Morley gallops to victory at Flathead Invitational cross country
Next year, she’ll be going for four.
Bigfork’s Makena Morley captured her third straight Flathead Invitational cross country title on a very warm, sunny Saturday afternoon at the always lush and picturesque Rebecca Farm.
The junior toured the three-mile course, in typical blowing-away-the-field fashion, with a speedy time of 17 minutes, 34.9 seconds.
Her margin of victory was a commanding 1:20 over runner-up Carly Smiedala of Helena High.
“I’m very happy,” Morley said afterward.
“It was a good time for sure.”
Morley last year had a 25-second margin of victory at Kidsports Complex in winning the invitational. She came within seven seconds of the course record with her time of 17:47.8.
Her time Saturday at Rebecca Farm is a course record.
This is the first year Rebecca Farm has hosted the invitational.
“I really like it a lot,” Morley said of the new location.
“It’s a fast course, really fun. I like the one hill.”
On repeating ...
“I’m excited,” she said.
“Hopefully I can do it again next year.”
The individual winner on the boys side was just as impressive as Morley. Helena High sophomore Aidan Reed broke away from an early pack to cross the finish line in a course-record time of 15:46.8.
Anthony Schmalz of Hamilton was second, 16:18.4.
“I logged along at the start,” Reed said.
“Controlled the pace. If I could do it over, I would have gone out fast from the get-go.”
As it turned out, it really didn’t matter.
Reed crossed the finish line a half-minute ahead of Schmalz.
“Almost too conservative,” Reed said of the start.
“I misjudged it.”
Glacier received a strong performance from junior Kade McCutcheon. He ran with the leader early and wound up fourth, 16:29.7, in just his second varsity meet.
“The first mile was fast,” McCutcheon said.
“I should have slowed it down a little bit so my last 1 1/2 miles would have been a little stronger.”
Glacier, which won both the boys and girls titles, had four runners in the top 10 for boys.
Nathan Connell was seventh, Logan Harmon eighth and Ruben Castren ninth.
The Glacier girls had two top 10 finishers — Bailey Smith was fourth and Mercede Erickson fifth.
“Great overall performance by both teams,” Glacier coach Mike McLean said.
“We’re improving every week and I’m pleased with that. We’re gonna get stronger as the season goes along.”
McLean said the response from his runners regarding Rebecca Farm was two thumbs up.
“I think they did (enjoy themselves),” he said.
“It was fun to be out there. Grass is always easier on the feet.”
Flathead’s girls were third in the final standings, led by Nicole Bouma, who was ninth.
The Flathead boys finished fourth, led by Sylas Schutt, who was 11th.
Defending champ Missoula Hellgate, boys and girls, did not participate.
Flathead Invitational
Saturday
At Rebecca Farm, Kalispell
Three Miles
Team Totals
Glacier 53, Missoula Sentinel 59, Flathead 95, Helena High 121, Hamilton 149, Helena Capital 154, C.M. Russell 171, Great Falls High 195, Browning 206, Belt/Centerville 200.
