Cross country: Runners in Great Falls for state tournament

The Morley tradition of state championships in cross country should continue today while Glacier sophomore Annie Hill hopes to make it two straight in Great Falls at Eagle Falls Golf Course.

This will be the 52nd edition of the state cross country championships, signaling the end of another spectacular fall season for many area runners.

The action will start with Class C boys at 11 a.m. followed by AA boys at 11:30, C girls at noon, AA girls at 12:35 p.m., A boys at 1:10, B boys at 1:40, A girls at 2:10 and B girls at 2:45.

“I think it’s runner friendly,” Flathead cross country coach Paul Jorgensen said of the course.

“Nothing major with big hills, just a few rolling hills.”

Bigfork’s Makena Morley won her fourth state championship last October in Helena and is now competing at the University of Montana. Her sister Bryn, who was the runner-up a year ago, is poised to continue the family’s run of titles. She will be a favorite to win the Class B crown today.

And her brother Logan, a senior, looks to repeat, on the boys side. He was a runner-up his sophomore season and placed third his freshman year.

Hill, just like her inaugural season, has dominated this year as well. She won state a year ago by a 30 second margin. In her final big outing before state — Helena 7 on 7 — she finished 38 seconds ahead of Tiahna Valdic of Billings Senior.

Bryn Morley was third at that event, which featured mainly Class AA squads.

Other individuals to watch out for are: Flathead’s Jake Perrin, Kaitlin Wride, Gillian Manness and Nicole Bouma; Whitefish’s Barrett Gray, Sarah Perez and Braya Hobson; Polson’s Ryan Harrop, Malia Seeley and Molly Sitter; and Sage Wanner of Columbia Falls.

The Flathead and Whitefish girls have shots at bringing home team trophies. Last year the Glacier boys and Flathead girls were both third in AA while the Whitefish girls were second in A.