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Montana's Class AA state track and field meet in Great Falls this week

grady higgins, great falls tribune
·6 min read

The Class AA state track meet returns to Memorial Stadium in Great Falls for the first time since 2018 this weekend, and there’s plenty to keep an eye from Great Falls High and C.M. Russell High athletes on their home turf.

The meet, combined with Class C, officially kicks off Thursday evening with AA girls’ pole vault before action fully commences at 9 a.m. for field events and 10:30 for races both Friday and Saturday. For a full schedule of events, visit mhsa.org/postseasontrack.

The Bison and Rustlers both have athletes already holding program records that will be looking to further their names in the history books, while several others will be in line for All-State honors by virtue of top-six finishes.

Here’s a rundown of what to watch for at the state track meet in Great Falls this weekend.

Montana Class AA state track and field meet at Memorial Stadium

Defending boys’ champion: Bozeman Gallatin/Helena Capital

Defending girls’ champion: Helena High (2x)

Harrington’s last meet for Great Falls High

Ryan Harrington could sit out this weekend and have nothing to prove as likely the greatest distance runner for the Bison in recent memory, if not all-time. Fortunately, he’ll get one more crack at showing what he can do on his home track.

Great Falls High star cross country and track runner Ryan Harrington signs his letter of intent to Montana State University as coaches and teammates celebrate Friday.
Great Falls High star cross country and track runner Ryan Harrington signs his letter of intent to Montana State University as coaches and teammates celebrate Friday.

Harrington – a three-time All-State cross country runner who was second at state in the fall – already set Great Falls High program records in the 3,200 meters (8:58.33, previous 1965) and 800 (1:54.03, previous 1989) and is approaching the mile record in the 1,600 with a personal best at state last season in the event of 4:15.08.

Already a five-time All-State track runner who finished second to All-Class state record holder Weston Brown of Bozeman and third in the 3,200 last year, Harrington faces a tall task once again in nationally ranked Nathan Neil of Bozeman.

Neil, who already broke All-Class-record marks (which can only be set at a state meet) in the 1,600 (4:06.71/4:10.68) and 3,200 (8:35.32/9:04.35) in meets this season, is also No. 1 in the state in the 800 (1:53.20), less than two-hundredths of a second ahead of Harrington (1:54.03). Quinn Newman of Missoula Sentinel is also ranked second (4:15.43) in the 1,600 and third in the 3,200 (9:00.72) this season.

While Neil is the clear favorite in two of the three races, it will make for must-watch track this weekend with more state and school records primed to fall.

Harrington is also running the anchor leg of the Bison boys’ 4x400 relay, ranked third in the AA this season (3:29.07) along with teammates Mason Kralj, Ashtyn Rask and Caleb Litzinger.

CMR’s Tarver aiming for two titles

Southern Utah commit Jackson Tarver has also set a program record in the Electric City this spring, breaking a 49-year-old school record in the 400 set by Paul Luwe twice with a season-best time of 48.87 last week at the Eastern AA divisional.

CMR's Jackson Tarver, who signed with Southern Utah on Wednesday, is approaching school records for the Rustlers in track and field this season.
CMR's Jackson Tarver, who signed with Southern Utah on Wednesday, is approaching school records for the Rustlers in track and field this season.

Tarver is currently ranked second in the state to William Hollensteiner of Kalispell Flathead (48.54) in the 400. Second best in CMR history in the 200 behind All-Class record-holder Chris Wilson (21.09 in 2009), Tarver is ranked second in the state behind Billing Skyview’s Ryan Dierenfield (21.59), which should make for a dramatic finale Saturday.

Dierenfield is also the top 100 sprinter in the state this spring, surpassing CMR’s Damien Nelson’s All-Class record time of 10.5 set in 2018 at the Eastern AA divisional last week in the prelims.

Tarver is also no slouch in the 100, ranked fourth in the event from his time of 10.87 set last week in Bozeman.

Klinker looking to add to jumping titles for Great Falls High

Senior Scott Klinker earned the Class AA state title in the triple jump last season in Butte and was All-State in the long and high jumps as well.

It’s not out of the question for a sweep in the leaps this weekend.

The MSU-Billings baseball commit surpassed the All-Class record in the long jump (which, again, can only be officially be broken at a state meet) with a leap of 23 feet, 8.25 inches (Kelly Friede, Huntley Project: 23-08, 1988) last weekend in Bozeman. He is also the top triple jumper at 48 feet flat this spring, over a foot-and-a-half ahead of second-ranked Sam Henderson of Butte.

Klinker already held the Great Falls High and Memorial Stadium record in the long jump, and is also fifth in the state in the high jump at 6-foot-5 – the second-best mark by one inch in the AA behind four others tied at 6-6.

Teammate Tristan Watson is one of those four tied for first at 6-6, hitting that jump at the crosstown meet on May 10 to tie leaders Jacob Dolezal of Kalispell Flathead, Aayden Simmons of Helena High, and Gallatin’s Quinn Clark.

Great Falls relay looking for a title

The Bison short-relay team will be in the running right off the bat for a title Friday morning, as it is less than three-tenths of a second behind state leader Helena High (48.44).

The relay is comprised of Addisyn Rask, a state-qualifier in the 200, Isis Haslem (state contestant in the 400), as well as freshman Scarlet Harris and junior Abby MacDonald.

Harris is a state-qualifier in four events (100, 200, 100 hurdles, high jump) and is currently ranked fourth in the short hurdles and seventh in the 100. MacDonald, who returned this season after over a calendar year on the sidelines with a knee injury, is ninth in the 100 and fourth in the 200.

Who has qualified for the Class AA state track meet for Great Falls High and CMR?

Boys

Great Falls High: Ryan Harrington (400, 1600, 3200, 800); John Spinti (1600, 3200); Ashtyn Rask (800, 1600, 3200); Scott Klinker (long jump, high jump, triple jump); Tristan Watson (high jump); 4x100 relay (Traycen Ehnes, Scott Anderson, Steele Harris, Ryder English); 4x400 relay (Mason Kralj, Ashtyn Rask, Caleb Litzinger, Ryan Harrington); Conrad Schruth (3200); Bladen Madel (110 hurdles); Caleb Litzinger (110 and 300 hurdles); Dain McMann (discus); Dane Hager (pole vault); Ryder English (100); Noah Wolff (Long jump); Scott Anderson (100).

CMR: Jackson Tarver (100, 200, 400); Emerson Hamma (800, 1600); Brayden Visser (110 hurdles); Cody Hoehn (shot put); 4x400 relay (River Wasson, Emerson Hamma, Garret Bodily, Jackson Tarver).

Girls

Great Falls High: Scarlet Harris (110 hurdles, 100, 200, high jump); Abby MacDonald (100, 200); Addisyn Rask (100, 200); Kyesha Farmer (long jump, triple jump); Isis Haslem (400); Jaiden Kirkhart (pole vault); Addi Kynett (triple jump); Katie Slade (shot put, javelin); 4x100 (Addisyn Rask, Scarlet Harris, Isis Haslem, Abby MacDonald).

CMR: Hope Madill (300 hurdles, 400); Aizalyn Flaten (300 hurdles); Dylan Simonson (300 hurdles); Shelby Tadlock (shot put); Hailey Herda (javelin); Ava McCarthy (high jump); Ashlyn Jarrett (high jump); Addison Smith (pole vault); Caimbrie Brost (pole vault); Tayah Osier (long jump).

This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Great Falls High, CMR athletes to watch at Montana Class AA track meet