MISSOULA — The patch of blue sky sitting over MCPS Stadium disappeared, the wind picked up and Caleb Bernhardt took off.

Bernhardt, the Glacier Wolfpack’s senior hurdler, raced through blustery conditions to win the 300-meter hurdles in 39.91 seconds Friday, the first day of the Western AA track and field divisionals.

He finished just .03 off his career best, set on May 1 in a dual with Columbia Falls. This was his first race since, and there was another first: He got to the tape ahead of Missoula Sentinel’s Drew Klumph, who was second at 40.23.

“I’m really happy,” said Bernhardt, who’d lost four matchups with Klumph dating back to last year’s divisional. “Especially after losing to him at state last year. To beat him here is a big confidence booster for me.”

Bernhardt wasn’t the only one in blue and green to go big Friday — Sam Ells ran his career-best 3,200 meters, winning in 9:19.39. That’s well under the 9:30.89 he clocked in his last attempt, on April 28. It’s enough to make a track coach marvel.

“I know he hasn’t run too many this year,” Glacier’s Arron Deck said. “I tell a lot of our people around that I think Sam Ells is one of the best athletes in the state this year.

“He’s extremely focused and has a lot of potential, not only these next two weeks but the next four or five years he spends at Montana State. It’s really no secret in this business: If you put in your time and work, you usually get the results you’ve earned.”

The senior didn’t compete in the 800 Friday, but will at next week’s State AA meet in Butte. Saturday he’ll go for a distance double, when they run the 1,600. As in the 3,200, Ells owns the best time in AA, at 4:15.04.

After nine events Glacier is neck-and-neck with Helena Capital for the boys team title: The Bruins had 57 points and the Wolfpack 51.5. Next is Missoula Sentinel at 44. Flathead sits seventh at 18.

Helping the Pack, among others, were Joe Limberis tying for fifth in the pole vault and Xavier Stout and John Pyron going 3-5 in the long jump. Jake Turner was second in the long jump, and helped the Pack’s short relay take second as well.

On the girls side Helena High leads after eight events, with 59 points. Missoula Hellgate is next at 48, followed by Glacier (48) and Flathead (42).

The Glacier girls also saw a personal best: Sidney Gulick led the way in the 300 hurdles, winning in 46.32 seconds.

The race lacked Sentinel wunderkind Brooke Stayner, who had long ago qualified for next week’s State AA meet in Butte, but Gulick and Bailey Gable (third in 48.36) were happy to add

Flathead picked up a second from Taliana Miller in the javelin, and the Bravettes’ short relay was second, just .04 ahead of Glacier. In the 3,200 Lilli Rumsey Eash led a 2-4-6 Flathead finish.

Hania Halverson was fourth in the pole vault; Kelcey Copping (27.06) and Rylee Barnes (27.62) both PRd in the 200 trials, with the second and fifth-fastest times of the day (and Glacier’s Noah Fincher ran 27.49).

The 200 trials came after conditions deteriorated — or, if you’re a glass-half-full person, reverted to normal for this spring. It was a very bearable 55 degrees at 5 p.m., but then temperatures quickly dropped into the 40s.

“Goodness,” said Bernhardt, who also had the fastest 110-meter trial Friday, at 15.29. That’s where the strong minded are separated from the ones that are just running the race.

“It’s tough. Generally I’ll be running and I’ll stride one or two steps to get over the next hurdle. This one I was striding five steps before to make sure I hit it with my good leg.”

Saturday promises to be better: 60 degrees and calm.

“We still have work to do,” Deck said. “The boys are ready and excited for the morning.”

Western AA Divisional

Friday, MCPS Stadium

BOYS

Team scores (Through 9 of 17 events) — 1, Helena Capital 57; 2, Glacier 51.5; 3, Missoula Sentinel 44; 4, Helena 43; 5, Missoula Hellgate 32; 6, Butte 23.5; 7, Flathead 18; 8, Missoula Big Sky10.

800 — 1, Colin Shaules, Snt, 1:57.05; 2, Daniel Wiltse, Hgt, 1:58.56; 3, Kesler Hughes, Flathead, 1:59.76; 4, Tyler Jose, Cap, 2:00.16; 5, Aaron French, Hel, 2:00.18; 6, Finneas Colescott, Hgt, 2:00.40.

3,200 — 1, Sam Ells, Glacier, 9:19.39; 2, Tanner Klumph, Snt, 9:49.92; 3, Gabe Felton, Flathead, 9:54.12; 4, Wilson Derry, Hgt, 9:58.21; 5, Brody Romano, Cap, 9:58.72; 6, Henry Sund, Hel, 10:02.19.

300 hurdles — 1, Caleb Bernhardt, Glacier, 39.91; 2, Drew Klumph, Snt, 40.23; 3, Colter Petre, Hel, 40.62; 4, Morgan McClernan, Butte, 41.70; 5, Ethan Anderson, Glacier, 41.76; 6, Matthew Moreni, Cap, 41.79.

