Bigfork track and field gears up for strong season
Bigfork's Tamret Savik clears 5'8" in the boys high jump at the Archie Roe Invitational at Legends Stadium on Saturday, May 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
With spring here, hopefully, the Bigfork Vikings and Valkyries are preparing for what promises to be another exciting season. Head coach Sue Loeffler lost key seniors from last year but is optimistic about the team’s potential.
“We were young but competed tough at State,” Loeffler said. “We lost some good seniors but have some good athletes returning.”
Bigfork boasts a strong contingent of returning state competitors, including Jack Lucke, Robert Merchant, Noah Pandina, Austin Savik, Tamret Savik, Tayden West, Peyton Benson, Lilli Sofia, Somer Campos, and Shannon Woll.
“All the track athletes have been working hard,” Loeffler said. “They all will be fun to watch improve as the season goes.”
On the boys’ side, Bigfork appears to have a well-rounded team capable of excelling in multiple events.
“The boys are looking strong in all the events,” Loeffler said. “Most of the girls are young, but I see good performances coming from them.”
The competition will be fierce this season, with Corvallis standing as the defending state champion in both boys’ and girls’ track. Loeffler expects them to be a formidable opponent once again. Despite this, Loeffler is confident in the dedication and talent of her athletes.
“We have amazing kids out for track who are a lot of fun and are hard workers,” she said.
As the season unfolds, Bigfork’s track and field team will be pushing toward their goals, improving with each meet, and aiming to make a strong showing at the state competition. With a mix of experienced state qualifiers and promising young athletes, the Vikings and Valkyries are ready to make their mark this spring.
“Our goals are to get as many athletes as possible to qualify for state, to get better every week, and to work hard to reach the goals the athletes have,” Loeffler emphasized.