We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
The best cross country runners in Montana converged on Great Falls this past Saturday as nearly 1,000 runners competed in the State AA, A, B and C Cross Country meet.
The Harlem Wildcats qualified both a girls and a boys team and the Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds qualified a boys team.
All runners competed very well with the Wildcat boys earning a 15th place finish and the girls a 22nd place finish. The Thunderbird boys finished 23rd in the team standings.
Cross Country is a unique sport in which Teams compete by running a three mile course and began competition on the boys side in the fall of 1964. Girls competition was added in 1971.
Originally cross country runners ran a two-mile course then later increased the distance to two and a half miles before adopting the current three mile format.
Each athlete must compete in at least two meets to be eligible for the state meet. Athletes must also meet a time requirement established prior to the start of the season by the MHSA for both boys and girls to qualify for the state meet.
Harlem senior Keahna Little turned in a outstanding effort finishing 17th overall with a time of 16:58.54.
Little completes a fine four year career with a personal best finish at the state meet. Little was joined in Great Falls by junior Eron Snow who finished in 69th place with a time of 18.23.67.
Also running for the Wildcat boys and completing a solid season were junior Caleb Grant (18:56.41, junior Terry Sandcrane (19:26.63, freshman Sam Main (22:08.85 and senior Sheldon Shields (23:23.09).
The Wildcat girls qualified as a team for the first time in several seasons and were led by the efforts of junior Val TalksDifferent.
Talks Different has done very well in the spring as a member of the track and field team. In the fall she has become an accomplished runner as well finishing 52nd at the state meet with a time of 21:59.10.
Joining TalksDifferent at the State meet were sophomore Kailee Horn (24:24.29), junior Denise Stanley (24:50.38), junior Miya Main (29:44.91) and junior Jaada Main (29:58.75).
Hays/Lodge Pole was paced by the efforts of freshman Gilbert Snow. Snow completed the course in a time of 18:39.46 to finish 35th amongst Class ‘C’ boys.
Thunderbird senior Best Rujpatcharak clocked in at 21:41.52 and freshman Drew Shortman finished in a time of 23:37.22.
