GREAT FALLS — The race for the State C girls track and field championship Saturday at Memorial Stadium saw some drama and ended with two teams tying for the team title, though both teams experienced some disappointment.
The Roberts Rockets led by eight points entering the final event of the day in the 1,600-meter relay race. A false start disqualified the Rockets before the race began, leaving the door open for Savage to claim the title. But the Warriors finished second behind Twin Bridges in the relay despite having the best seed time coming in, and the eight team points led to a tie with Roberts after each scored 61 points.
Both teams had individual stars put forth great performances. Robert senior Taylee Chirrick added wins in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles in 15.61 and 44.04 seconds, respectively. Chirrick also came into the meet with the best triple jump mark in Class C, but an ankle injury hampered her on the way to a third-place finish.
Brooke Reuter of Savage won the 100- and 200-meter dashes, lowering her own Class C record to 12.34 in the 100 which she won for a fourth consecutive year.
"I guess it goes to show the amount of work I put in and it just feels like a weight is off my back, and I can just, like, finally breathe again,” Reuter said. “It means a lot. I know track can be a really individual sport, but like for me, I love my team and it's everything for the team and I just love them.”
On the boys side, Belt claimed it’s first-ever title with 67 points to edge Manhattan Christian by 11 points. Ethan Triplett and Lane Waldner paced the Huskies with wins in the 100-meter dash (11.2) and shot put (50-10), respectively. Belt also won the 1,600-meter relay to secure the win with Triplett running the first leg.
“We had a shot to win it I think a couple years ago, and we just didn't get it done,” Triplett said. "So we knew when it came down to that relay, we needed to get it done. We've had a pretty successful program at Belt. We won state football last year, we came up short this year, and we just want to end on a win this year.”
Two other Class C records fell on Saturday. Cascade’s Caiden Sekuterski added a triple jump record (48-01) to the long jump mark he set on Friday.
"I've been chasing it all year. I've just been hoping since last year I was a little short just because it wasn't wind legal, but to just destroy it this year feels great,” Sekuterski said. “My PR was 46-4. I just felt it today and I just went for it. Being a three-time state champion in triple since I was a sophomore, it's a great way to end a career."
Saco’s Blaine Downing was the only Class C pole vaulter to clear 14-6 for a title, but then immediately pushed the bar up to 15-1 to attempt the class record. He cleared the bar on his third attempt and then pushed it to 15-3 which also took him three tries to clear.
"Every time adrenaline just comes up and you're in the moment and it just comes naturally,” Downing said. “Then I cleared it there was just a lot of excitement and adrenaline, a lot of relief. I’ve been trying to get above 15 feet all year. And the sudden rush of relief just felt so nice.”
Other boys winners on Saturday included Harlowton-Ryegate in the 400-meter relay (44.05), Valley Christian’s Nathan Tuinstra in the 110 hurdles (15.08), Lustre Christian’s Terran Joseph in the 200 (22.64) and Scobey’s Ty Leschner in the high jump (6-5).
Saturday girls winners were Belt in the 400-meter relay (50.55), Whitewater’s Shelbi Labrie in the 1,600 (5:25.01), Chester-Joplin-Inverness' Brynn Kammerzell in the high jump (5-6), Whitewater’s Paige Wasson in the javelin (128-08), Twin Bridges’ Ayla Janzen in the triple jump (36-0½), and Natalie Fisher of White Sulphur Springs in the shot put (38-9.5).
