The State B track and field meet was an on-again, off-again affair for coach Trenna Ferris and her Blue Hawk athletes in stormy Missoula last week.

Junior Addy Deal led Thompson Falls at the State B track meet at MCPS in Missoula Thursday through Saturday, winning third place in the javelin with a fine throw of 123-7, and tying for sixth place in the pole vault, clearing a best height of 9-0.

The three-day meet ended up being delayed by lightning Thursday and then heavily impacted by downpours of rain Saturday during the three days of wildly variable weather at MCPS in Missoula.

Ferris liked what her athletes gave her in Missoula, in spite of the weather disruptions, starting with Deal, who has just completed an outstanding junior year of athletics where she also earned All-State B accolades in volleyball and basketball for Thompson Falls.

“Addyson is a competitor through and through,” Ferris said. “She is physically and mentally tough. She handles pressure very well and steps up. We are so proud of her accomplishments, not only at state, but all season long.”

Ferris also cited the efforts of junior Brylon Van-Elswyk, who threw a personal best 164-2 in the javelin. “This is usually a state placing mark,” she said, “but this year the competition was tough. We are proud of him!”

The Hawk boys’ 4x100 meter relay team of Hank Stone, Teagan Dorscher, Chase Helvey and Alex Newman ran a personal best time of 46.07 in the trials, Ferris said adding that Carson Kenney and Brogan Anderson also deserved credit as alternates on that squad as they were also part of it all season.

Junior Aubrey Baxter completed her remarkable two-sport spring (she was one of two Falls players to qualify for and play in the recent State B golf tournament) by running a personal best time of 1:03.70 in the 400 meters, a race Ferris expects Baxter to continue to excel in next year.

Newman, in addition to running the anchor leg on the 4x100 relay, performed very well in the long jump and made the finals, but ended up 10th. The Hawks’ frosh flash narrowly missed making state in the sprints this year and will likely be even faster next spring.

Ferris said sophomore Weston Block ran the 3200 meters during the heavy rainstorm Saturday and that he ran a good race, and that senior Hank Stone represented the Hawks well in another very tough field of competitors in the pole vault, adding that she was proud of both for their efforts in Missoula last week and all season.