All things considered, another fine effort by the Thompson Falls track and field teams.

Using outstanding efforts from across the track and field in Eureka Saturday, the Hawk girls scored 104 points to win second place in the District 7B meet and the boys scored 90 to place third.

Bigfork dominated both sides of the meet, winning the girls side with 277 points and the boys with 258. Eureka (104) finished second with the boys, Mission (70) fourth and Troy (16) fifth. Eureka (93) finished third in the girls meet and Mission (40) fourth.

The usual suspects – namely Cody Burk, Justin Morgan, Jody Detlaff and Chesney Lowe – led the Hawks in Eureka by winning their signature events. Coach Trenna Ferris had nothing but good things to say about her crew and coaches after the fact.

"It turned out to be a tremendous day for Thompson Falls track and field," Ferris said. "We had four district championships and many other very good results. This was an incredible showing for the Blue Hawks.

"We, as a team could feel the pressure going in, knowing only the top six make it out and it was time to go big or go home," she added. "I was impressed with how our athletes/coaches handled it."

No one handled the pressure better than "Big Country" as Burk won the shot put (pushing the steel ball 49 feet, 7.5 inches) and the discus (141-10) besides throwing down second place points in the javelin with a lifetime best effort of 146-1.

Another man seemingly immune to pressure, Morgan was golden in the 3200 meters, winning that race in 10:02.80, and silver in the 1600, clocking a lifetime best 4:33.30 for second place. Morgan also ran a leg, along with Breck Ferris, Will Hyatt and Dante Micheli on the third place 1600 meter relay.

Freshly committed to the Montana Tech women's track and field team, Detlaff won the discus with a best throw of 106-0, finished second in the shot put (31-9.5) and fourth in the high jump (4-7).

Only a sophomore, Lowe won her first District 7B title in the pole vault, clearing a personal-best height of 8-3. Lowe also won third place in the triple jump (29-8.75) and fourth in the javelin (91-9), and ran a leg on both second place relays.

Only a freshman, Hattie Neesvig continued her outstanding season by winning second in the triple jump (30-4.25) and third in the high jump (4-9) and fourth in the long jump (14-3.5), also running on both relays.

Another freshman, Faith Palmer won second place in the 3200 meters (13:57.89) and third in the 1600 (6:17.74) with personal bests in both races, and was part of both relays.

Josey Neesvig won fourth place in the 800 meters in 2:49.78 and joined up with Lowe, Palmer and little sister Hattie in placing second in the 400 and 1600 meter relays.

Mollie Nichols ran to third place in the 3200 meters and fourth in the 1600 to complete team scoring for the Hawk girls.

All six Hawk girls will be continuing their seasons in Missoula this week.

Back with the Hawk boys, sophomore Breck Ferris long jumped a lifetime best 19-4.5 to win second in that event, besides placing fifth in the triple jump and running on the third place 1600 meter relay.

Will Hyatt placed and moves on in three events after winning fourth in the 800 and 3200 meters and also running on the 1600 meter relay, Micheli notched fourth place finishes in the triple and long jumps and fifth in the 200 meters (and was also on the long relay), Lance Palmer threw the discus a lifetime best 102-10 for fourth place, and Palmer, Owen Fersntrom, Kael Brown and Justin Haagenson teamed up to win fourth in the 400 meter relay.

Although they did not earn entry into this week's Western B divisional meet, coach Ferris had kind words for her other Hawks boys, saying most of them posted their best marks and times of the season last week, mentioning Watson DeBona, Levi Myers, Briar Palmer, Dan Schrier, Alex Sneper and Trae Thilmony by name.

Sarah Naegeli

LONG-DISTANCE DUEL - Thompson Falls' Justin Morgan leads Bigfork's Jack Jensen during the District 7B meet in Eureka Saturday.

"We are very proud of all of them," she said. "They went down swinging so to speak."