We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
2024 Chinook Cross Country
BCJ Sports
Cross Country has been competing at the high school level for 60 years. Boys Cross Country first competed as a Montana High School Association (MHSA) sanctioned sport in the fall of 1964, consisting of two classifications, 'A' and 'B'. Eventually, it was modified to include Class AA and Class C to stay uniform with basketball. Teams have concluded their season in October every year since, with the State Champions being crowned for each class.
The girls first competed in Cross Country in the fall of 1971 and included all four classes right from the start to compete in conjunction with the already in place boys' competition, one of the few sports that have done so.
Originally, both the boys' and girls' courses were two miles in length before expanding to two and a half miles and eventually to the three miles that are run today.
To qualify for the post season in Cross County, an athlete must compete in at least two Association-sanctioned meets during the regular season. Runners also must meet a qualifying time in at least one meet to be able to compete at the State Meet. The boys must finish the course in a time of 25 minutes or faster, and the girls must finish in a time of 30 minutes or faster.
Cross Country practice officially began on Friday, August 16 for our Blaine County Athletes. Chinook, Harlem, and Hays/Lodge Pole are all fielding teams again this season. Both the Wildcats and Thunderbirds have had several athletes earn All-State honors through the years with a few even capturing state titles.
Last year, the Harlem Wildcats sent seven boys and one girl to the State Meet. Freshman Branlin Foote competed in his second Cross Country State meet, also qualifying as an 8th grader in 2022. Foote finished 9th and earned All-State recognition in 2023. Information for the 2024 Wildcat Cross County team wasn't available at press time. Should any information be presented to the Blaine County Journal, we will certainly share that information with our readers.
Chinook is entering their third year in Cross Country, and while they are still young in the program, they have found a lot of success.
In their first year, Chinook Cross Country, under Head Coach, Kendall Harwood, had seven runners: five girls and two boys. To be able to score as a team, you must have five athletes who have met the State qualifications. The girls' team finished with a sixth-place finish as well as one runner, Anna Terry, earning All-State recognition.
In year two, Chinook's numbers almost doubled. Chinook sent 13 to the State Meet in Missoula last year; seven boys and six girls. Chinook was able to qualify 13 individuals, and both a girls and a boys team for the State meet. Neva Lowe earned a seventh-place finish, which also earned her All-State honors.
This year, Chinook is under new guidance with Lesley Zellmer taking over as Head Coach. Entering her first year, Coach Zellmer's roster consists of six boys and four girls. The girls' side returns two veteran runners, All-State junior, Neva Lowe, and junior Kirby Hofeldt. New to the girls' side are seniors Alexus Seymour and Ivey Lenz. On the boys' side, sophomores Gus Buck and Ryan Hofeldt return for the Beeters, while welcoming newcomers senior Dentin DePriest, and sophomores Jefferson Nordboe and Xavier Ymzon. Rounding out the boys team is eighth grader Beau Elias.
Coach Zellmer is excited about what this season has in store for her athletes, "I'm looking forward to the upcoming Cross Country season and the potential of all the athletes. Over half of the athletes are returning from last year, and my new runners are already displaying great running abilities"
Goals are high for Coach Zellmer and her runners, and they have been hard at work through week one of practice. "My goals for the season are to coach each runner to reach their individual goals they've set and help them all qualify for the State Cross Country Meet in Missoula at the end of October. Collectively, the team has put in great effort during the first week of practice with logging miles and building endurance. We will continue to do endurance running, while incorporating speed and hill workouts into the program."
"In order to get a team score at meets, we need 5 runners. At this time, we still need one more female athlete in order to do so," informs Coach Zellmer. "I encourage anyone that may still be thinking about joining the team, to come out. Running is such a rewarding sport both physically and mentally."
The 'Beeters will open their season at the Mike Reynolds Time Trials in Cut Bank on Friday, September 6. They will then head to the Havre Invitational where they will run the Prairie Farms Golf Course on Saturday, September 14.
The Wildcats will begin their season on August 30 when they travel to Wolf Point. They will also be at the Mike Reynolds Time Trials in Cut Bank on September 6. From there, they go to Havre to run in the Box Elder/Rocky Boy Invite on September 9.
The Thunderbirds start their season in Hardin on Friday, September 6. They will also compete in the Box Elder/Rocky Boy Invite on September 9 and travel to Cut Bank on Friday, September 13 to participate in the Cut Bank Invite.
