The Kalispell Mini-Invite served as the official starting gun for the Flathead Valley track and field season, and the early results promise an exciting year ahead. The Flathead Braves made a powerful statement, claiming the boys' team title with 187.75 points, narrowly edging out a strong Glacier squad (180.25).

Leading the charge for the Braves was William Hollensteiner, who delivered a stunning, triple-win performance that suggests he's already in championship form. Hollensteiner dominated the track, winning the 200 meters in 21.92 seconds and the 400 meters in 47.72. Perhaps most impressively, he set a new personal record in the long jump with a leap of 23 feet, 8 inches—a remarkable feat for this early in the season.

Bigfork's Tamret Savik also turned heads with a pair of personal bests. After finishing second to Hollensteiner in the long jump, Savik bounced back to win the triple jump with a massive PR of 47 feet, 4 inches, and also claimed victory in the high jump. His teammate, Robert Merchant, showcased serious speed, leading a Bigfork sweep of the 100 meters with a PR of 11.02 seconds.

On the girls' side, the team battle was just as fierce. Glacier's depth proved decisive as they captured the title with 171.5 points, just ahead of Flathead's 164. The Wolfpack saw wins from Dacie Benkelman in the 800 meters and Lauren Bissen in the 1600 meters, while Allie Krueger powered to victory in the shot put.

Other standout performances included Whitefish freshman Avery Orme blazing to a win in the 100 meters (12.84), and Flathead's Julia Kay, a senior in her first year of track, surprising the field with a victory in the 200 meters. The meet was a fantastic showcase of early-season grit and speed, setting a high bar for the competitions to come.