How do you replace two of the best athletes to don Hot Springs uniforms in recent memory? With a talented and eager group of youngsters.

That dilemma and solution is pretty much the situation facing a small but extremely promising group of track and field hopefuls who assume the reigns and leadership of the 2023 Savage Heat team.

Gone from last year’s team is Katelyn Christensen, one of the best, most productive Lady Savage Heat athletes of all time.

Not only was she a top flight talent in basketball and volleyball during her time at Hot Springs, she was a leader among her teammates in whatever sport in which she participated.

Last season Christensen was a three-event medalist at the Class C state tournament in Great Falls, placing in the top five in the 100 meters, 200 meters and javelin events. She graduated this past Springs and is now a member of the Carroll College (Helena) track team, with whom she signed a scholarship to throw the javelin.

She is also just finishing a red shirt year in basketball where she made the Lady Saints team this last semester.

Also gone from the success and leadership ranks is Kyle Lawson, who was a state medalist in both hurdles events (110 and 300 meters) as a junior, then overcame an early season leg injury at the beginning of last year’s track and field season to put together an outstanding senior year.

Lawson has also moved on to the college ranks, having signed a scholarship to play football at Western Montana in Dillon.

Despite those two glaring losses, hope is high for the Savage Heat, who will field a small team of just 11 athletes heading into the 2023 campaign.

That does not by any means indicate a down year ahead for the Heat, who return a solid core of underclassmen bolstered by an athletic sophomore class.

Returning to the Savage Heat boys team after successful freshman seasons are multi-sport standouts Weston Slonaker and Nick McAllister, both of whom also excelled on the football field and basketball court this year.

Slonaker was a Divisional qualifier in the 100 and 200 meter events last year, and also in both relays and the discus.

McAllister, meanwhile, also had an attention-getting freshman year, posting Divisional qualifying marks in the 400 meters, 110 hurdles and long jump.

Those two are joined by junior Quincy Styles-Depoe, a 6-1 basketball and football standout who also met divisional qualifying standards last year in the 110 hurdles, the 300 hurdles, high jump and 4X400 meters relay.

The Lady Savage Heat will also benefit from a talented sophomore, Georgia Uski, who was a divisional qualifier in the discus event last season.

Those underclassmen have generated optimism among coach Andrew Leichtnam and his staff.

“We have a rather small group of kids out this season ”, Leichtnam said. “What is very satisfying is the fact that all 11 athletes are great kids who work hard and make my life much easier. These athletes are the foundation of the future of the program. They will most likely all compete well into the Divisional and State meets this year”.

Leichtnam said others expected to make solid contributions to the team are Calvin Timmer, David Chapman and Wyatt Campbell, who are expected to help provide depth and strength in several different events.

“I feel this year the team is very well balanced in all aspects of track and field,” Leichtnam said. “We have several athletes who will compete well in both sprinting and hurdling events. Many of these athletes cross over well into the field events as well. We have several kids who should be very competitive in the discus, javelin, high jump and long jump”.

Leichtnam said he is anxious to watch the growth in the young team, particularly this year’s sophomores who had good performances last year as freshmen.

The Savage Heat travel to Corvallis this Saturday to compete in the Blue Devil Invitational, then return home the following Friday, March 31 prior to traveling down the road to Polson for the prestigious Dave Tripp Memorial Invitational.