Led by their strong contingent of throwers, the Hot Springs girls scored 22 points to finish twelfth in team scoring in the 22-team Seeley-Swan Invitational at MCPS Stadium in Missoula Saturday.

Led by Daniel Slonaker, Ben Aldridge and Chase DePoe the Savage Heat boys scored 17 team points and also finished twelfth in team scoring in the Seeley-Swan Invite.

In other local track action last week, coach Jason Colyer’s Hot Springs thinclads also competed in the Thompson Falls Invitational at Previs Field in Thompson Falls April 21. The Savage Heat girls scored 22 points in that varsity meet and the boys 19.

Senior Kara Christensen scored in three events for Hot Springs, winning third in the discus (103-8), fourth in the shot put (29-0) and fourth in the javelin (96-8), Kora Hensrude placed third on the shot put (just edging Christensen with a best of 29-5.5) and sixth in the discus (97-0).

Erica Cannon grabbed sixth place in the shot put for the Heat’s other point in the Seeley-Swan meet.

With the Hot Springs boys, Slonaker surged to am impressive second place win in the 100 meter dash, covering the distance in only 11.73 seconds, Aldridge won third place in the 300 meter hurdles (41.69), while DePoe took sixth place in the 300 hurdles (43.93) and in the long jump (19-0.25).

The 400 meter relay team of Samson Jakabosky, DePoe, Bill DeTienne and Aldridge placed sixth in that race in 46.72 seconds.

At the Thompson Falls Invite, DePoe won third in the long jump with a best leap of 19-6, Aldridge finished right behind his teammate with a jump of 19-5 for fourth place, and Jakabosky took fifth in the shot put with a best throw of 34-8.

The 1600 meter relay team of Jakabosky, DeTienne, Brayden Colyer and Aldridge won that race in 3:58.

With the Heat girls in TFalls, Christensen won second place in the discus and sixth in the javelin, Hensrude placed fourth in the shot put and in the discus, and Alisha Jakabosky took fifth place in the javelin.

Hot Springs teams are scheduled to compete in the Bigfork Invitational Saturday.

Colyer likes what his athletes are doing. “The girls keep getting stronger every week,” he said. “And it’s great to have Daniel competing again, he really helps round us out as a team.” Slonaker was only recently cleared to resume athletic activity after injuring a knee during football season last fall.

Colyer said that Aldridge qualified for and expects to compete in the 300 meter hurdles at the Russ Pilcher Top 10 meet in Missoula April 28.

Whatever happens from here on out, Colyer said he and his athletes are ready for it. “We are very excited for the rest of the season,” he said, “and are really looking forward to the District 14C meet.”

The combined District 13C-14C meet will he held in Missoula May 15-16.