Nolan Lotton competes for state title in final meet

The high-school track career of Havre High senior Nolan Lotton will come to an end this weekend as the HHS track and field team will compete in the state meet in Laurel. Lotton hopes to finish his career at Havre with a state title as he will race in the 100-meter sprint, as well as that 200 and 400.

"It would mean a lot, especially after we had an off year," Lotton said about the possibility of winning a state title.

Lotton has dominated the sprints his senior season. In the 100, he took first in eight meets during the season. The only times he did not win the event was a second-place finish to start the season and a fourth-place finish in the Eastern A Divisional last week.

Lotton won the 200 in every meet during the regular season. Even though he did not win the 200 at the divisional meet, he still took second. He won the 400 in three meets this season, including a first-place finish at last weekend's divisional meet. Even though he brought home a divisional title, he knows the real goal is to bring home a state title at the end of the year.

"It didn't mean anything really because I got state still," Lotton said. "Divisionals is just divisionals."

Lotton got into track because his basketball coach WaLynn Burgess told him to play a spring sport in order to stay in shape during the basketball offseason. Lotton had a friend on the track team so he decided to compete in that sport.

Lotton also played basketball during his high school career. He was a member of a Blue Pony squad that won the regular-season Northeast A title this season. Lotton's basketball career had a simple beginning as he got into it at a young age when he saw the other kids playing during recess in elementary school and he wanted to join in.

Between the two sports, track is his favorite to compete in. While he is still figuring out his future, he hopes that he will get the opportunity to continue competing in track. Before Lotton finishes his Pony career this weekend, the Havre Daily News got a chance to catch up with him to ask a few questions.

HDN: What do you enjoy the most about track?

Lotton: "Probably just the meets in general. You get to be outside, just hang out."

HDN: What do you enjoy the most about basketball?

Lotton: "Just the team aspect of things. We made a little family until we all graduated. We all got super close."

HDN: How did you manage being a multi-sport athlete?

Lotton: "It's not too hard. You just got to make sure you stay ahead of all your work. It isn't until you start getting behind that you start getting lost."

HDN: What does the future hold for you?

Lotton: "I'm probably going to run track somewhere. I just don't really know where yet but I'm going to study business and business marketing."

HDN: What legacy do you hope to have left at Havre?

Lotton: "It's just always to be that team guy. I didn't really do anything crazy except for listening to the coaches and then being there for my teammates."