their time in high school: the state qualifying meet in Great Falls May 27-28.
