Saco and Whitewater Teams Reach State C Podium, Downing Sets Record!

The Dodson, Saco, and Whitewater track teams all saw action at the 2024 State C Track and Field Meet in Great Falls last weekend.

The event which ran alongside the Class AA Meet started on Friday, May 24, and concluded on Saturday, May 25.

The Saco Panthers, Lady Panthers, and Lady Penguin track teams both saw athletes reach the podium.

Saco

"Our small-town kids go to these state meets, and those from AA ask where we're from," Saco head Coach Kelly Downing said. "Their only reference point is that we're near Glasgow or on the Hi-Line. I feel like our little schools held their own in the stadium, though."

The Lady Panthers were sixth as a team with 36 points. The Panther men tied for ninth with 20 points.

The Panthers were led by junior Blaine Downing, who set a Class C State Meet record of 15-3 in pole vault, a new personal best. The old record of 15-1 was set by Rafe Espinoza of Arlee in 2001. The closest to Downing was Scobey's Ty Leischner who was second by clearing 14-0.

"It was neat to see Class C kids from all over Montana cheer on Blaine as he went for the state record," Coach Downing said. "Even though we don't co-op for track with Whitewater and Hinsdale, you'd really never know because we cheer each other on and pick each other up. It's just so special. Though they may not know the exact location of our little communities, I think we left an impression on those big schools."

Downing also won the 400 with a time of 50.64. Downing was fourth in the 100 with a time of 11.66, seventh in the 200 with a time of 23.40 and 19th in high jump after clearing 5-8.

Senior Teagan Erickson led the Lady Panthers. She was second in long jump with a season's best of 17-2.75. The mark tied with Sunburst's Claire Bucklin, who won the title thanks to a tie-breaker based on their second longest jump. Bucklin's second best jump was 17-1 and Erickson's second best was 17-0. Erickson was also second in javelin with a throw of 125-2, a personal best. Erickson was third in high jump after clearing 5-4, her best of the season and eighth in triple jump with a mark left at 34-5.5.

Freshman Emerson Downing was second in pole vault, clearing 9-0. She was 12th in the 300 hurdles with a personal best of 49.7.

Senior Josie Brown was fourth in the 400 with a time of 59.27.

Freshman Laytin Erickson was ninth in the men's pole vault after clearing 10-6. He was also 23rd in the 110 hurdles with a time of 20.39.

Freshman Jacob Brown was 20th in javelin with a throw of 126-0.

Whitewater

The Whitewater Lady Penguins Track Team took fifth as a team at the 2024 State C Track and Field meet last weekend in Great Falls.

"The Penguins had a great state track meet taking seven out of our 11 athletes to the state meet to compete," Whitewater Head Coach Charlene Wasson said. "It was the largest number of Penguins I've taken as a head coach to the state meet. We performed well and brought home some medals."

The team scored a total of 38 points. Roberts tied with Savage to win the event with a total of 61 points. Scobey was third with 51 points, Twin Bridges was fourth with 46 points, and Saco was sixth with 36 points.

The Lady Penguins were led by junior Shelbi LaBrie who retained her state title in the 1600 with a time of 5:25.01, and earned the 3200 title for the first time in her career with a time of 11:53.46. She was second in the 3200 in 2023 with a personal best of 11:30.60.

LaBrie was also fourth in the 800 with a time of 2:23.48.

Senior Paige Wasson won the javelin title for the first time in her career with a throw of 128-8. She was second in the event in 2023.

Sophomore Kennedy Simonson was fourth in javelin with a throw of 115-10.

The long relay team consisting of Kendall Scheffelmear, Simonson, LaBrie, and P. Wasson was seventh with a time of 4:20.98.

Eighth-grader Gracie Wasson was eighth in pole vault by clearing 8-0.

Scheffelmear, a senior, was thirteenth in the 100 hurdles with a time of 17.71 and fourteenth in the 300 hurdles with a time of 49.87.

"She finally got to run a race at state and close out her track and field career happy and healthy," Coach Wasson said.

Junior Korbyn Skubinna was unable to clear a height in pole vault.

"Overall, we saw many amazing athletes compete and watched some records set," Coach Wasson said. "It was a great weekend of track and always ends the school year with a bang."

Dodson

The Dodson Coyotes were represented by a trio of athletes at the State C Meet in Great Falls last weekend.

The Coyotes were led by sophomore Donovan Posey, who was thirteenth in the 1600 meter run with a time of 4:57.17. Posey was 22th in the 800 with a time of 2:18.47.

Junior Stiffarm, a junior, was 18th in triple jump with a length of 39-3.25.

Amara Cochran was unable to leave a mark in the women's discus event.

"Overall, state did not play out like we hoped it would, but ultimately I'm still so proud of these kids for making it to state," Dodson Head Coach Adrianna Bibeau said. "It's a huge accomplishment to make it to state and for us to take three to state after having such a young team goes to show the tenacity and dedication these kids have to reaching their goals. I couldn't ask for anything more than that as a head coach and I can't wait to see what next year will bring."