Not scoring — Bigfork, Cut Bank, Great Falls Central Catholic, Augusta
Individual
1 Makena Morley, Bfk 17:34.9
2 Carly Smiedala, Helena 18:54.2
3 Kaitlin Stromberg, Ham 19:46.3
4 Bailey Smith, Gla 19:58.6
5 Mercede Erickson, Gla 20:01.4
6 Haley Rogers, Sen 20:02.6
7 Ellen Brooks, Sen 20:11.9
8 Cambria Hassell, CMR 20:12.3
9 Nicole Bouma, Fla 20:21.3
10 Anne Price, Sen 20:24.0
11 Katarina Olsen, Cap 20:51.0
12 Jessica Chery, Gla 20:57.1
13 Hannah Schaffer GFalls 21:04.9
14 Courtney Littledog, Bro 21:18.4
15 Alexa Welsh, Cap 21:18.4
16 Johanna Lembke, Fla 21:29.4
17 Katie McHugh, Gla 21:30.1
18 Mackenzie Bouma, Fla 21:32.6
19 Morgan Thomas, Sen 21:35.4
20 Corinne Hamilton, Gla 21:38.1
21 Lauren Winder, Belt 21:40.7
22 Molly MacDonald, Sen 21:42.9
23 Raeanna Richards, Sen 21:47.8
24 Kate Koster, Sen 21:48.9
25 Tiffany Lefebre, CMR 21:50.6
26 Miranda Champion, Gla 21:58.1
27 Erika Ackerlund, Helena 22:02.4
28 Natalie Jeude, Fla 22:03.9
29 Julian Kaptanian, Fla 22:07.8
30 Sierra Ashton, Helena 22:10.6
31 Sierra Sheet, Helena 22:12.3
32 Madi Picard, Ham 22:18.1
33 Sierra Gideon, Ham 22:29.7
34 Kenzie Lencioni, Belt 22:32.1
35 Josie Brousseau, Gla 22:37.4
36 Haeley Harmon, Helena 22:49.0
37 Abby McBroom, Cap 22:49.9
38 Marissa Lencioni, GFalls 22:50.6
39 Grace Berner, Cap 23:01.6
40 Jaycie Schmalz, Ham 23:07.5
41 Cheyenne Wearley, Aug 23:11.6
42 Andrea Morren, GFallsCC 23:12.3
43 Shelby St.Goddard, Bro 23:18.6
44 Kallan Banning, Helena 23:18.7
45 Sydney Dickinson, CMR 23:35.5
46 Meaghan Winder, Belt 23:37.6
47 Erica Madplume, Bro 23:39.6
48 Tess G. Clancy, Ham 23:47.9
49 Roya Blake, CMR 23:51.5
50 Amanda Finstad, CBank 23:53.5
51 Elvis Heavyrunner, GFalls 23:57.6
52 Mikaela Kynett, GFalls 24:03.3
53 Shyanne Racine, CBank 24:20.7
54 Heather Bodenhamer, Fla 24:21.9
55 Jayla Wells, Bro 24:36.5
56 Cameron Fuentez, GFalls 24:41.7
57 Brenna Gilbertson, CMR 24:48.9
58 Alleah Jordan, Ham 25:03.5
59 Shaylan Mohn, Ham 25:08.5
60 Kiahana Deroche, GFalls 25:30.9
61 Nicole Billedeaux, CBank 25:46.3
62 Rachel Lund, Cap 25:58.3
63 Abigaile Snortland, Cap 26:08.8
64 Taylor Butterfield, CMR 26:11.0
65 Shania Hoyt, Bro 26:20.3
66 Tierney Wineholtz, GFalls 26:22.0
67 Makayla Paul, Belt 26:24.4
68 Lindsey Lincoln, GFallsCC 26:26.1
69 Myndie Gallagher-Horn, Bro 26:55.3
70 Kerstyn Pimperton, Belt 26:59.5
71 Samantha Reed, Bro 28:12.0
Boys
Team Totals
Glacier 51, Helena High 59, Hamilton 66, Flathead 95, C.M. Russell 138, Helena Capital 145, Missoula Sentinel 162, Browning 220, Great Falls High 248, Cut Bank 284, North Toole County High 319, Belt/Centerville 358.
Not scoring: Bigfork, Great Falls Central Catholic, Shelby, St. Ignatius.
