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Several returning state champions took the track on Friday in the largest Dave Tripp ever. Twenty-one teams attended what Hot Springs Athletic Director and Superintendent Gerald Chouinard called, "the biggest Dave Tripp ever. By a long shot. Last year we had six teams." Teams traveled from as far away as Shelby and Boulder to attend the Hot Springs-hosted meet held in Polson. When asked about the advantages of hosting such a large meet, Chouinard said, "The atmosphere is so competitive. We're getting Dave Tripp's story out there."

Dave Tripp was an all-state athlete who graduated from Hot Springs High School in 1970. He died in a boating accident on Flathead Lake in 1971. "He was a Nirada boy and just had never been around very much water," said Tripp's classmate Matthew Pavelich of Hot Springs. Tripp was popular, did well in school and excelled as a middle and long distance runner. "He had a famous smile," said longtime Hot Springs resident Nancy Winebrenner. "He seemed too nice to be true," addedPavelich. "But then the summer after graduation we worked up in Mill Creek together for a prospecting outfit and I got to know him better and he really was that nice."

It was excellent track weather to start last Friday and the setting was festive. For many teams this was their first meet of their season. Among the spectators were many former participants including Jim Lawson of Hot Springs who won the first race (the 120 yard hurdles) at the first Dave Tripp Memorial in 1972. Lawson's granddaughter, Lauryn Aldridge, represented Hot Springs on Friday as the third generation in her family to compete at the meet.

The field events started with boys shot put, an event with 70 entrants, including several returning state placers: Walker McDonald of Seeley-Swan and Cade VanVleet of Noxon, who placed first and second, respectively, at last year's State C meet, and Wade Rykal of Jefferson who placed second at the State B meet by only half an inch. The defending champion in both shot put and discus, McDonald, won the shot on Friday in dramatic style with his last throw of 51 feet, 2 inches. After throwing, McDonald was found preparing to cook a steak on a camp stove behind the Black Hawks' tent. When asked if steak is the secret to his success, McDonald responded, "Relaxing helps in general." After relaxing, McDonald went on to win the discus with a huge throw of 161 feet, 6 inches, almost four feet better than the throw that won him the state title last year.

Another returning state champion from Seeley, Owen Hoag scored points for the Black Hawks by winning the 400, the 200 and running the anchor leg for the second place 4x400 relay. Hoag won the 400 as a sophomore at the state meet last year and anchored the long relay, which finished sixth. "He's got a good chance of winning again and breaking the school record," speed coach David Cahoon of Seeley-Swan said of Hoag. The record stands at 49.5 seconds. Last year Hoag won state with a time of 50.1 seconds and he ran a 51.07 on Friday. When asked if he is expecting to place in the 400 at this year's state meet, he responded quickly, "I'm going to win it." After a moment of reflection he added with more humility, "I'm at least going to place."

Hoag's teammate, Sariah Maughan won the women's 400 and 800 at last year's state meet, helping the Lady Black Hawks win the team title. She won the 400 on Friday with a time of 1 minute .17 seconds and the 800 with a time of 2 minutes 24.77 seconds. She also ran with the winning long relay team and the second placing short relay team.

It was such a competitive meet that the home team only had one athlete take the podium. Katelyn Christensen did well in several very disparate events, winning the 200 with a time of 27.1 seconds, placing third in the shot put with a throw of 30 feet 7 inches and third in the javelin with a throw of 111 feet. The Hot Springs Heat will attend the Thompson Falls Invitational on Thursday, March 14.

Boys

Team Results: Jefferson 175; Seeley-Swan 83; Drummond 69

100: Dylan Beaudin, 11.66, Valley Christian; Jace Oxarart, 11.77, Jefferson; Kolby Schrichte, 11.82, Loyola

200: Owen Hoag, 23.02, Seeley-Swan; Dylan Beaudin, 23.41, Valley Christian; Michael Emter, 23.50, Jefferson

400: Owen Hoag, 51.07, Seeley-Swan; Keaton Piedalue, 56.00, Charlo; Kolby Lohr, 56.12, Shelby

800: Sawyer Shelmerdine, 2:14.35, Seeley-Swan; Samuel Bryant, 2:16.72, Drummond; Jack Johnson, 2:18.64, Jefferson

1600: Dominic Hurlbert, 4:56.74, Jefferson; Scott Parke, 4:58.08, Drummond; Logan Hornung, 5:00.03, Jefferson

3200: Scott Parke, 11.17.85, Drummond; Johnathan Pfendler, 12:26.56, Drummond; Logan Hornung, 12:28.58, Jefferson

110 Hurdles: Dylan Root, 16.10, Jefferson; Braden Morris, 16.12, Jefferson; Samuel Bryant, 16.67, Drummond

300 Hurdles: Braden Morris, 42.34, Jefferson; Dylan Root, 43.04, Jefferson; Chase Haines, 43.24, Seeley-Swan

4x100: Braden Morris, Tom Meyer, Michael Emter, Joey Visser, 44.03, Jefferson; Tytus Palma, Kolby Schrichte, Luca Dombrowski, Ridger Palma, 44.07, Loyola; Chase Haines, Sawyer Shelmerdine, Klayton Kovatch, Owen Hoag, 45.27, Seeley-Swan

