Aragon, Hill, Morleys in the spotlight

State Meet Highlights

 
The Montana state championships are held in two locations simultaneously. The AA (largest schools) and B classes competed in Kalispell. The A and C classes competed in Laurel. Montana is vast state with a lot of very small schools so there are only 14 AA schools. The big stars continue to be the girls – Christina Aragon, Makena and Bryn Morley and Annie Hill.

Top Performances:

 
 
- Senior Dalton Daum of Butte won the sprint double in Class AA for the second straight year with 10.81 and 21.67 (nwi). He was also second in the 400 meters.

- Zayne Babbitt from Hellgate swept the Class AA titles in the shot put (62-9.50) and the discus (173-7).

- Taylor Trollope of Billings Skyview swept the Class AA hurdles titles with 14.45nwi/38.72.

- Christina Aragon of Billings Senior, a junior, was sensational winning three high quality races for titles in the AA 400 (55.87), 800 (2:11.01) and 1600 (4:46.34). She was also second in the  3200 (10:53.17).

- Glacier freshman Annie Hill showed her big talents with third place in the 400 (57.73), second place in the 800 (2:12.54), second in the 1,600 (4:48.11) and victory in the 3,200 (10:31.54).

- Hailey Copinga of Billings Skyview swept the Class AA hurdles (15.07 and 44.39) and also won the long jump with 17-1.

- Billings West freshman Maddie Brockel made a splash in her first state meet, winning Class AA titles in the 100 meters (12.35nwi) and 200 (25.23nwi).  

- Glacier senior Keyawna Larson won the Class AA javelin with 144-7. Her best throw of the season made her US#14.

- Jonathan Eastwood of Belgrade won the Class A title in the 800 meters in 1:53.17 and also won the 1,600 in 4:21.01 and the 3,200 in 9:48.56.

- Katelyn Frost of Corvallis dominated the Class A meet with wins in the 100 (12.55), the 200 (25.74), the 400 (58.64) and the pole vault with 11-3.

- Senior Makena Morley of Bigfork, already a Montana legend, capped her final track season with a Class B title in the 3,200 (10:3.76) and runner-up finishes to her kid sister in the 800 (2:16.70) and 1,600 (5:01.69). She was also on the winning 4x400 with her sister Bryn.

- Freshman Bryn Morley of Bigfork, already creating a national name for herself, got her first taste of the Montana state meet with third place in the 400 (59.40), victory in the 800 (2:14.22), victory in the 1,600 (4:47.76) and second behind her sister in the 3,200 (11:07.61).

- Senior Hailey Phillips of Plains Public won the 400 meters (57.69), swept the hurdles (14.75/43.50), placed second in the 200 and third in the 100. Throwers Kayla Holmes (43-9 shot put win), Lea Thompson (134-5 discus win) and Carley VonHeeder (142-5 javelin win) combined to make one of the best small-school track teams in the U.S.

- Alec Nehring, who swept the shot (53-10) and discus (172-10), led Manhattan to a big win on the boys side in Class B. Another junior, Caleb Neth, won the 400, 300 hurdles and long jump.

- Truanne Roginkse of Joliet won the Class B titles in the 100 (12.29 prelim/12.50) and 200 (25.78). She was also third in the triple jump and fifth in the long jump.

- Sophomore Cleet Wrzesinski of Ennis led his team to the Class C championship with wins in the 200 (22.26), 110 hurdles (15.00), 300 hurdles (38.86) as well as fourth in the 100. Walker McKitrick cleared 14-0 in the pole vault to win that event.

- For the second straight year, Bailee Parker of West Yellowstone (Enrollment: 52), a junior, won the Class C 800 (2:19.27), 1600 (5:06.19) and 3200 (11:10.84).

Top Teams:

Helena and Flathead tied for the Class AA boys state title with 83 points apiece. It took Flathead failing to score in the 4x400 (ninth) and Helena winning the final event (3:21.11) to secure the tie.

The Billings Senior girls, led by Christina Aragon, retained their Class A girls title.

Corvallis swept the Class A titles.

Plains Public, with Hailey Phillips and a talented group of throwers, beat the Morley-led Bigfork team 115-110 in a Class B girls showdown.

Top Competition: For the second year in a row, Christina Aragon of Billings Senior and Carly Smiedala of Helena – both juniors – had compelling races in the 400 and 800. Aragon ultimately pulled them both out, but the 400 was close: 55.87 to 56.13. And in the 800, Aragon ran 2:11.01 and Smiedala was third (behind Annie Hill) in 2:13.21.

Record-breaker: Chase Smith of Helena is the first boys pole vaulter to clear 16 feet and he did it with regularity. He had a best of 16-5 and won the Class AA state title with 16-4. He’s headed to the University of Washington in the fall.