400 relay — 1, Missoula Sentinel 42.37; 2, Glacier 42.59; 3, Helena Capital 43.66; 4, Flathead 43.74; 5, Butte 43.78; 6, Helena 44.12.

Javelin — 1, Marcus Evans, Hel, 173-0; 2, Aiden Nichols, Hgt, 169-9; 3, Zac Crews, Snt, 169-1; 4, Timbur Nilson, Hgt, 16-22; 5, Reuben Hornby, Gla, 156-3; 6, Shaun Leichty, Snt, 156-2.

Shot put — 1, Josh Goleman, Hel, 53-7; 2, Forrest Suero, Hel, 49-0; 3, Barrett Hageman, Cap, 48-6; 4, Chastise Meyer, MBS, 48-3; 5, Henry Sellards, Glacier, 47-11; 6, Tommy Nilson, Hellgate, 47-6.5.

High jump — 1, Nick Michelotti, Cap, 6-2; 2, Jonas Serhman, Butte, 6-0; 3, Xavier Stout, Glacier, 6-0; 4, Cameron Tobiness, Butte, 6-0; 5, John Pyron, Glacier, 6-0; 6, Jaxan Leiberg, Hel, 6-0.

Long jump — 1, Hunter Cronenwett, Cap, 21-4; 2, Jake Turner, Glacier, 20-5.75; 3, Skeet Scharfe, Hgt, 20-4.5; 4, Colter Petre, Hel, 20-1.5; 5, Dylan Zink, Flathead, 20-0.5; 6, Tyler Christensen, Snt, 19-7.75.

Pole vault — 1, Alex Brisko, Cap, 13-6; 2, Andy Williams, Cap, 13-0; 3, Joey Sandberg, MBS, 13-0; 4, Jaric Sparks, Butte, 13-0; 5 (tie), Gavin Vetter, Butte, and Joe Limberis, Glacier, 12-6.

GIRLS

Team scores (Through 8 of 17 events) — 1, Helena 59; 2, Missoula Hellgate 48; 3, Glacier 42; 4, Flathead 40; 5, Missoula Sentinel 38; 6, Helena Capital 18, 7, Missua Big Sky 3.

800 — 1, Odessa Zentz, Hel, 2:14.24; 2, Kensey May, Hgt, time unavailable; 3, Ruby Lorenz, Snt, 2:22.35; 4, Alyssa Vollertsen, Glacier, 2:22.64; 5, Mykayla Miller, Snt, 2:24.13; 6, Emmaline Derry, Hgt, 2:26.31.

3,200 — 1, Kylie Hartness, Hel, 10:54.20; 2, Lilli Rumsey Eash, Flathead, 11:15.78; 3, Malia Bradford, Snt, 11:49.07; 4, Madelaine Jellison, Flathead, 11:54.55; 5, Annika Kendrick, Hgt, 11:58.15; 6, Josie Wilson, Flathead, 12:02.55.

300 hurdles — 1, Sidney Gulick, Glacier, 46.32; 2, Rachel Plaster, Hel, 47.89; 3, Bailey Gable, Glacier, 48.36; 4, Zoey Bortz, Flathead, 48.39; 5, Mikayla Hall, Cap, 48.8;4 6, Harie Roth, Flathead, 49.39.

400 relay — 1, Missoula Hellgate 50.07; 2, Flathead 50.31; 3, Glacier 50.35; 4, Missoula Sentinel 50.60; 5, Helena Capital 50.81; 6, Missoula Big Sky, 50.86.

Javelin — 1, Keke Davis, Hgt, 117-10; 2, Taliana Miller, Flathead, 116-0; 3, Elly Thorpe, Hgt, 113-3; 4, Hailey Hiller, Snt, 110-6; 5, Madison Terry, Glacier, 107-6; 6, Kim Feller, Hel, 107-2.

Shot put — 1, Sydney Mattfeldt, Hel, 40-1.5; 2, Kai Johnson, Glacier, 37-9.25; 3, Delanie Schultz, Glacier, 36-3.5; 4, Jaida Green, Cap, 35-9.75; 5, Alliyah Stevens, Flathead, 35-4; 6, Nalatie Ellis, MBS, 32-9.

Long jump — 1, Brooke Stayner, Sent, 18-3.25; 2, Logan Todorivich, Hel, 18-1; 3, Madilyn Todorvich, Hel, 17-3; 4, Ava Kellenberg, Snt, 16-10.25; 5, Perry Paffhausen, Hgt, 16-8.5; 6, Alix Mund, Hgt, 16-8.

Pole vault — 1, Libby Hansen, Cap, 11-6; 2, Hannah Moses, Hgt, 11-6; 3, Annika Nehring, Hel, 10-0; 4, Hania Halverson, Flathead, 10-0; 5, Landrie Anderson, Snt, 9-0; 6, Alex Fuchs, MBS, 9-0.