Tons of track talent on the Hi-Line Fort Benton girls will be a Class C force again Chris Peterson
Havre Daily News cpeterson@havredailynews.com The 2017 track season was a memorable one for the HiLine, thanks to some outstanding postseason performances from local teams. Yet, if there was one team that stood out, it was the Fort Benton girls who captured the 2017 Class C state championship. While winning back-to-back titles is never easy, the Longhorns appear ready for another run at championships in the District 9C, the Northern C Division and Class C, which they swept last season. Of course, one of the big keys for the Fort Benton girls will be the health and availability of Maddy Thompson, who was a state champion in the 100-meter dash, as well as a the state runner-up in the pole vault and high jump. She was also on both the 400-meter and 1,600meter relay teams that each
placed and earned points for the Longhorns. Yet, because of a broken arm suffered in basketball, her status for the start of the season is unclear. However, the Longhorns have a lot more athletes in the stable than just Thompson. Leah Gannon, who has placed in multiple events at state, as both a freshman and sophomore, will also be a key asset to Fort Benton, along with Nicole Axtman, who placed in both the long jump and triple jump last season. The Fort Benton girls will lose some stalwarts, such as Kaitlin Bird and Coya Nack, who both racked up points at state, but under the direction of head coach Kevin Shaw, the Longhorns should flourish again. Another girls team that will be looking to build off a solid campaign a year ago are the Chinook Sugarbeeters, who will be led by Megan Molyneaux, who will be a threat in the 100 and the 200. She swept the events at the Northern C Divisional and finished third in the 200 at state. The junior also helped Chinook’s 400 relay team take fifth at state. The Sugarbeeters also have distance runner Kourtney Hanson, who qualified for
state in the 1,600. Jaye Anderson and Rochelle Chaffin are also going to be contenders in the jumping events. On the boys side of things, North Star will be looking to add another district championship after keeping their streak alive last year at the 9C meet in Havre. North Star has now won four consecutive 9C championships. The Knights don't have a lot of superstars, but they return the likes of Devon and Dylan Miller, along with pole vaulter Caden Rettig. Both Miller brothers also compete in sprinting events and Dylan Miller, like Rettig is a pole vaulter, as well as a jumper. Devon Miller also participates in throwing events. All three represented the Knights at the state meet last season. In addition to some solid teams, the Hi-Line has a number of other decorated athletes in track and field, including some state champions. One of those is Eddie Harmon of Turner, who won the 800 at the Class C state track meet. He and Cody Welsch were the driving force behind the Tornadoes fourth-place finish at the 9C last year. Harmon
also placed in the 400 at state. Welsh qualified for state in the high jump. L’Tia Lawrence of Harlem enters the season as the reigning Class B girls champion in the 1,600. The Harlem sophomore was also third in the 3,200 as a freshman. Another distance runner to keep an eye on will be Isiah Runs Above, who was third at state last season for Hays-Lodge Pole in the 3,200. He also won the Class C state title in cross country last fall. The District 9C track meet will be held in Havre May 9, followed by the Northern C track meet in Great Falls May 17. The Class C state meet will also be in Great Falls May 2526. Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Fort Benton's Leah Gannon competes in the long jump during the 2017 District 9C track meet in Havre. Gannon and the Fort Benton girls are the defending Class C state champions and will be the favorite again this season. The local track and field season has been delayed by weather, but hopefully, things start to heat up soon.