Ronan girls defend title

Whitefish girls, boys finish third

The Daily Inter Lake

HELENA - It was a repeat performance for the Ronan High School girls while Whitefish snapped up a pair of third-place trophies Saturday at the Class A state cross country meet at Bill Roberts Golf Course.

"I think it was harder to get the second one," said a pleased, but relieved, Ronan coach Gale Decker.

"The first one, you can kinda sneak up on people. Now people are aiming for you."

Ronan, led by Terinee McCready and Sadie McMillan, won quite easily despite being in everyone's cross hairs. The Maidens finished with 91 points, followed by Dillon, 110, and Whitefish, 132.

"I didn't expect that," said Decker of the 19-point margin of victory.

"I thought it would be five points one way or the other."

McCready finished second for the second-straight year, 18:39, with McMillan fourth, 19:18.

"Their experience today showed up a little bit," Decker said.

"Tremendous team chemistry and a tight, tight group of girls. Even when they are not working out, they are hanging out together."

Decker said the Maidens' top five runners all turned in great races. But Kelsey Salomon, the team's fifth runner, "ran her best of the year. That's what we needed to happen today."

Her time: 20:53.

Ronan finished with three runners in the top 20. Dillon had two and Whitefish one - Beth Donovan, eighth, 19:36.

Whitefish's Clare Miller was 25th, 20:30; and Lauren Kuennen finished 31st, 20:43.

"We had a very good day," said WHS coach Bill Brist.

"We've never had a (state) trophy for the ladies, so placing was a big goal for us. Achieving it was very nice."

Brist said the difference for the Bulldogs was the team's pack running.

"A 21-second difference between our second and fourth runners," he said.

Polson settled for 11th place, Columbia Falls 16th and Libby 18th.

The Pirates were led by Tanna Bull, 10th in 19:44, and Nikki Elek had the best showing for the Wildkats, 34th, 20:50.

Shantell McLinden, 85th, 22:22, was the Loggers' top runner.

Dillon, 73, edged Browning by a point to take the boys team championship while Whitefish, 107, slipped past Laurel by a point to capture third place.

Ian Mallams was nipped by Logan Torgison of Polson for third place as both runners posted a time of 15:59.

Lynn Reynolds of Dillon set a race record with a time of 15:03. Matt Winter of Billings Central held the old mark, 15:13, set in 2002.

Patrick Casey of Laurel was second in 15:16.

Whitefish had two more runners in the top 20 slots with Jacob Fern 17th, 16:48, and Erik Anderson 18th, 16:49.

"That was a big key for us," said Brist of that trio placing so high.

"A big deal."

Brist said he was not surprised by his team's performance.

"I told the kids before the race: 'If you run your normal solid race, your score will be right there.'"

And it was.

The third-place finished matched the team's previous best effort at state. That was in 2001.

Columbia Falls wound up seventh, Polson was ninth, defending champ Ronan 12th, Libby 13th and Bigfork 15th.

Brian Merseal (17:05) finished 26th for Columbia Falls; Terrance Takes Horse (17:48) placed 53rd for Ronan; Charley May (17:11) was 31st to lead Libby; and Phillip Sandry (17:54) topped Bigfork by finishing 56th.