Ronan Hall of Fame: 1972 State Championship Girls’ Track

The 1972 State Championship Girls’ Track Team is among the 2023 inductees into the School District #30/Ronan Community Hall of Fame.

The Class B State Championship in girls’ track and field came down to the final race of the 1972 meet in Billings. In order to bring home the first-place trophy, the Maiden 880-yard medley relay team needed to win the event.

The relay team of Ann Knutson, Florine Camel, Nadine Clairmont, and Chris Clairmont proved to be up to the task as the Maidens captured the school’s first State Championship in any sport since 1960.

Freshman Teri Camel won two events, the 80-yard hurdles, 100-meter hurdles, and was second in the long jump, and junior Chris Clairmont captured first in the 440-yard run. At the meet’s end, Ronan and Shelby were tied with 25 points, but the Maidens were awarded first place based on the number of individual first places earned by the team.

The Ronan thinclads entered the State Meet after winning the 8-B meet and finishing second to Seeley-Swan in the Western B Divisional Meet held at Dornblaser Field in Missoula. The top four finishers in each Divisional event qualified for the State Finals. Athletes qualifying for the Maidens were Teri Camel, Chris and Nadine Clairmont, Becky Rody, Diane Rody, Ramona Maughan, Florine Camel, Ann Knutson, and Diane Mathern.

Head coach David Edington was assisted by Marilynn Tanner, Edie Hall and Linda Whited. Diane Rody was the only senior on the team.

The year of 1972 marked the first season that girls’ track and field competition was held in all four Montana classifications. Prior to that, all competing schools in the state were designated as Class A or B. The initial Montana High School Girls’ Track and Field State Championships were held in 1969, and Ronan fielded its first team that year.

An induction ceremony for the new class will be held at the Ronan Community Center on Saturday, Jan. 13.