Individual
1 Aidan Reed, Helena 15:46.8
2 Anthony Schmalz, Ham 16:18.4
3 Dontae Baker, Cap 16:24.1
4 Kade McCutcheon, Gla 16:29.7
5 Shay Lavallie, CMR 16:42.6
6 Layne Ryerson, Helena 16:48.1
7 Nathan Connell, Gla 16:48.1
8 Logan Harmon, Gla 16:48.2
9 Ruben Castren, Gla 16:53.7
10 Albert Easton, Ham 16:58.2
11 Sylas Schutt, Fla 17:00.7
12 Cameron Meikle, Ham 17:06.8
13 Emmette Dustybull, Bro 17:11.2
14 Chance Kittle, Fla 17:14.8
15 Jacob Calles, Fla 17:16.6
16 Josh Barrows, Helena 17:18.2
17 Iain Anderson, Helena 17:18.9
18 Marcus Bearmedicine, Sen 17:20.9
19 Logan Morley, Bfk 17:26.5
20 Jacob Van Dyke, Helena 17:28.9
21 Karill Apedaile, Ham 17:31.8
22 Jordan Engel, Fla 17:32.9
23 Greg Beck, Ham 17:33.3
24 Noal Hill, Gla 17:36.2
25 Ryan McNamara, Helena 17:37.1
26 Erik Mason, Sen 17:45.0
27 Kole Tison, Ham 17:53.1
28 Tristen Hollist, Sen 17:56.2
29 Jacob Blake, CMR 18:07.4
30 Collin Buck, CMR 18:11.6
31 Keegan Casey, Cap 18:12.4
32 Carson Brown, Gla 18:14.0
33 Thomas Gilboy, Cap 18:17.8
34 Jerelle Big Hair, GFalls 18:19.1
35 Robert Hafemeyer, Fla 18:20.9
36 Mason Devries, Fla 18:26.2
37 Vincent Bohl, CMR 18:28.0
38 Jared Berkram, CBank 18:35.9
39 Max Tree, Sen 18:36.4
40 Nicolas Miller, Cap 18:37.7
41 Paul Bielawski, Shelby 18:40.6
42 Edin Agamenomi, CMR 18:43.4
43 Dallas Ballard, Cap 18:44.4
44 Bryer Anderson, Gla 18:45.5
45 Aidan Wade, Cap 18:46.7
46 Devin Vaughan, GFalls 18:51.3
47 Will Hoard, GFalls 18:52.5
48 Tanner Lehr, Ham 18:53.6
49 Andrew Kilpatrick, Cap 19:04.2
50 Kolby Anderson, CMR 19:06.2
51 Ty Runningfisher, Bro 19:07.8
52 Logan Meeks, CBank 19:08.7
53 Josh Sanderville, Bro 19:28.0
54 Greg Hall, Bro 19:28.6
55 Nate Wynn, CBank 19:29.4
56 Luke Henke, Shelby 19:30.9
57 Forest Messerman, Sen 19:33.4
58 Kyle Heptner, Shelby 19:37.4
59 Joseph Bremner, Bro 19:43.1
60 Chance Morgan, NToole 19:45.5
61 Kyle Skunkcap, Bro 19:55.3
62 Mitch Tree, Sen 19:57.1
63 Tyler Tharp, NToole 19:58.1
64 Steven Shaeffer, Fla 19:58.2
65 Bryce Krattiger, GFalls 20:12.2
66 Harold Tailfeathers, Bro 20:12.9
67 Chris Pre’tat, CMR 20:14.2
68 Austin Robbins, NToole 20:17.8
69 Alek Vanderkolk, GFalls 20:18.2
70 Tate Weingart, SI 20:26.7
71 Nathan Jones, GFalls 20:29.5
72 Tanner Rigor, Belt 20:45.5
73 Riley Hellinger, Shelby 20:54.0
74 Jimmy Smith, Belt 20:59.3
75 Luke Becker, NToole 21:26.4
76 Andrew Esslinger, SI 21:40.3
77 Dayln Morgan, CBank 21:41.4
78 Matt Becker, NToole 21:47.2
79 Logan Vining, Belt 21:50.6
80 Andrew Cantly, GFalls 21:54.6
81 Josh Bieglerm, CBank 21:58.6
82 Jonah Schaumanan, Belt 22:13.0
83 Jack McKinney, Belt 22:44.8
84 Noah Gaudreau, GFallsCC 22:56.1
85 Zander Buhler, GFallsCC 23:04.0
86 Ethan Goss-Dickie, SI 23:19.6
87 Nolan Staats, Sen 23:21.6
88 Jacob Laurent, GFallsCC 24:06.0
89 Hagan Vincent, GFallsCC 24:46.0
90 Bill Giddings, CBank 27:10.6