Flathead claims team titles

A prep career that's just emerging and another one in its prime were on display Saturday afternoon at the Flathead Invitational cross country meet at Kidsport.

Keely West, a 5-foot-0, 93-pound freshman from C.M. Russell blew away the varsity girls field in Zoe Nelson-like fashion with a time of 19:21 while defending Class A state champ Lynn Reynolds of Dillon battled back to win the boys varsity race with a time of 16:05.

Reynolds is a senior.

On the team front, Flathead again won both team titles.

"This is a reward we got for finishing second at state (last year)," Reynolds said.

"(We got) to travel to a couple of bigger meets (this year)."

And this was one of them.

This was the first time Reynolds and West had competed in this event.

"I was a little nervous (before the meet)," West said.

"I really didn't know (how well I would do). I looked at the times from last year. I figured I had a pretty good chance."

West led from start to finish in her race. Her margin of victory was 23 seconds.

"I like being way out in front," she said.

"I think I push myself more."

Lenise Omeasoo of Cut Bank, 19:44, hung right with West during early stretches of the run.

Reynolds had a comfortable lead for the bulk of his race, but dropped into second place on the big hill.

"On the hills, I have a different technique," Reynolds said.

"I kinda take it easy and see if it pans out later. It seems to work."

Reynolds finished 11 seconds ahead of Hunter Nelson of Missoula Big Sky.

"Just the endurance," Reynolds said of what sets him apart from other runners.

"The other kid died (at the end). I felt great."

Flathead was led individually by senior Seth Grossman and junior Tera Klein.

Grossman's time was 16:31, good for third place, and Klein's 20:04, which put her in the fifth spot.

"Just kinda be in the top, (have) my time faster, too," Klein said of what she was hoping to achieve.

Last year she finished third in 19:23.

"It's really hot," Klein said of the conditions.

"It's a lot of work. Your legs kinda give out at the end.

"I'm really happy (with my effort)," she added.

"I like the way I started."

Grossman had his sights on a top finish, along with a course record, but that was not in the works this time out.

"A little bit slow," he said of his go.

"I felt under the weather this week. Kinda of a flu, cold, sore throat (thing). Hopefully by Mountain West (Sept. 23 in Missoula) I hope to break 16 (minutes)."

The course record at Kidsport for boys is 15:50, set by Flathead's Elliot Welder.

Nelson, a former Flathead standout now running for the University of Oregon, holds the record for girls at 17:40.

Grossman and Klein helped Flathead repeat on both title fronts.

The Braves had two more finishers in the top 15 as Carl Nystuen was fourth, 16:40, and Seth Svennungsen 15th, 17:05.

Alec Surynt and Justin Barth were 16th and 17th, respectively, with times of 17:06.

That gave Flathead a 55-point total. North Central of Spokane was second, 61, Missoula Big Sky third, 120, Browning fourth, 170, and Dillon fifth, 173.

The Bravettes had two top runners as Eylsia Andrews was seventh, 20:17.

Kayla Byle placed 17th, 21:18; Andrea Yeager 23rd, 21:30; and Kathleen Barth 26th, 21:35.

That gave the Bravettes a 78 team score. Butte was second, 95, Missoula Big Sky third, 139, Whitefish fourth, 145, and Dillon fifth, 166.

"Good competition out of North Central," said Flathead assistant coach Nick Hanson.

"It was a satisfying win (for the girls). A good barometer for where we are right now. We had a great week of practice, both boys and girls. Tera Klein had a great week."

Hanson said the difference in the girls competition was Barth finishing ahead of Butte's fourth and fifth runners.

Barth and Byle are both freshmen.

There were 22 scoring teams in the varsity boys meet and 151 individual finishers.

The girls had 19 teams score and 131 finishers.

Whitefish was led by Ian Mallams, ninth, 16:48, and Beth Donovan, who had the 10th best time, 20:46.

Polson's Logan Torgison finished eighth, 16:47.

"It was hot, dusty and dry, tough conditions, but our girls did very well," said Whitefish coach Sara Brist of the team's finish.

"We were ahead of the other A schools, which is nice."

The Whitefish boys placed ninth. Only two A schools finished ahead of them - Browning and Dillon. Those two schools are ranked Nos. 1-2 in the state in Class A.

"A couple kids were disappointed with their times," said Brist.

"Overall, our top runners did well."

Boys

Team Totals

Flathead 55, North Central (Spokane) 61, Missoula Big Sky 120, Browning 170, Dillon 173, Missoula Sentinel 232, Missoula Hellgate 277, C.M. Russell 286, Whitefish 296, Hamilton 316, Polson 316, Missoula Loyola 336, Great Falls Central 350, Columbia Falls 384, Cut Bank 403, Thompson Falls 410, Ronan 418, Great Falls High 420, Libby 468, Butte 542, Corvallis 564, Centerville 674.

