Bulldogs bring home Class A state title

The Whitefish boys track and field team had just enough fire power to capture the 2013 Class A state championship last weekend in Laurel. The Bulldogs rallied to score 62 points on the final day of the meet and slip past runner-up Billings Central by a nine point margin.

The Bulldogs hadn’t led the entire meet, but a dominate day from Logan Harwood and a few unexpected podium finshes pushed Whitefish to the top.

Whitefish learned they had won the team championship just prior to the mile relay late Saturday afternoon.

“Once they found out, the boys all huddled together — the entire team.” Whitefish coach Derek Schulz said. “The spirit in their faces was just priceless.”

The state title marks the eighth overall for the Whitefish boys in school history, and the seventh since 1997. The most recent title came in 2008.

The bulk of the boy’s points came from runner Logan Harwood. The 6-foot 1-inch senior and multi-sport athlete wrapped up his outstanding prep career with a tidal wave of points on the track. Harwood scored victories in the 200, 400 and 800, and ran the anchor leg in the winning 4x100 relay. His 400 time set a new school record.

Schulz says “versatility” is the only word to describe Harwood’s track career.

“Very few people can run the 100 to 800, and do it as well as he can,” Schulz said. “He left his mark with one of the best performances in school history, and we have a long history.”

Harwood says it feels good to be mentioned with some of the best ever to run for the Dogs.

“All the hours and time I put in, to leave my mark feels really great,” he said. “It’s such a great program.”

Harwood took a call from the University of Great Falls athletic department during the state meet letting him know that he’d be getting a full-ride scholarship to run with the Argos. They were particularly impressed with his 400 time.

Icing on the cake to an unforgettable weekend for the senior.

Also leading the Dogs, Keaton Grove captured an individual title in the 110 hurdles with a 15.33, just edging Dillon’s Mick Paffhausen. Grove also took fifth in the 300 hurdles.

“Keaton came to play,” Schulz said. “He does it with desire and technique — he’s a technician out there.”

The winning 4x100 relay team of Sean Foley, Jed Nagler, Iaian Cameron and Harwood set a school record with a 42.86.

“To know some of the teams they beat to set that record — we’ve had some really good teams at Whitefish,” Schulz said.

Foley left Laurel with a stack of medals around his neck. The junior took second in the pole vault, clearing 13-6, and made the podium in the long jump.

“He was huge for us,” Schulz said. “He’s a tough kid and those are the type you like to have on a team.”

The coach said the overall team championship can be chalked up to a total team performance.

“Everyone we took to state competed really well,” Schulz said. “Once you get to that level, it boils down to who steps up and who is ready to go.”

Critical points came from Gage Smith in shot put, Jace Kalbfleisch in the 3,200, Cameron in the 400, and Luke May in javelin.

“Take those points away and the margin gets a lot closer,” Schulz said.

Schulz knew the Dogs had what it takes to win state, even if they were somewhat off the radar all season.

“I knew there was potential, and they knew there was potential,” he said. “But it wasn’t until the divisional meet that anyone saw our whole team at once.”

Harwood said the entire team stepped up big in Laurel.

“To win state, that’s huge for us as a team,” he said. “We put in the work and it paid off.”

Team scores -- Whitefish 78, Billings Central 69, Dillon 64, Laurle 51.5, Hamilton 50.5, Glendive 39, Frenchtown 32, Lewistown 26, Corvallis 21, Columbia Falls 20, Belgrade 19, Polson 18, Livingston 18, Miles City 8, Sidney 6, Stevensville 3, Browning 2, Anaconda 2.

100 -- Austin Carver, Dil, 11.23; Brandon Toney, Liv, 11.27; John LeSeuer, Gle, 11.33; Logan Harwood, Whi, 11.34; Gharret Olson, Fre, 11.36; Anthony Lowery, Fre, 11.42.

200 -- Logan Harwood, Whi, 22.56; Brock Butcher, Lew, 22.87; Austin Carver, Dil, 22.96; Jon Nissen, Lau, 23.02; Tai Sokoloski, Gle, 23.27; Holden Ryan, BilC, 23.56.

