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Havlovick, Davey lead Lady Pirates to Polson ABC title

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POLSON — The Polson girls were dominant and the Polson boys showed signs of finally healing up at their own Polson ABC Track and Field Invitational last Saturday. 

The Lady Pirates cruised to the team title with 148 points, far ahead of Hamilton (105) and Whitefish (78). 

Loni Havlovick led Polson with two first-place finishes and a second. The senior won the shot put event with a put of 41 feet, 2.5 inches and took the discus title with a throw of 124 feet, 9 inches. She also threw the javelin 107 feet, 2.5 inches to place second in that event. 

“The shot was a season-best for Havlovick and she continues to be the state Class A leader in this event,” Polson head coach Bob Gunderson said. 

Havlovick accounted for 28 of Polson’s team points and was chosen as the outstanding female performer of the meet.

Nicole Davey also earned first in the pole vault, clearing 10 feet for the title. She also ran a personal record time of 58.91 seconds to claim second in the 400 meters and took second in the 300-meter hurdles just 20 minutes later with a time of 47.75 seconds. Davey, who accounted for 30.5 team points, also ran a led on the second-place 400-meter relay team (50.53 seconds) and anchored the winning 1,600-meter relay (4:12.71). 

Christa Red Crow had season-best jumps to place third in the triple jump at 32 feet, 10.5 inches, and place fourth in the long jump at 16 feet, 1.25 inches.

“She is starting to get back in the hunt in these events right when it counts,” coach Gunderson noted. Red Crow also placed sixth in the 300-meter hurdles in 51.15 seconds.

Natasha Lafferty had a season best throw in the shot put at 35 feet, 4 inches to place third and threw the discus 95-2 for fourth place Daryl Conko-Camel also placed fifth in the shot with a mark of 30 feet, 9.5 inches.

Mesa Starkey doubled in the 800 meters and 1,600 meters, improving on her times and placing in both events; she was fourth in the 800 in 2:33.55 and second in the mile at 5:32.37. 

“She didn’t run the 3,200, an event she is currently leading class A in, at this meet,” her coach noted.

Anna DiGiallonardo had season best efforts in both the 100-meter dash (13.32 for fourth) and 200-meter dash (fifth in 27.78), as well as placing sixth in the 100-meter hurdles (17.78) the first time she has run them this season. 

Breanne Kelley placed in all of her events, even though she was running a little under the weather, according to her coach. She was third in the 200 in 27.5 seconds, second in the 100-meter hurdles in 16.19 and fourth in the 300 hurdles in 49.22.

“She ran an excellent leg on the 1,600-meter relay team,” Gunderson noted. “Hopefully, Bree will be at full strength next week.”

“Two of our kids that don’t get a lot of press had good meets,” coach Gunderson added. “Geri Sylvester placed in both the 400 (fifth in 1:05.36) and 800 meters (third in 2:33.37), running PRs in each. Freshman thrower Daryl Conko-Camel had a PR in the shot put, placing fifth in that event.”

Mariah Hamel also added a fifth-place finish in the pole vault by clearing 7 feet, 6 inches.

“I never get tired of saying what a great group of competitive girls we have on this track team,” Gunderson emphasized.

The Polson boys put in a blue-collar effort to earn fourth place. Ty Fouty led the Pirates with a first-place finish in the pole vault. He cleared a season-best 13 feet for the title and was followed by his twin brother, Trae, in third place at 12-6, Zion Lee in fourth at 12-0, and Brock Bleazard in fifth at 11-6.

“Ty Fouty’s 13-foot winning pole vault was the highlight of the boys’ marks for this meet. He was extremely close to getting 13-6, which would put him among the state Class A leaders in this event,” Gunderson said. 

The coach was also pleased to see Trae Fouty returning from an ACL injury suffered late in the football season. 

“He’s only been practicing for four weeks. This was his second competition and clearing 12-6 was excellent considering the short time he has had to prepare for probably the most difficult event in track and field,” Gunderson noted. Polson’s novice vaulters, Drew Fouty and Jesse Alfiero, went 1-2 in that competition.

“Coach Rob Kelley is doing a great job of getting our vaulters ready for the divisional (meet). We are looking at a possible sweep of the boys’ vault next week in Libby and four out of five places in the girls’ vault,” Gunderson added. “The pole vault has always been a strength of our track and field program. Rob’s vaulters have continued the strong tradition in this event.” 

Polson’s 1,600-meter relay team took third in 3:42.30 and the 400-meter relay squad finished fourth in 46.12 seconds. 

Colter Bull placed third in the 1,600 in 4:39.19 and was fifth in the 800 in 2:05.81. 

Alex Havlovick was also a double-placer, taking third in the discus at 137-9 and fifth in the shot put at 42-3. Clark Rubel added a sixth-place finish in the shot at 41-9.

Miles Bieber earned fourth in the 3,200 in 10:51.26, followed by Alex Nystrom in fifth in 10:59.18. 

Chris Cote was fifth in the 400 in 54.57 and Jordan Cross took sixth in 55.07.

In the long jump, Mike Devlin leapt 19 feet, 1.5 inches to take fourth, followed by Traven Hoyt in fifth at 18-10. Vince DiGiallonardo was also fourth in the high jump at 5 feet, 10 inches.

Brock Picard added a fourth-place finish in the javelin with a throw of 161 feet, 2 inches.

“Brock Picard looked a lot better in the javelin,” coach Gunderson noted. “He has been bothered by a hamstring injury that he got in football and continued through his wrestling season. A thrower’s legs are very important if you are going to do well in this event.”

Missing from the dashes was Joe Andrews, who continues to nurse an ankle injury. 

With only two weeks left in the track season, the Polson track team is looking to peak at the right time. This Friday and Saturday they’ll compete at the Northwestern A Divisional track meet in Libby. Events begin at 2 p.m. on Friday and continue at noon on Saturday.

“We are the prohibitive favorites to repeat as the girls’ divisional champions and if the boys have a good meet they should finish in the top two,” Gunderson said. “I consider the divisional to be a qualifying meet. (Finishing) in the top five (and qualifying for state) in an event is more important than the place that you take.”

The Class A state track meet will be held in Laurel May 28-29. 

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