The tracks are shoveled, the dugouts (largely) dry, and throughout the Flathead Valley athletes are dusting off their cleats and making ready for the ultimate months of highschool competitors.

Last yr native athletes in all sports activities succeeded in making headlines for his or her performances and introduced house state trophies in baseball (Whitefish, 2nd), softball (Glacier, 1st; Columbia Falls, 1st), tennis (Glacier boys, 2nd), and monitor and subject (Whitefish women, 2nd; Glacier boys, third).

Here are some storylines to concentrate to this spring, together with, for the final time, Bigfork’s inaugural look on the Class A stage.

Track and Field

The Class A women state championship got here right down to the ultimate occasion final yr. Whitefish received the 4×400 relay by a full seven seconds over Corvallis. The Blue Devils received the title by one level.

Both groups are returning stacked squads and the crew battle may simply come right down to a single occasion as soon as once more, however the Bulldogs have a bonus on paper — nobody who scored factors final yr graduated.   

Senior Brooke Zetooney scored 32 factors by herself final yr, plus anchored each profitable relay groups. She’s seeking to declare 4 straight victories within the 100m and a 3rd straight title over 200m.  

Senior Hailey Ells (9 particular person factors, plus two relay titles) shall be a drive within the hurdles and excessive bounce whereas senior Norah Schmidt is dedicated to persevering with the crew’s relay dominance.

Maeve Ingelfinger, one other senior more known for her cross country skiing exploits, is the returning state 800m champion, and took third within the 1600m.  

On the boys facet, the highest returning Bulldog is senior Carson Krack, who scored factors within the lengthy bounce, triple bounce and 300m hurdles.

Across the valley the Wildcats shall be seeking to enhance on tenth and fifth-place finishes for the ladies and boys groups, respectively. 

Columbia Falls seniors Malaki Simpson and Ally Sempf return as top-tier sprinters — Sempf positioned third in each brief sprints, whereas Simpson positioned second in each occasions and anchored the state champion 4x100m relay crew. Junior Lane Voermans is predicted so as to add factors within the subject occasions after profitable the discus final yr and inserting within the shot put.  

For Bigfork’s first romp via Class A, the Valkyries and Vikings will look to make the identical splash they did through the soccer and basketball seasons. Senior distance runner Jack Jensen received each the 800m and 1600m final yr and can look to repeat, whereas Wyatt Johnson was runner-up within the 110m hurdles and is the quickest returner in that occasion.

In Class AA a handful of athletes from Flathead and Glacier will make some noise this yr, with the Wolfpack having excessive hopes for the boys crew after two straight podium finishes.

In the hurdles, junior Ethan Anderson is defending a 110m title, and can attempt to enhance on his second-place end within the 300m. Senior Aiden Krause received the discus final yr and simply missed scoring factors within the shot put.

On the ladies’s facet, Glacier has a prime prospect within the distance occasions in freshman Lauren Bissen, who was runner-up on the state cross nation championships final fall. Senior Kai Johnson will defend her title within the shot put.

Meanwhile, Flathead High School returns power to the sprints with junior Alivia Rinehart, who made the ultimate within the 100m and took third within the 200, in addition to within the subject occasions with top-10 state performers Afton Wride (triple bounce), Kennedy Moore (excessive bounce) and Taliana Miller (javelin).

The Braves shall be helped by jumper and sprinter Brody Thornsberry, pole vaulter Trevin Olivier, and javelin thrower Dominick Mitten.

Baseball

It’s the second spin across the bases for Montana’s highschool baseball groups and the native groups are prepared for one more spherical. This yr the Montana High School Association got here to a four-region divisional setup, with the Northwestern Division comprising Bigfork, Browning, Columbia Falls, Eureka, Troy and Whitefish.

In the inaugural season, Polson won the team title over Whitefish, however to this point Columbia Falls has come out swinging, downing the Pirates in an early-season sport. Wildcat senior multi-sport star Cody Schweikert will end his highschool swan music on the diamond backed by a senior-laden crew.

Under the attention of head coach Kyler Blades, the Bulldogs are aiming to return to the title sport, however should make up for the commencement of a number of all-state gamers.

Softball

Both Glacier and Columbia Falls are coming off 5 straight appearances at state softball tournaments, and each groups are defending state championships from final spring.

The Wolfpack was the highest seed popping out of the Western Conference final yr and eventually broke a three-year streak of falling out within the first spherical. Instead, the Wolfpack had a direct, three-day, five-game journey to the crew’s first championship since 2015. Senior pitcher Ella Farrell, the Western AA Defensive Player of the Year, is again this yr, together with senior Emma Cook, who smashed two house runs in final yr’s championship sport.

Last season the Wildkats had the run of a lifetime going 24-3 on the season, culminating in the program’s first championship. Columbia Falls graduated 4 seniors from final yr’s crew however return all-state pitcher Maddie Moultray and Haden Peters at third.

Tennis

The Glacier boys tied for second place with C.M. Russell in Great Falls final yr and shall be anchored by state returnees Will Rudback and Sam Engellant. On the ladies facet doubles crew, Sarah Downs and Haven Speer has made the state match in back-to-back years.

Up north, Whitefish is fielding some veterans of the courtroom led by Mason Kelch and Dane Hunt, final yr’s third-place doubles crew.   

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