400 — Logan Harwood, Whi, 48.81; Luke Hill, Gle, 49.91; Brock Butcher, Lew, 50.22; Jon Nissen, Lau, 50.63; Iaian Cameron, Whi, 51.19; Karill Apendaile, Ham, 51.21.

800 -- Logan  Harwood, Whi, 1:56.57; Karill Apendaile, Ham, 1:57.39; Ryan McKinney, Lew, 1:58.57; Ladan Ricketts, Liv, 1:58.85; Jake Purlee, Cor, 1:59.38; Gregory Beck, Ham, 1:59.98.

1,600 — Ty Mogan, Lau, 4:26.82; Anthony Schmalz, Ham, 4:27.06; Jonathan Eastwood, Bel, 4:28.39; Easton Albert, Ham, 4:33.79; Wyatt Mad Plume, Brow, 4:35.43; Jake Purlee, Cor, 4:36.21.

3,200 -- Ty Mogan, Lau, 9:50.73; Jonathan Eastwood, Bel, 9:57.62; Anthony Schmalz, Ham, 10:00.82; Jace Kalbfleisch, Whi, 10:06; Easton Albert, Ham, 10:08.3; Sage Schoonen, Dil, 10:09.45.

110 hurdles -- Keaton Grove, Whi, 15.33; Mick Paffhausen, Dil, 15.36; Ben Herzog, MC, 15.53; David Diehl, Fre, 15.54; Holden Garrison, Dil, 1562; Taylor Sylvester, Cor, 16.09.

300 hurdles -- Mick Paffhausen, Dil, 40.16; George Smith, BilC, 40.86; Matt Hayes, Fre, 41.22; John Luke Koslosky, Dil, 41.56; Jadin Casey, Ste, 41.75; Keaton Grove, Whi, 42.1.

400 relay -- Whitefish 42.86, Billings Central 43.47, Glendive 43.56, Dillon 44.01, Frenchtown 44.26, Laurel 44.51.

1,600 relay -- Laurel 3:26.87, Billiings Central 3:27.34, Columbia Falls 3:29.18, Hamilton 3:30.17, Lewistown 3:31.34, Whitefish 3:32.02.

High jump — Dylan Hanser, BilC, 6-4; James Vercella, Lau, 6-2; Abe Westfall, Ham, 6-2; Matt Hayes, Fre, 6-0; Devin Begger, MC, 6-0; Christopher Lords, Ste, 6-0.

Pole vault -- David Diehl, Fre, 14-3; Sean Foley, Whi, 13-6; Taylor Schwartz, Gle, 13-6; Dillon Silvernale, Gle, 13-0; Jed Craig, Lau, 13-0; (tie) Mitch Thompson, Lau and Abe Westfall, Ham, 13-0.

Long jump — Zach Girard, Dil, 21-2 3/4; Dylan Hanser, BilC, 21-2; Tanner Schwartz, Gle, 21-1 1/2; Brock Butcher, Lew, 20-11 1/4; Sean Foley, Whi, 20-11; Bobby Erbaugh, Fre, 20-10.

Triple jump -- Abe Westfall, Ham, 44-3 1/2; Dylan Hanser, BilC, 43-6 1/4; Nakia Alexander, CF, 43-4; Riley Nichols, BilC, 43-1 3/4; Bobby Erbaugh, Fre, 41-10 1/4; Eathyn Peterson, Dil, 41-10.

Shot put — Riley Sampson, Pol, 53-6 1/4; Kyle Moore, Dil, 52-8 1/2; Chris Emter, Liv, 52-4; Garrett Flaming, BilC, 48-6; Gage Smith, Whi, 47-5; Connor Rehm, Bel, 46-11.

Discus -- Branden Butt, Cor, 163-9; Riley Sampson, Pol, 153-0; Daulton King, Sid, 150-5; Connor Rehm, Bel, 148-9; Marcus Monaco, Ana, 143-6; Quinton Holmlund, Lau, 143-4.

Javelin -- Sean Ward, BilC, 175-11; Ty Morgan, CF, 175-0; Tyler Olson, Cor, 167-7; Luke May, Whi,m 167-2; Ejay Stuen, Gle, 165-6; Edward Ryan, Cor, 158-11.