Bigfork’s Merchant among record-setters at fast Pilcher Top 10

MISSOULA — The Russ Pilcher Top 10 meet went off without a hitch Tuesday at MCPS Stadium, the weather holding and the athletes flying.

Several records were set at the meet, which dates back to 1999 and draws top athletes from roughly 150 miles in any direction, including Helena, Boulder and Butte.

The Flathead Valley was well-represented. For example, Robert Merchant of Class A Bigfork followed up his second-place finish (in a personal-record 10.99 seconds) in the 100-meter dash with a first in the 200 in 21.71, another PR. That broke the 11-year-old record of 21.85 by Butte’s Dalton Daum.

Merchant owns the fastest 200 in Montana, regardless of class; he also helped the Vikings finish fourth in the short relay and second in the 1,600-meter relay.

Meanwhile Glacier freshman Kyle West clocked 22.37, the fourth-best time in AA.

A top race was the boys 800, where Helena's Axel Kowalski won a battle with Glacier’s Owen Theil by .35 of a second. Kowalski came across in 1:55.93, the fastest time run inside Montana’s borders this spring.

Thiel did not run the 3,200, which Polson’s David DiGiallonardo won in 9:29.22. In the same race Plains’ John Jermyn ran the best time in B, 9:40.63, finishing second.

Plains’ Cord Greer won a tight 1,600 — Flathead's Carson Thorne and Jude Sparkman were 2-3 — and now he and Jermyn own the top two times in B.

Cooper Pelc (14.45) and Liam Palmer (14.83) ran impressively in the 110 hurdles, though Helena Capital’s Oliver Mow won. Another Wolfpack runner, Kruz Robinson, won the 300 hurdles Tuesday.

There was one double-winner, and he was impressive: Frenchtown’s Henry Griffin won the shot put with a record heave of 59 feet, 9.5 inches; and also set meet discus record at 186-2. Capital’s Justin Jenks had held the shot record of 58-4 since 2018; Brandon Forson threw the discus 181-7 in 2011.

There were several top marks that weren’t records. Class C Superior’s Landon Richards cleared 6-8 to win the high jump, the best mark in Montana (the record remains 6-9.25).

Whitefish’s Colby Minton ran the fastest boys 400 in Class A, clocking 50.39.

Bigfork’s Tamret Savik won the triple jump, leaping 46-4. Libby’s Tristan Andersen was second in the javelin, throwing 167-56.

Capital’s Cooper Nelson won the 100 at 10.76.

In the girls’ 3,200, Polson junior Morgan Delaney didn’t run a PR but her time of 10:36.20 eclipsed the 10:38.08 run by Glacier’s Annie Hill in 2018. Glacier’s Lauren Bissen (10:52.12) and Libby’s Capril Farmer (10:52.52) finished 2-3.

Meanwhile Glacier’s Dacia Benkelman won the 400 (59.70, third-best in AA) and freshman teammate Ada Thiel surged over the final lap to win the 1,600 in 5:02.70.

The Wolfpack found another winner in junior Allie Kruger, who hit a PR of 38-11 in the shot put.

Whitefish’s Ginger Berland hit two PRs: She won the 300 hurdles in 44.66 and finished third in the 100 hurdles at 15.09. Florence’s Madigan Hurlbert (14.97) won that event, but Berland owns the fastest times in Class A in both.