Bigfork girls primed for another state track title run
It’s adding up to be another spectacular finish to the track season for the Bigfork girls.
The Valkyries are in Laurel this weekend to defend their Class B state championship, and they have the numbers to do so.
Bigfork will have 14 girls competing in 14 events.
They have entrants in every running event along with two in both the shot put and discus and one each in the pole vault and high jump.
Bigfork did not qualify anyone in the long jump, triple jump and javelin.
“I know we have a great shot (at it),” veteran Bigfork coach Sue Loeffler said.
“What I like is how strong the girls are mentally. They know what they want and what they need to go after it. They have the state championship in their sites, don’t want to settle for anything else. They make my work pretty easy as they are self-motivated.”
Bigfork rolled up a 109-point winning total a year ago at state in Butte. Baker, 53, was a distant second and Malta, 44, third.
Bigfork’s event winners were Haile Norred (200 and 400) and Bryn Morley (800, 1,600 and 3,200) and the 1,600 relay. Norred and Morley, now seniors, are back and combined for 58 points in their individual events last year at state.
All total, Bigfork returns 101 of last year’s state points.
Bigfork’s girls tied for a state championship in 1994. That was the school’s first.
“What’s interesting with this group of seniors is when they were freshman they finished second behind Plains. Plains broke the record for most points scored at a state track meet (115) and we also broke the record (with our 110). The seniors have finished second (at state) twice and won it last year. That’s pretty impressive.”
The will be the final prep event for the Morley family, which has dominated distance running in the state for the last eight years. It all began with Makenna and followed with Logan and Bryn.
All were state champions.
Bryn Morley signed a National Letter of Intent last week to continue her running career at Northern Arizona University.
Bigfork’s Anya Young was a double winner at the divisional last week, piling up firsts in the 800 and 3,200. She is expected to have another big weekend.
Loeffler expects Glasgow and Baker will be the main challengers this time.
Fairfield is the defending Class B boys state champions while Baker and Townsend settled for second and third.
Eureka should improve on last year’s state showing — girls were 26th with one point and boys 13th with nine.
Elizabeth Pacella (triple jump), Karlee Frost (javelin), Cory Chaney (800), Alex Lowe (1,600) and Chet McCully (110 and 300 hurdles and pole vault) were all divisionl champions last week for the Lions. The Eureka boys won the divisional team title while the girls were third.
Track action begins today at 10:30 a.m. and continues Saturday.