Apr. 4—The Flathead and Glacier track teams have been salty of late, with Flathead's boys taking second and Glacier's fourth at last year's State AA meet, and the Bravettes getting fourth on the girls side.
Both the local schools return some firepower in 2025 and have the added incentive of having the State AA championships in town. The meet is at Legends Stadium May 24-25.
Here's a season outlook for all four squads, starting with the Braves, who finished seven points out of first at last year's meet in Great Falls.
Flathead boys
A couple leaper/sprinters have headed off to college, namely Brody Thornsberry and Jacob Dolezal, but the Braves return some good ones.
"I have four kids back that were school record-setters last year," coach Dan Hodge, in his 53rd year at Flathead High, said. "But I don't know what I have (elsewhere). I don't know how high jump, triple, shot put, discus and javelin will be."
The record-setter list starts with junior Will Hollensteiner, who won the State AA 400 in a Flathead-record 48.23 seconds. He and senior Ben Bliven helped the Braves win the 400-meter relay in state-record fashion.
Hodge also has three of his long relay guys back: Lane Chivers, Blevin and Hollensteiner. That relay set a school record and state record as well.
In all, 40 of Flathead's 77 points return. The bad news: Heading into their opening triangular meet this past Tuesday, just 66 of his 107 boys had enough practices to compete.
So while Kastner is a big returnee in the distances — and ran on that long relay most of the season — and Michael Mahar set a school record in the pole vault last May (clearing 14 feet, 7 inches at state), the Braves have questions.
"I've got a lot of mysteries yet," Hodge said.
Flathead girls
Alivia Rinehart leads the way for the Bravettes, after making a stratospheric leap to the 200-meters state title last May.
The senior was also third in the hurdles races and is the top returnee in the 100-meter hurdles.
"We always knew she had a ton of potential," Bravettes coach Kaylee Fox said. "The progression happened pretty quickly, from that sophomore to junior year. She trained pretty hard in the offseason and came into (2024) in midseason form. And it's more of the same this year."
There is plenty of big names besides.
Josie Wilson in the 3,200; Grace Gall in the 400; Alice Dolezal in the high jump; Bristol Lenz in the hurdles.
"We have a couple young kids in the distances but I don't know who might step up there," Fox said, and added that Dolezal is a threat in the hurdles and, "is looking really strong in the triple jump."
Eighty Bravettes came out for track, which would seem to lend some consistency to a program coming off its best finish at state since taking fourth in 2013.
"We finished fourth last year and hope to finish in the top half again," Fox said of the State AA meet. "It's an opportunity to showcase our seniors and juniors, and the kids who have been working hard in the offseason."
Glacier boys
Ethan Anderson is poised for a strong senior year in the hurdles, where he was second in the 300 hurdles for a second straight season last May — and was state 110-meters champion in 2023.
"Incredible young man with an incredible work ethic," Wolfpack boys coach Connor Fuller said. "We're excited to get him healthy in May and see what he can do at Legends.
"And Owen (Thiel) is in the same mold. He's doing a good job leading his distance group, and there's a lot of potential there."
Fuller had 140 boys come out, and is excited about a number of freshmen and sophomores who might fill in ...
