Wildkat harriers best in field at Western A Fall Classic

There was some cold weather and hot times Saturday at Rebecca Farm, where Columbia Falls won the girls’ team title at the Western A Fall Classic cross country meet.

The precursor to this coming weekend’s state championships — Classes A and B run on Friday at Rebecca Farm – saw Columbia Falls’ Hannah Sempf run her best time this fall while finishing third, behind teammate Lara Erickson and Hamilton’s Brynnli Poulsen.

Poulsen, the defending State A champ, ran the fastest time in Class A Saturday: 18 minutes, 48.8 seconds. Sempf’s time of 20:24.65 is 10th in Class A;

Columbia Falls finished 2-3-10-13-15 to score 38 points. Corvallis was second at 49 and Polson was third at 82.

Whitefish was sixth out of seven teams, and had Peatra Cooke run her best time (20:55.0) while finishing sixth. Several girls ran their season or personal bests, including Columbia Falls’ Siri Erickson, Alyssa Blankenship and Emma McAllister.

Hamilton dominated the boys’ action, scoring 26 points to 60 for Whitefish. Ronan standout Brant Heiner won the individual race in 16:24.18, while Hamilton’s Colter Purcell, Colter Kirkland and Lane Cole finished 2-3-4. All three lowered their personal or season bests; Purcell came across in 16:30.9.

Whitefish’s Jacob Henson ran his personal best, 17:15.9, while finishing seventh.

Columbia Falls, the defending State A boys’ champions, didn’t field a complete team; James Petersen was the Wildcats’ top finisher, in eighth.

Western A Fall Classic

Saturday, Rebecca Farm

GIRLS

Team scores – Columbia Falls 38, Corvallis 49, Polson 82, Hamilton 104, Whitefish 109, Frenchtown 134, Libby 203.

Individual Top 15 – 1, Brynnli Poulsen, Hamilton, 18:48.71; 2, Lara Erickson, Columbia Falls, 20:12.70; 3, Hannah Sempf, Columbia Falls, 20:24.65; 4, Katie Gleason, Corvallis, 20:34.83; 5, Olivia Buoy, Corvallis, 20:50.16; 6, Paetra Cooke, Whitefish, 20:54.95; 7, Abigail Sherwood, Frenchtown, 20:55.24; 8, Halle Heninger, Polson, 20:56.50; 9, Laurie Davidson, Corvallis, 21:06.99; 10, Siri Erickson, Columbia Falls, 21:11.05; 11, Katlyn Potter, Stevensville, 21:18.73; 13, Emma McAllister, Columbia Falls, 21:30.81; 14, Olivia Heiner, Ronan, 21:37.88; 15, Emma Upton, Columbia Falls, 21:43.88.

BOYS

Team scores – Hamilton 26, Whitefish 60, Ronan 81, Corvallis 85, Polson 122, Libby 172, Stevensville 208.

Individual Top 15 – 1, Brant Heiner, Ronan, 16:24.18; 2, Colter Purcell, Hamilton, 16:30.88; 3, Colter Kirkland, Hamilton, 16:49.90; 4, Lane Cole, Hamilton, 17:01.10; 5, Brinson Wyche, Corvallis, 17:09.39; 6, Harrison Silverio, Hamilton, 17:10.52; 7, Jacob Henson, Whitefish, 17:15.82; 8, James Petersen, Columbia Falls, 17:26.28; 9, Michael Irvine, Ronan, 17:26.72; 10, Deneb Linton, Whitefish 17:28.91; 11, Mason Genovese, Whitefish, 17:34.48; 12, Tanner Nead, Hamilton, 17:55.45; 13, Zarec Couture, Ronan, 18:08.07; 14, Zachary Kunkel, Hamilton, 18:13.35; 15, Bailey Sjostrom, Columbia Falls, 18:15.65.