Capital's Kaelyn Saari credits Bruin support for javelin title

Kaelyn Saari’s state javelin title was built on more than one strong throw. The Helena Capital senior won the Class AA girls javelin at MCPS Stadium in Missoula with a mark of 129 feet, 6 inches, then pushed the school record to 134 feet, a sign her championship was part of a steady climb rather than a one-day spike.

Saari’s victory came during the Class AA state track and field meet, which ran May 28-30 in Missoula, and she was one of three Helena Capital Bruins to win individual titles. That depth matters in Helena, where Capital’s track program has become a reliable source of state-level success instead of a once-in-a-while breakthrough.

What stands out most is how Saari describes the environment behind that success. She said the support of her teammates and coaches gave her the confidence to compete and made her feel part of the Bruin track family. The program’s message has been consistent under first-year girls coach Jared Hunt: focus on getting better every day and let the results follow.

That approach appears to be working beyond one event group. Capital javelin coach Lexi Wrigg, who once held the school record Saari has now surpassed, said younger kids, including some who do not compete in track, look up to Saari because of how hard she works and how well she competes. Saari said she hopes younger girls watching from the stands, or from inside the program, see that offseason work can pay off over time.

Capital’s title haul was not limited to the throws. Senior Brayden Brisko repeated as Class AA pole vault champion and also won the 100-meter title, giving the Bruins another example of an athlete peaking across multiple events. Brisko’s 16-foot, 16-inch vault at the Western AA divisional meet broke the meet record and would have stood as a new state record if it had come one week later.

For Lewis and Clark County readers, the larger lesson is that Capital is not just producing winners. It is building a repeatable system, one that develops confidence, rewards commitment, and gives younger athletes a clear path to follow. Saari’s title, and the school record that followed, show how that pipeline is turning strong throwers into state champions.