Even without one of their best, they are still among the best.

Competing without their defending State C champion Jessica Thompson (who won the C shot put and discus titles in 2017), the Plains Trotters still scored 110 team points and finished second to Charlo, which scored 212, in the two-day District 14C meet in Missoula Friday and Saturday.

Making one of their strongest track and field district meet performances in years this season, the Plains Horsemen scored 102 team points to finish third with the boys.

In Thompson’s absence, the Trotters still had a bunch of throwers earning points.

Lindsay Laws won the javelin with yet another State C qualifying mark of 115 feet, 5 inches, in addition to winning third in the shot put, fourth in the discus and fifth in the 100 meter hurdles.

Cree Lulack claimed first place in the 300 meter hurdles for the Trotters’ other event win, besides taking fourth in the 100 meter hurdles and fifth in the 400 meters.

Kylee Altmiller won second place points in the high jump and long jump, third place in the javelin and fourth in the triple jump, Mariah Smith placed second in the 400 meters and fourth in the 100 and 200, and Audrey Brown took third in the 800 meters and fourth in the javelin.

Rachel McNulty won fifth place in the long and triple jumps. The Trotter relays both finished second in those 400 and 1600 meter team races.

With the resurgent Horsemen, Brandon Managhan and Sinjin LaDeaux led the way.

Managhan won the high jump (clearing 6-0), took second in the 100 meters and third in the long jump, while LaDeaux won second place in the long, triple and high jumps, in addition to winning fith in the 100 meters.

Conrad Vanderwall won third in the 400 meters and 300 meter hurdles, and fourth in the long and triple jumps. Malachi Paulsen won second place in the javelin, Gavin Regaldo fifth in the triple jump and Justice Olmos fourth in the 3200 meters to round out individual placing efforts for the Plains boys.

The 400 meter relay team took second place and 1600 meter quartet placed third.