The Kelliann Blackburn Era of Whitefish girls track ended in 2022 with the program’s fifth State A championship, and now the Matt Beckwith Era begins.

There’s been coaches put in harsher situations: The Bulldogs lost Erin Wilde (now high-jumping at Montana) and Tommye Kelly to graduation, but just about every other point scored last May in Butte returns. And it’s a lot of points.

Back are sophomore sprinter Rachael Wilmot, junior hurdler Maeve Inglefinger and, of course, junior sprinters Hailey Ells and Brooke Zetooney. Counting Whitefish’s victory relays, the duo (Ells also is a standout hurdler and jumper) scored 68 of the Bulldogs’ 103 points at State.

“Those two young ladies are really dedicated and really driven,” said Beckwith, whose squad began their season Tuesday with a meet at Legends Stadium. “They bring great talent and leadership, and they make the kids around them better.”

Beckwith is a Columbia Falls High alum who was coached by his dad Mark in track and field; and played a couple years of Frontier Conference basketball at Montana Tech before graduating from Montana State.

“When I was in college I volunteered to work with different track teams,” he said. “When I started teaching in Whitefish 13 years ago, (then-coach) Derek Schultz called and said, ‘I want you to be my throw coach.’ And that was that.”

To be accurate, Whitefish is more track than field these days, though sophomore Kristina Shestak could score in the javelin, junior Norah Schmidt is a threat in the pole vault and jumps and Bailey Smith, seventh at State in 2021 in the triple jump, is back after missing her sophomore season with injury.

Sophomore Kellie Klepper and junior Morgan Grube are the early leaders of the distance crew.

“We have a great tradition in Whitefish; it’s something I’d like to keep running,” Beckwith said. “Everybody’s really excited. It’s a fresh year. And we can’t wait for the danged snow to go away so we can get some stuff done outside.”

Columbia Falls scored 36 points at state, so the Wildkats aren’t to be overlooked (neither are junior Olivia Lewis and the Corvallis Blue Devils). It was junior Ally Sempf who was third behind Zetooney and Ells in the 200 in Butte; there are also sophomore hurdler Courtney Hussion and junior vaulter Emma McAllister, among others.

Libby scored four points at state last year, and they came from Rylee Boltz, now a senior, in the 400. Fellow senior Aurora Smith and sophomore Bergen Fortner give the Loggers a formidable hurdles crew.

Ronan has an excellent distance runner in senior OIivia Heiner, for starters.

Whitefish, C-Falls boys tough

Willie Roche, fourth-year coach of the Bulldog boys, likes to lay in the weeds. That’s what his team did last May before surging to third at the State A meet.

The bad news: Thrower Talon Holmquist and jumpers Gabe Menicke and Bodie Smith graduated, along with the entire long relay team.

“It’s tough to replace those state points, but we have a lot of untested youth,” Roche said. “Our sophomores last year are now juniors and a lot of them got bigger and better over the last year.”

A strong distance crew led by juniors Deneb Linton and Mason Genovise and senior Nate Inglfinger return. Sophomore Rudy Steiner, who didn’t compete last spring is also out.

“Our distance squad is loaded,” Roche said. “It’s nice to have a large crew because they push each other.”

Juniors Ryder Barinowski (sprints), Azure Stulte (sprints) and Morgan Kyle (jumps) could score, as could sophomore sprinter Scot Dalen. Simon Douglas (800) and Ethan Amick (distances) are two more solid sophomores, and we can’t leave out senior thrower Kitar Olsen.

Libby and Columbia Falls finished 9-10 at State last May, and the Wildcats return the strongest cast.

Seniors Jace Duval (sprints, long jump), Adam Schrader (400), Finley Sundberg and Bryce Dunham lead the way. Dunham was third at state in the javelin a year ago; Sundberg ran a leg on the Wildcats’ long relay.

Juniors Malaki Simpson, Adler Waters (sprints) and Logan Peterson (distances) return along with sophomores Jack Phelps (400) and Lane Voermans (shot put and discus).

The Cats have some talent.

“Absolutely they do,” Roche said. “Jamie (Heinz, the head coach) runs a great program. I ran track in college with assistant Josiah Osborne, and he had really fast sprinters last year. They’ve got some serious talent and serious coaching.”

Libby has a pair of go-tos, though Cy Stevenson — second at state in the shot put a year ago — is a week from returning from injury. Kasen Day is a promising sophomore sprinter.