Merchant, Austin Savik help Vikings to first-day lead

FRENCHTOWN — Bigfork still has its foot on the gas and leads the boys portion of the Western A Divisional track and field meet after Friday’s action.

With Robert Merchant hitting personal records in both the 100 (10.79 seconds in the prelims) and 400 (48.78), Bigfork had 46 points after nine events at the two-day meet. 

Polson (35 points), Corvallis (34) and Columbia Falls (31) sit 2-3-4. 

Southwest A teams held the top four spots in the girls team standings: Hamilton had 45 points after eight events, followed by Corvallis (39), Stevensville (28) and Frenchtown (26). Columbia Falls (23), Polson (22) and Whitefish (14) are 5-6-7. 

Merchant, who will run the 100 and 200 on Saturday, already owned the fastest times in A in all three sprints. He also had company at the top of the podium in Austin Savik, who hit his PR in the 110 hurdles: 15.23.  

Quinn Kerr, Savik, Tayden West and Merchant also teamed to win the 400-meter relay in 42.77. West clocked 50.67 in the 400, taking third.  

Tamret Savik leapt 20 feet, 10 inches to take second in the long jump to Dillon’s Canin Christiansen (22-1); he’ll have the triple jump Saturday. 

Polson was led by David DiGiallonaro and Jackson Bontadelli, who finished first and third in the 1,600; DiGiallonardo won in 4:23.76. Bontadelli’s time of 4:32.33 was a PR and unofficially sits sixth in Class A.  

Isaac Kinnick cleared 12-6 to win the pole vault and Dion Litchtenberg added a third in the javelin for the Pirates. 

Columbia Falls got big points from Joe West, who won the javelin with a throw of 168-0 and depth from Miles Colliander (third, 100 hurdles), Aiyers Powell (fourth, 1,600), and Tristian Archuletta and Bergen Bullemer, who were fourth and sixth in the pole vault. 

Libby’s Tristan Andersen was second to West in the javelin, throwing 164-8. 

Whitefish’s Colby Minton was second in the 400, clocking 50.38; freshman teammate Oakley Tunison marked 20-7.5 to take fourth in the long jump. 

On the girls side, Frenchtown’s Blake Hardy ran a stellar 12.47 to win a fast 100 meters. Whitefish’s Avery Orme (12.78) and Anna Boysen (12.94) ran PRs while finishing fifth and sixth. Polson’s Emelia Stene (12.75) was fourth. 

Polson’s Morgan Delaney ran her PR, 4:59.42, while winning the 1,600. Libby’s Capri Farmer was second at 5:00.13, also a PR; Delaney’s sister Quinn was fourth. 

Whitefish saw Ginger Bergland (60.69, a PR) and Booklyn Shoff finished 3-5 in the 400; Hamilton’s Annalise Lewis won in 59.26. 

Bergland didn’t run the 100 hurdles, which Stevensville’s Reagan Johnstone won in a PR of 14.85, now the fastest time in A.  

Johnstone, like Bergland a sophomore, also won the long jump with an eye-popping mark of 18-9.25, and teammate Sophia Hutchinson was second at 18-2.75. Those are unofficially the two best marks in Class A. 

Hamilton’s efforts included wins from Gracie Werst in the shot put and from pole vaulter Aubrey Korst. Korst she cleared 11-6, and Columbia Falls’ Soli Bullemer was second at 11-0, followed by Polson’s Kellyn Nelson (10-0).