Track Another stacked, big field for Archie Roe Invitational

The impressive thing about the Archie Roe Invitational track and field extravaganza is it never seems to have a down year.

It’s always big ...

n More than 1,800 athletes from 18 schools will be competing this year in freshman, junior varsity and varsity meets.

It always attracts some of the state’s top athletes from Class AA, A, B and C. This year’s short list includes ...

n Columbia Falls’ Angellica Street is nationally ranked in the top 10 in the javelin and is the defending Class A state champion. She also has the top throw in the state, for all classes, this spring.

n Glacier’s Drew Deck has qualified for Class AA state in five events (long and triple jump, 110 and 300 hurdles and 400 relay). He is a member of the relay team that has the Archie Roe record in the 400 and has the top time in the state this year in the 300 hurdles.

n Flathead’s Ben Perrin is the defending Class AA state champion in the 3,200.

n Glacier’s Evan Todd is the defending Class AA state champion in the javelin.

n Polson’s Bea Frissell is the defending Class A state champion in the 1,600 and 3,200.

n Whitefish’s Lauren Schulz is the defending Class A state champion in the 100.

And ...

It’s always a record-setting affair despite the already high standards that have been established over the years. Two were set last year ...

n 400 relay — Glacier (Deck, Mark Estes, Drew Turner, Ethan Larson), 42.43 — the old record was 42.86 set in 2016 also by Glacier (Drew Turner, Ethan Larson, Scout Willcut, Aaron Robinson)

n 800 — Annie Hill, Glacier, 2:11.39 — the old record was 2:14.03 set in 2016 by Kim Parsell of Shelby.

So all of this points to what promises to be another dazzling day today at Legends Stadium.

The action begins at 10 a.m. with the field events (pole vault, discus, javelin and long jump) and the 3,200-meter run.

“This is when you expect (your athletes) to perform well,” Glacier girls coach Jerry Boschee said. “We are getting towards the end of the season and you are backing off on their workouts. The kids expect to do well. The kids have confidence by now in what they are doing.

“They hype around Archie Roe and with the number of athletes being there gets the kids excited,” he added. “They usually have a personal best.”

All that’s left on the schedule is another week of dual meets for Columbia Falls, Flathead, Glacier and Whitefish and the ABC meet in Polson next Saturday. Divisional and state action follows.

“What makes this meet so special is all the teams coming will enter every athlete at a level that is comparable to their ability level,” Flathead boys coach Dan Hodge said.

“Freshmen can compete at a level where they are most successful. It’s a confidence booster.”

The meet has special significance for Flathead girls coach Charlie Dotson. The 2008 Flathead graduate competed in Archie Roe, finishing first in the 200 and running on two winning relays. He was also a top three finisher in the 100 and 440.

“I use to love this meet in high school because it was so big,” he said.

“There was always so much good competition. There was always a good amount of support from the community and there still is to this day. It’s one of the biggest meets for some of the school that come to it. They want to compete against the bigger schools and schools they don’t see.”

And now as his first year as head coach, it has new meaning.

“One of the most important things, being a Flathead guy and being from the community, we’re always trying to represent Flathead High in the best way possible,” he said.

Glacier boys coach Arron Deck is using this meet to get his athletes ready for the final push.

“Archie Roe is our last big meet before divisionals,” he said. “Some of the kids we’ll load them up in events. Some will do five, four or three ... a little more than they have been doing, getting them ready for big meets like divisional and state.”

Deck’s simple message to his athletes this week was — “run faster, throw farther, jump higher and jump farther” — than you have thus far.

Archie Roe

Saturday at Legends Stadium

Meet Begins At 10 a.m.

Meet Records

GIRLS

100 — Marlow Schulz, Whitefish, 12.48 seconds, 2013

200 — Marlow Schulz, Whitefish, 25.53, 2013

400 — Marlow Schulz, Whitefish, 57.26, 2013

800 — Annie Hill, Glacier, 2:11.39, 2018

1,600 — Annie Hill, Glacier, 4:49.65, 2015

3,200 — Zoe Nelson, Flathead, 10:27.89, 2004

100 Hurdles — Lexie Miller, Flathead, 14.4, 1979; Claudine Robinson, Missoula Hellgate, 14.4, 1989

300 Hurdles — Hailey Phillips, Plains, 44.43, 2015

400 Relay — Flathead (Monica White, Megan Russell, Jaclyn Rauthe, Dani Davis), 49.34, 2013

1,600 Relay — Flathead (Ashley Younkin, Janae Lister, Nicole Hall, Shannon Ross), 4:03.12, 2007

Shot Put — Laine Botchek, Missoula Big Sky, 44 feet, 6.25 inches, 1999

Discus — Bree Fuqua, Polson, 148-9, 1999

Javelin — Marissa Tschida, Missoula Loyola-Sacred Heart, 141-6, 2005

High Jump — Lexy Boschee, Glacier, 5-9, 2012; Brenda Naber, Havre, 5-9, 1992

Long Jump — Tess Brenneman, Flathead, 18-7, 2010

Triple Jump — Kasey Harwood, Polson, 37-4.5, 2004

Pole Vault — Melinda Owen, Polson, 12-3, 2003

BOYS

100 — Craig Galle, Flathead, 10.7, 1995

200 — Ralph Dempsey, Cut Bank, 21.9, 1991

400 — Cody Henning, Whitefish, 49.25, 2004

800 — David Vidal, Flathead, 1:55.9, 2001

1,600 — Zach Perrin, Flathead, 4:16.64, 2013

3,200 — Jake Perrin, Flathead, 9:13.00, 2016

110 Hurdles — Jamison Banna, Flathead, 14.1, 1988

300 Hurdles — Drew Owens, Missoula Big Sky, 38.91, 2010

400 Relay — Glacier (Drew Deck, Mark Estes, Drew Turner, Ethan Larson), 42.43, 2016

1,600 Relay — Whitefish (Justin Scoggin, Chris Hicks, Cody Henning, Matt Helgath), 3:23.80, 2004

Shot Put — Scott Steckel, Havre, 60-5.5, 1980

Discus — Lee Tillman, Havre, 187-7, 1987

Javelin — Nate Bach, Thompson Falls, 206-4,2005

High Jump — Mark Koefelda, Missoula Hellgate, 7-0, 1993

Long Jump — Trevor Gunlock, Polson, 22-7.5, 2000

Triple Jump – Matt Tokarz, Flathead, 47-5.5, 2013

Pole Vault — Curt Rogers, Whitefish, 15-6, 2007

Schools Entered

Bigfork (168 entries), Browning (113), Choteau (53), Columbia Falls (243), Cut Bank (79), Flathead (138), Fort Benton (132), Glacier (222), Glasgow (8), Missoula Hellgate (242), Libby (7), Eureka (122), Polson (2), Ronan (97), Shelby (109), Thompson Falls (102), Troy (20), Whitefish (26).