Flathead Athletes Dominate Kalispell Mini-Invite as Track Season Kicks Off

The 2026 track and field season got off to an explosive start at the Kalispell Mini-Invite, where Flathead senior William Hollensteiner announced himself as a force to be reckoned with across multiple events.

Hollensteiner captured three individual titles, winning the 200-meter dash in 21.92 seconds, the 400 meters in 47.72, and the long jump with a personal-record leap of 23 feet, 8 inches. His long jump mark came as a pleasant surprise this early in the season, easily outdistancing Bigfork's Tamret Savik, who also set a personal best of 21-10.

"Setting a PR in the long jump this early is unexpected," noted one observer, as Hollensteiner's previous best in the 200 meters stood at 21.90 from last May, just .02 seconds faster than Tuesday's performance.

The Flathead boys team rode Hollensteiner's heroics to the team championship with 187.75 points, narrowly edging Glacier's 180.25 in a thrilling finish. Bigfork rounded out the top three with 101.5 points across the nine-school field.

Savik proved he could bounce back from his long jump defeat, immediately setting another personal record in the triple jump with a winning mark of 47-4, more than five feet ahead of his nearest competitor. The Bigfork standout also claimed victory in the high jump, capping off an outstanding day for the Vikings.

Bigfork's sprint crew made their presence felt in the 100 meters, with Robert Merchant leading a remarkable 1-2-3 sweep alongside Quinn Kerr and Tayden West. Merchant clocked a personal-best 11.02 in the century, then followed with a blazing 22.29 in the 200 meters.

Flathead's depth shone in the distance events, where Carson Thorne set personal records in both the 800 meters (winning in 2:08.25) and the 1,600 meters, though he finished second to Glacier's Owen Thiel in the mile. Thiel claimed victory in 4:25.95.

Glacier demonstrated their throwing prowess by claiming four of the top five spots in the shot put, led by winner Jesse Baines. Will Astle took the discus title for the Wolfpack, while teammate Beau Carroll spearheaded a 1-3-4 Glacier finish in the javelin.

Eureka's Josh Lambertsen soared to a personal-best 13-0 to win the pole vault, adding another highlight to a meet filled with breakthrough performances.

On the girls side, Glacier utilized their team depth to capture the championship with 171.5 points, just ahead of Flathead's 164. Whitefish claimed third place with just over 106 points.

The Glacier girls were led by the dynamic duo of Dacie Benkelman and Ada Thiel, who finished 1-2 in the 800 meters with Benkelman winning in 2:22.28. Lauren Bissen added a 1,600-meter victory for the Wolfpack.

Field events proved to be Glacier's strength, with Allie Krueger winning the shot put and finishing second in the discus. The Wolfpack also saw Addison Brisendine and Clara Ahner go 1-2 in the 300-meter hurdles.

Whitefish freshman Avery Orme served notice of her potential by blazing through the 100 meters in 12.84 seconds. The defending State A champions also got a javelin victory from Sol Holmquist.

Flathead senior Julia Kay, competing in her first year of track and field, made an immediate impact by winning the 200 meters in 26.83 and finishing second in the 100. Teammate Bristol Lenz edged Whitefish standout Ginger Berland by just .03 seconds to win the 100-meter hurdles in 15.84.

The meet showcased the emerging talent across Montana high school track and field, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting 2026 season.