Apr. 5—Ben Bliven won the 100 and 200, Lane Chivers swept the hurdles and Williams Hollensteiner won three events Friday as the Flathead boys downed Great Falls 81-64 in a track and field dual at Legends Stadium.
Hollensteiner's day might have been the biggest surprise, because while his win in the 400 meters (in 50.33 seconds, the best time in Class AA) would be expected, he also claimed the long jump (21 feet, 3 inches, also the best in AA) and high jump (6-0) Friday.
Flathead lost relay runner and pole vaulter Michael Mahar to injury earlier in the week but still swept the relays — with the 1,600 relay team of Chivers, Kasen Kastner, Bliven and Hollensteiner winning in 3:27.88, the best time in Montana for all classes.
The Braves also got wins from Jacob Johnson in the 800, Kastner in the 3,200 and Orion Sullivan, a sophomore, in the javelin.
Kastner's 3,200 time of 9:53.7 is the best in AA and led a fast race: Great Falls' Conrad Schruth (9:54.89) now has the next-best time; Flathead sophomore Christopher Holland was fourth at 10:19.36 and owns the No. 4 time in AA.
On the girls side, Great Falls out-pointed the Bravettes 81.5-63.5.
The Bison swept the sprints, but Emery Eash led a 1-2-3 Bravette finish in the 800, winning in 2:31.35.
Teammates Josie Wilson and Everett Holland went 1-2 in the 1,600, and Wilson's time of 5:21.92 ranks fourth in Class AA.
Alivia Rinehart swept the hurdles for Flathead and helped the Bravettes sweep the relays. Rinehart's time of 14.74 in the 100 hurdles is far and away the best in the state and her time of 48.33 in the 300s is second in AA.
Great Falls' Scarlett Harris owns the best 300s time (46.98) but didn't run the event Friday. Harris, a sophomore, did win the high jump with a lead of 5-2. She's one of three girls to clear that high in Montana thus far.
Lily Parris added a win in the discus for Flathead, but the Bison made hay in the field events — — though Alice Dolezal was second in both the high and long jumps.
