Firth collects another state trophy to earn East Idaho Sports team of the Year

FIRTH – Coming off a 2025 season in which Firth celebrated its first girls track and field team state championship since 2004, coach Bob Lambert said that while expectations were high in 2026, the goal was the same.

“I told the team multiple times this season, when we sit down as coaches and set goals for our program, we never set a goal that ‘we have to win’ or anything like that,” Lambert said. “We want to improve as people, not just in PRs, we want to have fun. We want to show love … Our expectations are that we meet those standards.”

On the track, Lambert said the core group of returning athletes and state placers showed the team had enough weapons to chase another title.

“As far as expectations, I don’t want to measure success in a season based off how many point we score or win, lose or tie or take 15th place,” he said.

Lambert noted the athletes were already highly motivated, especially the one’s who had experienced being on the podium at state the previous season.

When the two-day state meet had finally wrapped up, it was Firth again with another state trophy as the Cougars finished second, making it three straight seasons the program has finished in the top two.

Lambert said some of the athletes may have felt pressure to perform at state.

“But it’s our job take that pressure off,” he said.

It was a combination of the experienced athletes and the newcomers all contributing that earned the Cougars another trophy.

Junior Madison Torgerson repeated as state champion in shot put with a PR toss of 40-3.5 and also placed fourth in the discus, and fifth in the javelin with a PR of 101-3.

Senior Adyson Park anchored the repeat champion 4×200 relay team, that included Daisha Sorensen, Ellie Christensen and Ruby Hillman. The team also won repeated as 4×100 champs. The 4×400 team finished fourth.

Sorensen, a freshman, also finished second in the high jump and second in the triple jump.

Junior Shelbie Perry placed fifth in the high jump and third in the long jump, and just missed the podium in the 800 with a seventh-place finish.

Other medalists included sophomore Paityn Messick, who was fourth in the 100 hurdles with a personal-best time of 16.45, and finished third in the 300 hurdles. Messick, who set the school record in the pole vault at districts, also finished fourth in pole vault.

Sophomore Ruby Hillman finished fifth in the 100 with five runners breaking 13 seconds.

Senior Georgianna Jolley finished fourth in the javelin with a PR of 101-10 and also placed sixth in the discus and earned two points in the shot put with a season-best of 33-10.75.

It’s hard not to notice the quality of athletes that will be back next season. Can this year’s East Idaho Sports girls Track and Field Team of the Year make it a repeat in 2027?

Time will tell.