Area tracksters earn Class C state medals

For the first time in quite some time, a Class C state track trophy is not in the possession of a District 9C track and field team.

However, that doesn't mean last Friday and Saturday's Class C state meet in Great Falls wasn't a successful one for Hi-Line schools and area individuals.

The Class C state meet concluded a stellar track season Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Great Falls, and there was plenty of gold for area athletes.

On the girls side, the North Star Knights made a run at a trophy but wound up eighth with 26 points. Chinook was 10th with 17 points and four-time defending champion Big Sandy finished tied for 13th with 10 points.

All three schools did have state champions in the girls meet.

The Sugarbeeters got a massive performance from sophomore Kayla Hanson. She captured a state title in the 100 hurdles with a time of 16.57 and finished third in the 300 hurdles. For good measure, Hanson, who scored all of Chinook's points, added a sixth-place finish in the triple jump.

Big Sandy's lone points came from perhaps the biggest sure-thing at the state meet this weekend. Senior Amber Amsbaugh wrapped up a brilliant career by winning her third straight Class C high jump championship. Amsbaugh lept 5-2 to easily win the meet.

North Star's contributions came from all over, but the Knight sprinters stood at the top of the podium after winning the 400-meter relay with a time of

52. 06. Sprinter Haylee Anderson, who was part of the championship relay team added to her medal count with a third-place finish in the 100 meters. Anderson ran a time of 13.29. The Knights also doubled up in the long jump. Lisa Carlon placed fourth with a jump of 15-1 and teammate Sarah Helmbrecht was fifth with a leap of 14-11. Senior Britnee Dyrland added a fourth-place finish in the discus with a toss of 103-0.

Chester/J-I's lone points came from senior Jessica VanDyke, who finished sixth in the 1,600 meters.

Ennis captured the girls team title with 58 points, 10 points better than Joilet. Shields Valley was third with 44 points.

On the boys side, the Hi-Line also produced a state champion in Big Sandy senior Blake Brumwell. Brumwell captured a state title in the discus with a throw of 132-2. The gold medal was the culmination of a brilliant prep career at Big Sandy.

Teamwise, North Star scored 14 points to tie for 12th overall. Chinook was 13th with 12 points and the Pioneers were 14th with 10 points.

The Knights got all their points from senior Kellan Warren, who placed in all three distance races as expected. Warren finished third in both the 800 meters with a time of 2:23.0 and the 1,600 with a time of 4:41.22. Warren also placed fifth in the 3,200.

Chinook's points came as a team effort. The Beeters got a second-place finish from their 1,600 relay team and a fourth-place finish by their 400-meter relay team.

Rounding out the Hi-Line performances was Chester/J-I's Brandon Graff who tied for fourth in the pole vault.

Joilet ran away with the boys team title with 89 points. Charlo was a distant second with 56 points and Ennis was third with 48 points.