Coco's sweep propels boys to third at state

The defending state champion Bulldogs, led by a distance sweep from senior Drew Coco, tallied 72 points for third place at the Class A state track meet in Butte on Friday and Saturday.

On Saturday, Coco won the 800-meter race in 1:58 and ran a 10:15 time to win the 3,200. He also won the 1,600 on Friday. Last year at the state meet, Coco placed second in both the 1,600 and 3,200 but didn't run in the 800.

"Drew was unbelievable," coach Derek Schulz said. "He ran an intelligent and strategic race."

Coco was running for the team, because Butte's high altitude made setting a record for distance running difficult, Schulz said. Coco holds Whitefish school records for the 1,600 and 3,200.

"I didn't know what to expect, but my goal was to take all three," Coco said.

The distance races were all about tactics, he said. With all the heat both days, some runners ran out of adrenaline, while Coco assessed the field and set a pace for himself.

Coco said he had a lot of fun running for Whitefish the past four years. He said his interest in distance running probably started in first grade with the Mully Mile.

"We ran in blue jeans and T-shirts," he said. "That was probably when I saw that I liked running."

Coco has received an appointment to the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Rhode Island, where he will run cross-country and indoor and outdoor track. Following one year there, he'll be eligible for an appointment to the Naval Academy.

Bulldog Aaron Tkachyk defended his state title in the long jump by taking first at 22 feet and half an inch. He also ran in the 400-meter relay, which took sixth.

"Aaron could compete in college," Schulz said.

Willie Roche, a junior, also had a good meet, taking fourth in the long jump at 20 feet 9 inches and claiming fourth in the high jump by clearing 6 feet 4 inches.

Anto Daoud, also a junior, took fifth in the 200-meter sprint at 23.06 and sixth in the 400-meter race at 51.46. Derek Crittenden took fourth in the 110 hurdles at 16.42. The Bulldogs' 1,600 relay team placed second.

In the field events, Kaleb Prestegaard cleared 14 feet in the pole vault to claim third place, and Dustin Beck hurled the javelin 169 feet 2 inches for fifth place.

The Lady Bulldogs had a tougher time of it, taking 15th among 20 competing teams.

Amanda Foley claimed fourth in the 100 meter dash at 13.02, while two Lady Bulldogs placed in the 3,200 long distance run — Bailey Eaton, fourth at 12.26.30, and Jessica Sagen, sixth at 12:41.83.

Schulz acknowledged the fine Lady Bulldogs' cross-country team last fall, but noted that track is more of an individual sport.

"Cross-country is more about numbers of runners placing," he said. "There's a lot of good long distance runners in Montana."

He also had high praise for Foley, who is a freshman.

"That's quite an accomplishment to reach state as a sprinter," he said, adding that a number of sophomore distance runners will return next year for the girls track team.

Boys

Team Scores — 1, Corvallis, 108; 2, Laurel, 76; 3, Whitefish, 72; 4, Frenchtown, 34; 5, Polson, 32; 6, Columbia Falls, 22.5; 7, Libby, 22; 8, Dillon, 21; 9, Lewistown, 13; 10, Belgrade, 12; 11, Billings Central, 12; 11, Hamilton, 12; 11, Ronan, 11; 11, Stevensville, 12; 15, Bigfork 11; 16, Glendive, 10.5; 17, Sidney, 10.5; 18, Browning, 8.5; 18, Anaconda, 8.5; 20, Butte Central, 8; 21, Hardin, 4; 22, Havre, 3; 23, Miles City, 1.

200 — 5, Anto Daoud, Whitefish, 23.06.

800 — 1, Drew Coco, Whitefish, 1:58.28.

400 — 6, Anto Daoud, Whitefish, 51.46.

1,600 — 1, Drew Coco, Whitefish, 4:33.28.

3,200 — 1, Drew Coco, Whitefish, 10:15.76.

110 hurdles — 4, Derek Crittenden, Whitefish, 16.42.

400 relay — 6, Whitefish, 44.44.

1,600 relay — 2, Whitefish, 3:27.53.

Long jump — 1, Aaron Tkachyk, Whitefish, 22-0.5; 4, Willie Roche, Whitefish, 20-09.

High jump finals — 4, Willie Roche, Whitefish, 6-04.

Javelin — 5, Dustin Beck, Whitefish, 169-2.

Pole Vault — 3, Kaleb Prestegaard, Whitefish, 14-0.

Girls

Team scores – Belgrade 83, Hamilton 60, Polson 58, Bigfork 38, Billings Central 37, Lewistown 35, Stevensville 34, Ronan-St. Ignatius 32, Sidney 30, Glendive 28, Corvallis 22, Frenchtown 22, Columbia Falls 11, Miles City 10, Whitefish 9, Libby 7, Butte Central 5, Livingston 3, Dillon 2, Laurel 1.

100 – 4, Amanda Foley, Whitefish, 13.02.

3,200 — 4, Bailey Eaton, Whitefish, 12.26.30; 6, Jessica Sagen, Whitefish, 12:41.83.