Top 25

Lynn Reynolds, Dillon 16:05

Hunter Nelson, Big Sky 16:16

Seth Grossman, Flathead 16:31

Carl Nystuen, Flathead 16:40

Adam Tyler, North Central 16:41

Leon Dean, North Central 16:43

Jake Roske, Hellgate 16:44

Logan Torgison, Polson 16:47

Ian Mallams, Whitefish 16:48

Steve Hicks, North Central 16:52

Terren Guardipee, Great Falls Central 16:57

Andrew Kimpel, North Central 16:59

Ben Jacobsen, Cut Bank 17:02

Shane Donaldson, Thompson Falls 17:03

Seth Svennungsen, Flathead 17:05

Alec Surynt, Flathead 17:06

Justin Barth, Flathead 17:06

Robert Brooks, Sentinel 17:09

Kyle Anderson, Big Sky 17:13

Eric Larson, Big Sky 17:18

Ben Jessop, Hamilton 17:19

Joe Hurd, Loyola 17:19

Dylan Zitzer, Dillon 17:20

Zach Smith, Dillon 17:21

Marlin BlackWolf, Browning 17:24

Also

Flathead - 27. Dan Howell, 17:33; 35. Orion Bras, 17:54.

Columbia Falls - 38. Brian Merseal, 17:58; 65. Tripp Gimbel, 18:54; 76. Michael Taylor, 19:17; 88. Patrick Jessat, 19:28; 117. Jeremiah Howland, 20:25.

Polson - 49. Chris Ogle, 18:23; 73. Nathan Poukish, 19:08; 81. Kenny Swope, 19:21; 105. Ray Dalke, 19:59; 106. Keegan Bowen, 19:59; 111. Toby Friesz, 20:11.

Whitefish - 53. Pat McGonagle, 18:34; 62. Jacob Fern, 18:48; 63. Joseph Alexander, 18:51; 109. Nick Donovan, 20:09; 122. Blake Bjornson, 20:31.

Libby - 58. Seth Wright, 18:43; 82. Andrew Elliott, 19:23; 97. Ryan Carpenter, 19:44; 108. Tyler Brothers, 20:08; 123. Jeremy Brothers, 20:32; 135. Kyle Sweedman, 21:08; 148. Hunter Sheffield, 23:23.

Ronan - 56. Cameron Barber, 18:40; 74. Gene Adams, 19:15; 80. Danny Beavers, 19:19. 93. Levi Maughan, 19:39; 115. Justin Grandon, 20:24; 121. Ryan Hardy, 20:30; 133. Josh Krantz, 20:58.

Eureka - 99. Matteus Martley, 19:44; 136. Jeb Marquis, 21:10.

Girls

Team Totals

Flathead 78, Butte 95, Missoula Big Sky 139, Whitefish 145, Dillon 166, Missoula Hellgate 176, Cut Bank 194, C.M. Russell 214, Ronan 250, Missoula Sentinel 269, Browning 301, Missoula Loyola 314, Polson 362, Great Falls High 379, Hamilton 395, Centerville 475, Eureka 475, Columbia Falls 485, Libby 585.

Top 25

Keely West, CMF 19:21

Lenise Omeasoo, Cut Bank 19:44

Keli Dennehy, Butte 19:51

Kala Jouquet, Butte 19:55

Tera Klein, Flathead 20:04

Caitlin Stone, Sentinel 20:09

Elysia Andrews, Flathead 20:17

Brianna Seubert, Shelby 20:37

Talitha Smith, Dillon 20:40

Beth Donovan, Whitefish 20:46

Mallory Cotnoir, Loyola 20:49

Kaci Hockaday, Butte 20:57

Kirsten Jensen, CMR 20:58

Sadie McMillan, Ronan 21:01

Kori Thornock, Big Sky 21:11

Delyssia Tromblee, Cut Bank 21:12

Kayla Byle, Flathead 21:18

Lauren Kuennen, Whitefish 21:23

Carlee Meine, Dillon 21:24

Tess Carlson, Hellgate 21:24

Coonce Sara, Big Sky 21:26

Kate Reese, Big Sky 21:27

Andrea Yager, Flathead 21:30

Kirsten Svennungsen, Shelby 21:33

Kathy Running Crane, Browning 21:34

Also

Flathead - 26. Kathleen Barth, 21:35; 34. Lauren Fox, 21:54; 38. Briana Ori, 22:04.

Ronan - 27. Kaneesha Benson, 21:37; 42. Brianna Malmquist, 22:13; 78. Kelsey Salmon, 23:35; 89. Ali Anderson, 24:07; 92. Arisha Hales, 24:15.

Polson - 28. Tana Bull, 21:39; 60. Emily Pyles, 22:48; 69. Kelsey Delaney, 23:13; 99. Natesha Arlint, 24:24; 106. Jordan Carte, 24:58; 122. Franny Bumgarner, 26:32.

Whitefish - 31. Janna Rozar, 21:48; 35. Clare Miller, 22:00; 51. Anne Danczyk, 22:30; 53. Kelly Beiser, 22:32; 56. Loni Hanson, 22:41.

Bigfork - 58. Taylor Schiltz, 22:44.

Eureka - 66. Elizabeth Ibertl, 22:55; 81. Amanda Smith, 23:48; 95. Jordan Boston, 24:21; 116. Elizabeth Turnbull, 25:56; 117. Allie Turner, 25:56; 126. Erika Douglas, 27:25.

Columbia Falls - 87. Nikki Elek, 23:59; 94. Anna Downen, 24:20; 96. Addie Houle, 24:21; 100. Nicole Mickelson, 24:30; 108. Chelsey Marjerrison, 25:03.

Libby - 103. Shantel McLinden, 24:37; 109. Cassi Moog, 25:12; 118. Rachel Morrow, 26:16; 127. Brandy Mirador, 27:35; 128. Nathalie Henrard, 28:13; 129. Arial Hubbard, 28:38; 131. Ashley Brossman, 30:50.