Individual, team titles up for grabs at state cross country meet
Glacier has never had an individual state champion in cross country.
If all goes well, that could change today at the University of Montana Golf Course in Missoula.
Flathead has not had one for girls since Zoe Nelson in 2004 and for boys since Matt Parker in 2003.
That could also change today.
Both schools will have talented individuals toeing the starting line at the all-class state cross country meet.
The AA boys will run at 1:10 p.m. followed by the AA girls at 2:10.
For Glacier, it's junior Troy Fraley finishing first overall.
And for Flathead, it's another junior - Zach Perrin.
Perrin finished seventh at state a year ago in Helena with a time of 16 minutes. Fraley was 21nd in 16:37.
"Troy is among the top runners in the state," Glacier coach Mike McLean said.
"He's trained hard and he's well rested. He's proven himself at Mountain West (second overall) and the Capital City 7-on-7 (first)."
Fraley was sick last year at state, which resulted in his off- performance. He was sixth at state his freshman season.
Perrin has been nursing an ankle injury this month, but Flathead coach Paul Jorgensen has proclaimed his star runner "almost 100 percent," for this outing.
"Our kids are rested and are looking forward to competing at the state meet in Missoula," he said.
"Everybody is healthy."
Flathead's boys finished seventh at state last year with the Glacier boys 11th.
While Bozeman is the favorite, Missoula Hellgate and Helena High are the next two contenders. Jorgensen feels Flathead, Billings West and Missoula Sentinel "could be in the mix somewhere."
Glacier also hopes to improve on last year's showing.
"A perfect day, we're sixth or seventh," McLean said.
"That might be asking for too much, but they are young and ready to go."
The Glacier boys will have four freshman in their state lineup.
For the girls, Bozeman is the odds-on favorite, followed by Missoula Hellgate, Billings Senior, Helena High and Billings West.
Flathead and Glacier finished seventh and eighth, respectively, at state in 2010.
"The key to our success has to be our No. 4-7 runners," Jorgensen said.
"Even though we placed ninth against the rest of the AA teams at the Capital City 7-on-7, we feel we can place higher if all goes well. The girls team has shown steady improvement over the last four or five meets."
Paige Bouma, a senior, finished 14th at state for the Bravettes last year. She's been the team leader again this year.
Jorgensen said Bailey Hughes, a senior, "is very consistent and much improved, while freshman Mackenzie Bouma "has improved and now seems ready to move up the next level."
Glacier senior Dumitra Baker has missed the last two weeks with a knee injury and her status for today is questionable.
Baker was Glacier's top runner at Mountain West.
Tyryn Jacobs, a sophomore, has led the Wolfpack in recent meets.
"We're looking for our best times (of the season at state)," McLean said.
Flathead's last state titles in cross country were 2005 for the boys and 2004 for the girls.
State Cross Country Lineups
Glacier
Boys
Senior - Trace Hobbs; Junior - Troy Fraley; Sophomores - Nathan Connell, Tanner Olsen; Freshmen - Kade McCutcheon, Ruben Castren, Noah Hill, Cody Montano
Girls
Senior - Dumitra Baker; Juniors - Alyana Martino, Miranda Meyer, Leah Cook; Sophomores - Kendra Jeschke, Katie Whyte, Tyryn Jacobs; Freshmen - Jessica Chery
Flathead
Boys
Senior - Hunter Schutt; Juniors - Zach Perrin, Ben Moon, Matt Macfarlane, Carter Krantz; Freshmen - Sylas Schutt, Jordan Engle
Girls
Seniors - Paige Bouma, Bailey Hughes, Sierra Maxwell; Junior - Kylee Gibson; Sophomore - Natalie Jeude; Freshmen - Mackenzie Bouma, Heather Bodenhamer
Class A
Whitefish
The Whitefish girls, winners of the last four state championships, will be happy this year to break into the top five.
The Bulldogs lost six runners from last year's title team to graduation. The lone returner is junior Emma Marchetti.
"Our goal as coaches is to have them run equal to their best at the state meet," Whitefish coach Bill Brist said.
"If they do that, they have a chance to be near the front."
Glendive and Corvallis are the two favorites.
"After that, there are several good teams, including Polson and Columbia Falls in our division. We've been just a couple points behind them (at meets this fall)."
Brist said a top five finish would be reason to celebrate.
The Bulldogs have been led by senior Nicole Brist and sophomore Rebecca Holdhusen.
Regarding the WHS boys, juniors Jace Kalbfleisch and Fischer Gangemi have taken turns being the top runner.
"Both of them are talented enough to be in the top 10," coach Brist said.
"Fischer was all-state last year."
He finished 13th.
Defending state champ Corvallis will be favored once again. The Blue Devils lost just one runner from last year.
Livingston will also challenge.
"They (Corvallis and Livingston) are only 10 to 20 points ahead of three or four other teams and we're one of them," coach Brist said.
"We're in that chase pack. We'll have to run our best and we might need some help from another team. I wouldn't count (us) out. We have a young group, but we're still building."
Columbia Falls
It should be an exciting day for the Wildcats and Wildkats.
"Both our teams are in a great situation," Columbia Falls coach Richard Menicke said.
"We're both under radar. We're in a position where if the kids run hard, the teams could have great showings.
"I'm hopeful they will all step up and produce," Menicke added.
"Crazy, good things happen (at state). You always hope for that."
Menicke said the girls "have a legitimate shot to win a (top three) trophy. We believe that if everyone runs well. They are hitting their strides now."
The girls are led by senior Jinise Osborne, ninth at state last year, and two freshmen - Meredith Stolte and Samantha Mundel.
Derrick Williams looks to finish out his standout career on top. Williams finished second last year and was fifth as a sophomore.
"He's made his progression," Menicke said.
"Now is his time. He's waited, did his work."
Williams finished fifth on this course at the Mountain West meet this fall.
"He's having an amazing season," Menicke said.
"I look for him to continue that if he runs like he's capable. He likes this course. I put no limits on his performance, but I sure hope he's the first one across the line and he should be."
James Ratzlaff has been the team's No. 2 runner.
"He has had a tremendous season, is running at a very high and consistent level," Menicke said.
"Zayne Brunz is running solidly as our third. He's having a consistent, solid season."
Menicke said if the boys finish between third and sixth in the final standings, "that would be a good day for us."
The A boys run at 1:40 p.m. The A girls have the honor of closing out the day with the final race, the eighth overall, at 2:45 p.m.
Class B
Bigfork
Freshmen Makena Morley, who missed a few meets down the stretch, will be 100 percent for the season finale.
She has been nursing soreness in her legs and did not run at divisionals last week.
That brief layoff should not affect her performance.
"She has a great base because she trains all summer and from all those fun runs," Bigfork coach Sue Loeffler said.
"She comes in (to the first practice) in incredible shape."
Morley is undefeated this season and has blown the competition away. She won the Mountain West in September on this course with a time of 17:10.4. She finished 33 seconds ahead of the runner-up.
"She does," Loeffler said of Morley liking the course.
"All my kids really like the course."
If Morley would claim the individual title, she would be just the second to do so for the Valkyries. Brooke Andrus was a state champ her junior season.
"They are completely different runners," Loeffler said of the two.
"Different personalities. She's (Morley) more experienced at this age than a lot of kids are."
Loeffler is hoping Chelsea Olson can place in the top 15 spots to earn all-state honors.
Other than that ... "hoping for personal bests for everyone else," Loeffler said of her girls.
"The boys ... just hoping they have their best race. They made a break- through last week. I hope that continues."
The Class B boys open the meet at 11 a.m. The B girls run at noon.