Loggers' Wright medals in 4 events at state
The Libby High School track team came away from the Class A state track meet in Butte on Saturday with a few smiles. Logger athletes claimed eight individual medals and the boys finished among the top 10 in the team race.
Still, there were also a few empty feelings of disappointment. Seth Wright scored 18 of the 22 points for the boys but had to settle for second place in the triple jump and in his best event – the high jump.
“To me, it was a typical state track meet,” LHS coach Ed Tabis said. “You have your highs, you have your lows, your ups, your downs, your disappointments – our kids experienced all of that.”
Wright, senior, and Browning’s Darrell Weatherwax battled to 6-6. But Weatherwax got the victory based on a Wright miss back at 6-2. It was the first meeting between the two jumpers.
Wright also came close in the triple jump by going 43-0.75 for second place. Stevensville’s Isaac Hunter won at 44-5.5. He also placed sixth in the long jump with a 20-6.25 and sixth in the discus with a throw of 144-3.
Joel Fuller, senior, also scored points for the team with a fourth-place showing in the javelin. Fuller had a throw of 174-8, just shy of his personal best.
In other boys’ results, Fuller threw 42-9.75 in the shot and Wright just missed the finals with a 155-9 in the javelin. Dylan Berget competed in both the 1600 (4:54.58) and 3200 (11:10.88)
The 1600-meter relay team of Kelly May, Scott Harlow, Tyler Troy and Dietrich Coleman came in with a time of 3:41.39. The 400-meter relay of Fuller, Dean Willey, Corey Chapman and Coleman was disqualified after flagged for a baton exchange outside of the designated zone.
Tabis said Stephany Kluver had a tough time in the discus and javelin. Kluver scratched on her first two discus throws and then had to settle for 88-5. And in the javelin, Kluver came in with a 113-10 to place fifth.
“They are still great achievements but I’m sure she was disappointed with the great goals she sets,” Tabis said.
Kaila Forster and Rachael Sweedman each won medals. Forster recorded a 16-0.5 – a personal best – to finish fourth in the long jump. And Sweedman had a personal-best 34-10 in the triple jump to place sixth.
In other results for the girls, Sweedman had season-best marks in both the javelin (104-9) and long jump (15-6). Erin Baker competed in the shot put (31-10) and discus (92-10). Corey Willis cleared 4-10 in the high jump – a personal-best height for her.
The 400-meter relay came in with a season-best 52.69 seconds. Sweedman, Devon Hoyer, Kluver and Forster run legs on the relay.
Tabis said the weather was perfect for this year’s meet – not something athletes have always experienced in the past on trips to Butte.
“I’ve been to four state meets at Butte and you see all four seasons in two days,” Tabis said. “But this one was unbelievably warm, high 70s, low 80s, blue skies.”
Tabis said he wanted to thank several individuals for their help with Libby’s track program this season, including the track moms of Joey Emery and Kaila Forster who handled scorekeeping.
Friday-Saturday at Butte
BOYS
Team Scoring
1, Corvallis 108; 2, Laurel 76; 3, Whitefish 72; 4, Frenchtown 34; 5, Polson 32; 6, Columbia Falls 22.5; 7, Libby 22; 8, Dillon 21; 9, Lewistown 13; 10, Belgrade 12; 10, Billings Central 12; 10, Hamilton 12; 13, Ronan-Mission 12; 10, Stevensville 12; 15, Bigfork 11; 16, Glendive 10.5; 16, Sidney 10.5; 18, Browning 8.5; 18, Anaconda 8.5; 20, Butte Central 8; 21, Hardin 4; 22, Havre 3; 23, Miles City 1.
Libby Medalists
High jump – 2, Seth Wright, 6-6..
Long jump – 6, Seth Wright, 20-6.25.
Javelin – 4, Joel Fuller, 174-8.
Discus – 6, Seth Wright, 144-3.
Triple jump – 2, Seth Wright, 43-0.75.
Other LHS Results
1600 – Dylan Berget, 4:54.58.
3200 – Dylan Berget, 11:10.88.
400 Relay – Libby (Joel Fuller, Dean Willey, Corey Chapman, Dietrich Coleman), DQ.
1600 Relay – Libby (Kelly May, Scott Harlow, Tyler Troy, Dietrich Coleman), 3:41.39.
Shot Put – Joel Fuller, 42-9.75.
Javelin – Seth Wright, 155-9.
GIRLS
Team Scoring
1, Belgrade 83; 2, Hamilton 60; 3, Polson 58; 4, Bigfork 38; 5, Billings Central 37; 6, Lewistown 35; 7, Stevensville 34; 8, Ronan-Mission 32; 9, Sidney 30; 10, Glendive 28; 11, Corvallis 22; 11, Frenchtown 22; 13, Columbia Falls 11; 14, Miles City 10; 15, Whitefish 9; 16, Libby 7; 17, Butte Central 5; 18, Livingston 3; 19, Dillon 2; 20, Laurel 1.
Libby Medalists
Javelin – 5, Stephany Kluver, 113-10.
Triple jump – 6, Rachael Sweedman, 34-10.75#.
Long jump – 4, Kaila Forster, 16-0.5#.
Other LHS Results
400 Relay – Libby (Rachael Sweedman, Devon Hoyer, Stephany Kluver, Kaila Forster), 52.69#.
Shot Put – Erin Baker, 31-10.
Discus – Erin Baker, 92-10; Stephany Kluver, 88-5.
Javelin – Rachael Sweedman, 104-9#.
Long Jump – Rachael Sweedman, 15-6#.
High Jump – Corey Willis, 4-10#.
# Athlete’s personal best mark or time.