Boys one-point shy of Western A title; rematch this week

The Columbia Falls boys track team was edged by Corvallis by one point for the Western A divisional title in Frenchtown Saturday. They’ll go head-to-head again this week as they face off at the state meet in Bozeman Friday and Saturday.

The Cats were led by long distance runner Sage Wanner who won the 3,200 meters in 9:54.91 and the 1,600 in 4:26.34. The Cats also won the 1,600 relay behind Logan Stephens, Charles Martin, Wanner, and Tanner Dana, clocking a 3:28.71.

Logan Kolodejechuk was second in the shot put with a throw of 47-6.5 and javelin with a 174-3. Michael Hoerner was second in the 100 meter hurdles with a 16.25. Dana was second in the 400, 200 and 100 meters with times of 50.49, 22.75 and 11.54 respectively.

Those times are off for Dana as he was fighting an illness, said Columbia Falls track coach Jamie Heinz.

In fact, a lot of the team is nicked up right now, but with a week of healing, they should be back in form by Bozeman.

“It will be a dog fight with Corvallis,” Heinz said.

The Cats were missing sprinter Braxton Reiten with the flu and Stephen Lindsey suffered a leg injury.

On the girls side, the Cats took fourth overall. Corvallis won the meet.

The girls won the 400 relay behind Ashley Caffrey, Ellie Johnson, Kiara Burlage and Mary Baker with a time of 50.96. Allyson Gimbel won the shot put with a throw of 38-8.5 and Ashley Caffery won the pole vault with a 10-0.

Mary Baker was third in the 100 hurdles with a 16.30, third in the 100 with a 13.23, fourth in the 200 with a 27.61. 

Kaitlyn Casazza was third in the 300 hurdles with a 48.54. Jaclyn Bohmer was third in the triple jump with a 33-10.

Heinz said the girls team is looking to place in the top three at state. 

The state meet can be a wild one. 

A place difference here or there can be the edge in bringing home a team title.