MISSOULA — At this point in the track and field season, Helena High senior Madilyn Todorovich has a one-track mind.
"I'd say personal records are a big (goal) for me," Todorovich said after clearing 5 feet, 7 inches to win the girls high jump at the MCPS Invitational on Friday. "Beating my all-times, my own marks, I think that's a big thing."
Todorovich has been a multi-event star for the Bengals her entire high school career, as she earned her first state medals her freshman year. She won state championships in the high jump and 300-meter hurdles as a sophomore and then last year won titles in the 300 hurdles and 400-meter run.
This year, she's honing in on the jumps.
"I usually push myself pretty high. Like today was something that I’ve been looking for for a while; 5-7 was one of my (goals), 5-8, up there, for high jump," she said. "Long jump, I’m trying to get an 18-feet jump, because I didn’t do long jump last year, so that was definitely different for me."
The 5-7 high jump height is a new personal record for Todorovich, who also won the long jump with a mark of 17-7½.
Next year, Todorovich will join her sister, Logan, on the track team at Baylor University. The Todorovich sisters teamed up the past three years to help Helena High win three consecutive Class AA girls team titles.
"I really enjoy Logan being with me and competing with her, and I miss her a lot," Madilyn said. "It's still fun, and I’m excited for my last year competing with Helena High. I really love all my teammates, but I do definitely miss Logan and she played a big factor in our team previous years."
While the Todorovich name has been a mainstay in Montana track circles the past few years, two western Montana boys are garnering their own headlines this spring. Corvallis javelin thrower Hunter Loesch and Missoula Sentinel pole vaulter Geffen Guscio are hitting marks the Treasure State hasn't seen in years.
Loesch, who placed second in the javelin at last year's Class A state meet, is one of just four boys in the country to record a mark better than 200 feet this year. Loesch, now a senior, threw a personal-best 204-04 at the Hamilton Bronc Invitational last week, besting his previous PR by 15 feet.
He continued to throw well Friday at the MCPS Invite, marking two throws in the mid-190s and his best at 201-07.
"I felt good. My goal today was to stay consistently above 190. At least two throws is what I was thinking," said Loesch, who has uncorked his impressive throws using just a five-step approach. "It felt pretty good today, I got a good warmup from discus, so I was pretty happy starting out 190, and then 201 felt great.
"Still have a lot of improvement, lot of lower body stuff to work on and hopefully get to this full run-up by May."
Loesch's 204-4 is the best in Montana since Rylan Ortt of Sentinel and Evan Todd of Kalispell Glacier both threw 208-8 in 2019.
Guscio, meanwhile, continued to raise the bar in the pole vault. The junior had little trouble clearing 15-6 to shatter the previous MCPS Invite record of 14-7 set by Hamilton's Taylor Searle in 2023.
Guscio's 15-6 height, which is the Sentinel school record, is the best in Montana since Garrison Hughes of Sidney cleared 17-0 in 2018.
Other meet records to fall included Kalispell Flathead's Kasen Kastner's 1:53.97 time in the boys 800, Missoula Hellgate's Sofia Szollosi with a 12.5 clocking in the girls 100, and Flathead's Alivia Rinehart with a 25.26 time in the girls 200.
Helena High's girls 400-meter relay team, anchored by Todorovich, also set a meet record at 49.89 seconds. Aubrey Korst of Hamilton tied the meet mark in the pole vault with a 11-6 showing.
Elsewhere, Flathead sprinter Ben Bliven won both the 100 and 200 meters with times of 10.89 and 22.02, respectively. His mark in the 100 tied the meet record. Bliven and the Braves also won both boys relay events, with the 400 relay breaking the meet mark with a 42.47 time.
Helena High's Milo Kauffman won both the boys 1,600 (4:24.72) and 3,200 (9:33.38).
Annalise Lewis was also a multiple-event winner, taking both the girls 800 (2:16.95) and 1,600 (5:24.89) races.
To see full results from the MCPS Invitational, click here.
