The Whitefish Bulldogs put a cap on the season at the State A track and field meet last weekend. The finale was highlighted by a fifth-place team finish for the girls and numerous all-around personal bests at the Laurel Sports Complex.

The Whitefish girls scored 39 points to place fifth in Class A, finishing behind champion Havre (62), Corvallis (58), Stevensville (53) and Hamilton (52). The Bulldogs were powered by a deep and youthful lineup.  

Sophomore standout Ginger Bergland led the way, finishing second in the 100-meter hurdles with a personal best 14.45 seconds, just .03 seconds behind the winner, and second in the 300 hurdles with another personal best of 44.10. Bergland scored 16 team points and contributed to two relay teams that reached the podium. 

The girls’ sprint depth was on full display as the 4x100 relay squad of Bergland, Mila Maddock, Anna Boysen and Avery Orme raced to bronze in a time of 49.07. Bergland and Boysen teamed up with Hayley Reardon and Brooklyn Shoff to earn another bronze in the 4x400 relay in 4:01.62. 

Beyond the relays, Orme, a freshman, scored serious points for the Bulldogs, placing fourth in the triple jump (35 feet, 3.75 inches) while also taking sixth in the 100 (12.59).  

Shoff, a sophomore, turned in a notable meet with a fifth-place finish in the 400 (1:00.21) and a seventh-place finish in the 200 (26.34). Freshman Kendall Dye added distance points with a sixth-place finish in the 800 (2:23.50). 

Whitefish also scored in field events, with Chantry Krack placing fifth in the high jump (5-0) and Sol Holmquist finishing eighth in the javelin (109-2). Bergland tied for eighth in the pole vault at 9-0. 

The Whitefish boys team finished 15th with 10 points in a meet won by Laurel with 96. The Bulldogs’ points were led by junior Colby Minton.  

Minton placed second in the 200 with a personal-best time of 22.30 seconds to earn eight points and added a sixth-place finish in the 400 (49.86). He also anchored the 4x400 relay team of John Stephens, Nathan Zetooney and Oakley Tunison, which placed sixth in 3:28.19. 

In field events, sophomore Braylon Dunn recorded two top ten finishes as he placed seventh in the discus (152-6) and 10th in the shot put (48-6½). Freshman Tunison added a 10th-place finish in the long jump (21-3½). 

The Bulldogs saw several personal-best efforts and contributions from underclassmen, signaling potential for future growth.

    Whitefish sophomore Ginger Bergland (right) and Stevensville's Reagan Johnstone (left) battled the entire meet for the top spot in women's hurdles. The two were separated by a combined 0.05 seconds in both prelims and finals of the 100-meter hurdles at the State Class A meet in Laurel. (Matt Weller photo)
  

    Bulldog Junior, Colby Minton, runs a personal best of 49.86 in the men's 400-meter dash at the State Class A meet in Laurel. Minton's performance earned him the final podium position, sixth. (Matt Weller photo)
  

    Freshman Kendall Dye competes in the woman's 800 meter run at the State Class A meet in Laurel on Friday. Dye clocked a 2:23.50 which earned her the final spot on the podium. (Matt Weller photo)
  

    Austin Alton leads off the men's 4X100 relay at the State class A meet in Laurel. (Matt Weller photo)
  

    Chantry Krack lands on the podium in fifth place with a leap of 5' 00" at the State Class A Track Meet in Laurel. (Matt Weller photo)