Whitman, Wilhelm lead C-Falls at state

Columbia Falls junior Shawn Whitman and senior Ketti Wilhelm led their boys and girls teams, respectively, with outstanding performances at the Class A State Track and Field Meet held Friday and Saturday at Bulldog Stadium in Butte.

The Wildcat boys earned sixth place, scoring 22.5 points. Corvallis was the state champion with 108 points. Then came Laurel with 76, Whitefish 72, Frenchtown 34 and Polson 32. Libby was seventh (22) and Dillon eighth (21).

In the girls division, Belgrade claimed the state crown with 83 points. Hamilton was runner-up with 60, followed by Polson with 58, Bigfork 38, Billings Central 37, Lewistown 35 and Stevensville 34. C-Falls scored 11 points for 13th place.

"I was very happy. They stepped up and did very, very well," C-Falls head coach Jamie Heinz said of the boys and girls who competed at state. "We had a lot of seventh (places' and that translates to a good future."

Whitman saved his best meet of the season for last. He ran to second place in the 1,600. His time of 4:28.23 was just five seconds off the winning mark of 4:33.28 posted by Drew Coco of Whitefish.

In the 3,200, Whitman earned third place with a time of 10:20.03. He was nipped at the wire by Tucker White of Billings Central for second. Whitman's time was just more than four seconds behind event winner Coco, who beat Whitman by 11 seconds at the divisional meet.

"Both of Shawn's performances were his best ever," C-Falls distance coach Stephen Gasche said. "He had a truly amazing state meet."

"He ran really smart races and went for it," Heinz said of Whitman. "It was fun to watch. You need people to show you how to reach down sometimes."

Junior Dean Phillips sprinted to fourth place in the 100. His time of 11.2 seconds was faster than the 11.46 he ran at divisionals. Senior Stephen Baumgartner was sixth in the 200 in 23.08, a bit faster than his divisional time.

Derrick Williams, just a freshman, earned fifth in the 800 (2:00.79). Senior Joel Ballard tied for sixth in the pole vault (13-0).

The Wildcats placed sixth in the 1,600 relay (3:32.03) with the team of Michael Kruse, Baumgartner, Williams and Kaleb Johnson.

C-Falls ran into bad luck in the 400 relay trials at state — the first running event. Ballard tripped on Johnson during the first exchange and fell, and the Wildcat quartet was disqualified.

"We rallied really well from that," Heinz said.

Junior Kyle Howell cleared 6-2 in the high jump, but there were nine jumpers at that height or better and Howell did not place.

WILHELM EARNED a four-way tie for second place in the pole vault at state, clearing 9-6.

The other Wildkat points came from a third in the 300 relay. Sophia Lewis-Peterson, Cedar Jordt, Alyssa Ladenburg and McKenzie Reeve teamed for a time of 51.43; they ran 52.2 at divisionals.

"They ran strong and fast," Heinz said.

C-Falls had three girls clear 5 feet in the high jump, but nine other jumpers did the same and the Wildkats failed to score. Heinz said Kayla DeWit had good marks in the triple jump but did not place.

"Everybody had their best times and distances," Heinz said. "It appears we peaked our kids at the right time of year."

C-Falls will lose seniors such as Ballard, Baumgartner, Wilhelm, Ladenburg and Nikki Elek, but has a bright future on the track.

"We're sophomore and freshman loaded," Heinz said. "We feel the future of our program is very, very good."