4x400: Luca Dombrowski, Tytus Palma, Kolby Schrichte, Ridger Palma, 3:34.00, Loyola; Chase Haines, Sawyer Shelmerdine, Klayton Kovatch, Owen Hoag, 3:40.62; Bryce Lee, Kolby Lohr, Hayden Schilling, Rhett Reynolds, 3:51.26, Shelby

Shot Put: Walker McDonald, 51-02, Seeley-Swan; Wade Rykal, 47-09, Jefferson; Cade VanVleet, 47-04, Noxon

Discus: Walker McDonald, 161-06, Seeley-Swan; Tyler Gann, 150-11, Valley Christian; Klayton Kovatch, 143-11, Seeley-Swan

Javelin: Braden Morris, 151-09, Jefferson; Riley Kriskovich, 149-07, Anaconda; Charley Crawford, 145-04, Arlee

High Jump: Rhett Reynolds, 6-06, Shelby; Jake Genger, 6-02, Jefferson; Kendall O'Neill, 5-10, Arlee

Pole Vault: Caleb Parke, 11-00, Drummond; Jaiden Connors, 9-06, Anaconda; Lucas Kovalsky, 9-06, Superior

Long Jump: Gabe Calle, 20-04, Anaconda; Avery Metesh, 20-01, Granite; Elijah Fisher, 19-09, Valley Christian

Triple Jump: Canyon Parks, 37-10.5, Victor; Asher Beaudin, 37-05.5, Valley Christian; Joseph Martin, 36-11.5, Plains

GIRLS

Team Results: Drummond 97; Seeley-Swan 72; Superior 65

100: Isabelle Berry, 13.34, Loyola; Cora Pesanti, 13.39, Anaconda; Camy Hoiland 13.48 Anaconda

200: Katelyn Christensen, 27.10, Hot Springs; Isabelle Berry, 27.15, Loyola; Lelynn Woolbright, 27.45, Anaconda

400: Saria Maughan, 1:00.17, Seeley-Swan; Emily Brown, 1:05.66, Noxon; Macy Williams, 1:06.64, Drummond

800: Saria Maughan, 2:24.77, Seeley-Swan; Macy Williams, 2:33.09, Drummond; Emily Brown, 2:42.62, Noxon

1600: Maddie Yakos, 6:07.55, Drummond; Ella Tallon, 6:39.51, Granite; Amaiya Dalrymple, 6:48.29, Seeley-Swan

3200: Akasha Azure, 16:00.54, Superior; Aisha Munson, 16:58.16, Shelby; Martha Klaus, 17:24.2 Noxon

100 Hurdles: Emma McCauley, 17.55, Jefferson; Taevyn Beaudin, 18.63, Valley Christian; Cali Pesanti, 19.46, Anaconda

300 Hurdles: Alysha Ryan, 55.70, Superior; Gracie Yakos, 55.99, Drummond; Taevyn Beaudin, 56.35, Valley Christian

4x100: Cora Pesanti, Cali Pesanti, Ady Hoiland, Camy Hoiland, 51.34, Anaconda; Emily Maughan, Kyla Conley, Sariah Maughan, Aubrey Matthew, 52.97, Seeley-Swan; Avery Lecholat, Isabelle Berry, Annie Rue, Ireland Johnston, 54.4, Loyola

4x400: Sariah Maughan, Kyla Conley, Aubrey Matthew, Emily Maughan, 4:29.95, Seeley-Swan; Cyleigh Langton, Paytn Rason, Jessie Struna, Mercedes Vedder, 4:45.19, Drummond; Sara Spring, Nia McClanahan, Avery Jones, Shaylee Knight, 4:50.35, Powell County

Nick Pavelich

Joseph Martin of Plains competes in the triple jump at the Dave Tripp Memorial track meet.

Shot Put: Cassie Green, 32-11, Superior; Kai Taylor, 30-08.5, Jefferson; Katelyn Christensen, 30-07, Hot Springs

Discus: Kai Taylor, 101-06.75, Jefferson; Alexis Deming, 97-09, Plains; Nia McClanahan 95-11.5, Powell County

Javelin: Jessie Struna, 121-09, Drummond; Sorren Reese, 118-03, Superior; Katelyn Christensen, 111-00, Hot Springs

High Jump: Lexi Nelson, 5-00, Drummond; Delaney Wagner, 5-00, Drummond; Avery Jones, 4-10, Powell County

Pole Vault: Natalie Spring, 8-00, Powell County; Cali Pesanti, 8-00, Anaconda; Maddie Yakos, 7-00, Drummond

Long Jump: Emily Maughan, 16-04.5, Seeley-Swan; Adalyn Jacobson, 15-04.5, Arlee; Montannah Piar, 15-02, Granite

Triple Jump: Emma McCauley, 33-03.25, Jefferson; Montannah Piar, 31-05.5, Granite; Jenna Templeton, 30-11, Lincoln