MISSOULA — Lilly Boyd has been a dominant force in track and field for Seeley-Swan as the state's top discus thrower.
Not bad for a Class C athlete, who just keeps getting better.
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"My goal every year is at the end of the year to have gotten the best throw I could out of myself so that I didn't leave with knowing I could have done better," Boyd said. "Whether it's my last track meet or not, to leave it all out there and be like, that was my farthest throw. That's the (personal record) I could have got. So that's really what's most important to me."
That mark so far is a throw of 152 feet that Boyd hauled out early this season on March 31, giving her the top performance in Montana's girls discus field regardless of classification.
It set the bar high for an athlete who loves to excel, whether it's in track and field or her other sports like rodeo, or basketball, with eyes on a big senior spring.
"I just like how it's a really individual sport. And I like being on a team, but I also like that I get out of it how much work I put into it," Boyd said. "So if I try really hard, I get more out of it, and I can go as far as I want for it."
After back-to-back runner-up finishes, Boyd broke through with a state title last season as a junior for the Class C discus championship.
More big news followed. In December, she committed to throw in college at the highest level and will compete in the SEC at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn.
"It was really shocking. I didn't think it was possible and I still kind of don't believe it," Boyd said. "It'll sink in when I get down there. It was really satisfying to know that as long as you put in the work, people want to reward you for that and notice that. And so it was really fun to have that."
The school colors won't change, but the mascot will, and from Seeley Lake to Nashville, Boyd's path is set as she puts the final punctuation on her career with the Blackhawks.
"I can't imagine not doing this for another four years," Boyd said. "So I really wanted to throw somewhere, even if it was a small school. I just really love the sport and I love how you have to really dive deep in yourself and figure stuff out. And then it just translates to other parts of life."
