It’s one of the rites of spring.

As soon as the snow melts and often before it does, Montana high schoolers take to the running track, the jump pits and the weight throwing areas as track fever breaks out.

In what was one of the first track meets in this part of the state, Thompson Falls boys team used its edge in the running and jumping events to outpoint second-place Lincoln County (Eureka) 59-54 at the Eureka’s Fanciest Transformational Track and Field meet this past Saturday.

Plains, the third member of the three-team gathering finished third with 26 points as they won three events.

Eureka’s girls used a solid overall performance in several different events to capture the unofficial girls team title amassing 70 team points to easily outdistance second-place Plains which had 30 points.

The Thompson Falls girls took third with 26 points on the day.

The Blue Hawks took the top four places in the 100 meter run as part of their haul. Jesse Claridge won the event with a time of 12.22, just ahead of teammate Ryan Bucher who crossed the finish line in 12.28 seconds. Kaiden Robins made it a 1-2-3 sweep for T Falls with his time of 12.98, good for third.

Sam Feliska of Plains took fifth with a time of 14.24 seconds.

Lincoln County sprinter Caleb Utter got his team going with a win at 200 meters, just ahead of Plains’ Joseph Martin who covered the distance in 26.14. Third place in the 200 meters went to T Falls’ Robins who came in at 26.43.

In what would be Plains’ best event of the day, the 400 meter run, Mason Elliot captured first place with a time of 56.68, nearly two seconds ahead of fellow Horseman Darren Standeford’s 58.33.

Martin gave Plains another win in the 800 meters run, outkicking Eureka’s Kaden Gideon by nearly 10 seconds. Martin broke the tape in 2:58.61. Teammate Aaron Pfister finished third.

Thompson Falls got a pair of event win from William Hyatt, who won both the 1600 meter and 3200 meter runs by wide margins.

Plains also picked up a win in the 300 meter hurdle event, which was won by Mason Elliot in 46.74.

The Thompson Falls squad then won both of the days’ relay events, bringing home first place in the 4X100 and 4X400 races.

The Blue Hawks also got a pair of wins from Breck Ferris in the long and triple jumps where he dominated the early season competition.

Eureka won both the shot put and discus throws, as well as the javelin throw in sweeping the boys throwing events.

In the girls competition, Plains sprinter Elizabeth Flanagan won the 100 meter dash with a time of 15.34, while her Trotter teammates Amy Hill and Gracie Scribner took third and fourth.

Another bright spot for Plains was in the shot put and discus events, which were both won by Alexis Deming. She won the shot with a throw of 31-3, and added the discus title with her throw of 70 feet even.

Thompson Falls’ Chesney Lowe captured the javelin event with a toss of 110-6, almost 16 feet better than second place Lucy Reynolds of Eureka.

Lowe also added the pole vault title to her Saturday haul. The Lady Hawks also got a pair of wins from jumper Hattie Neesvig who took first in the long and triple jump competitions. Neesvig also earned a second place finish in the high jump.

Both Thompson Falls and Plains boys and girls return to action this Saturday at the Bigfork Invitational meet.