Bulldog boys are state track champs

Ferda takes javelin title for the girls, Idol and Tkachyk take jumping crowns

By DAVID ERICKSON/Whitefish Pilot

By a razor-thin margin of three points, the Bulldog boys track and field team edged out the Blue Devils of Corvallis to take home the Montana Class A state championship trophy from Bozeman this weekend.

It's the sixth title for the Whitefish High School boys since 1997, a stretch of dominance unmatched by any other school in the state.

"Of all the times we've won state, this was arguably the greatest team effort," head coach Derek Schulz said. "We've had better teams, but this year all the kids just gave it everything they had in every event. It was really a neat experience."

The athleticism of the Whitefish boys was off the charts. Junior high-jumper Colt Idol's amazing title-winning leap of 6-8.25 is now a new school record. Idol's personal best had been 6-6, which he set a week ago at the divisional meet.

The Bulldogs were ahead of Cor-vallis by only one point going into the final event, the pole vault, by Saturday evening. It was all up to Kaleb Prestegaard, who cleared 13-6 and 13-0 to take second place overall, while the Blue Devil vaulter missed at 12-6 to give Whitefish the victory. The state meet came down to the wire, and Prestegaard was the hero.

"That was a pressure-packed event," Schulz said. "They moved the pole vault indoors, and everyone was there watching to see what happened, because we were only ahead by one point. Kaleb got a chance of a lifetime, and he came through. It's the kind of thing you dream about as a kid."

Whitefish junior Aaron Tkachyk is the state champion in the long jump, with a 21-8.5 leap.

"Aaron's jump is really an outstanding mark against some tough competition," Schulz said. "As was Colt's jump. It really is a remarkable achievement."

Whitefish had another state champion on the girls team as well. Senior Ashley Ferda took the state title in the javelin with a monster throw of 125-3, four inches farther than her nearest competitor.

"Ashley had to throw right after running the hurdles, and she was actually in fourth place, I think, but on her last throw, she just put it all together," Schulz said.

The Lady Bulldogs placed 10th overall with 24 points, with the state title going to the Polson Lady Pirates at 75 points. Whitefish senior Lauren Kuennen took third place in the 800-meters with a time of 2:22.40, and junior Heather Melcer took sixth in the triple jump.

Drew Coco took second place in the 1,600 with a time of 4:28.76, and the boys 400-relay and 1,600-relay teams both took third.

"The relay teams were clutch," Schulz said. "We needed points, and they definitely exceeded my expectations. The mile-relay team really stepped up big in a downpour. The conditions were terrible. The team (as a whole) definitely over-achieved. This was just an example of the athletes stepping up. I knew we were capable."

Montana State Class A Track and Field Meet Results

Boys Events - Saturday's Results:

Team Totals

1. Whitefish 59; 2. Corvallis 56; 3. Laurel 44; 4. Lewistown 38.5; 5. Belgrade 38; 6. Libby 34; 7. Bigfork 28; 7. Hardin 28; 9. Frenchtown 27; 10. Hamilton 25; 10. Havre 25; 12. Glendive 22; 13. Polson 21; 14. Billings Central 20; 15. Anaconda 18; 16. Ronan/St. Ignatius 10; 17. Dillon 9; 17. Columbia Falls 9; 19. Browning 8; 20. Sidney 4; 21. Stevensville 2; 22. Miles City 2; 23. Butte Central 1.5.

3,200: 1. Patrick Casey, Laurel, 9:46.80; 2. Drew Coco, Whitefish, 9:57.22;

Long jump: 1. Aaron Tkachyk, Whitefish, 21-8.5; ; 6. Willie Roche, Whitefish, 20-8.25.

High jump: 1. Colt Idol, Whitefish, 6-8.25; 2. Matt Block, Frenchtown, 6-2; 3. Seth Wright, Libby, 6-2;

Shot put: ; 5. Kevin McDowell, Whitefish, 46-7;

1,600 relay - 1. Belgrade, 3:27.84; 2. Corvallis, 3:29.27; 3. Whitefish, 3:29.73; 4. Libby, 3:30.67; 5. Hamilton, 3:31.65; 6. Laurel, 3:34.24.

1,600 - 1. Patrick Casey, Laurel, 4:27.27; 2. Drew Coco, Whitefish, 4:28.76;

400 relay - 1. Corvallis, 44.08; 2. Hamilton, 44.65; 3. Whitefish, 44.81; 4. Bigfork, 44.87; 5. Columbia Falls, 45.04; 6. Dillon, 45.05.

Pole Vault - 1. Jake Bowman, Hardin, 14-9; 2. Kaleb Prestegaard, Whitefish, 13-6;

Girls Events - Saturday's Results:

Team Totals

Polson 75, Belgrade 66, Corvallis 43, Miles City 34, Billings Central 33, Livingston 30, Lewistown 28, Laurel 27, Frenchtown 26, Whitefish 24, Glendive 23, Hamilton 23, Bigfork 20, Sidney 20, Hardin 18, Stevensville 14, Dillon 9, Columbia Falls 7, Libby 6, Ronan-St. Ignatius 1.

1,600: 3. Lauren Kuennen, Whitefish, 5:21.00;

Javelin: 1. Ashley Ferda, Whitefish, 125-3; 2. Nycole Devers, Belgrade, 124-11;

100 hurdles - 6. Ashley Ferda, Whitefish, 16.45.

800 - 1. Heather Haug, Livingston, 2:19.30; 2. Misha Trotter, Hamilton, 2:20.38; 3. Lauren Kuennen, Whitefish, 2:22.40;

Triple jump - 6. Heather Melcer, Whitefish, 32-1.5.