Vikings bring home some plunder
Bigfork’s Jack Jensen finished third and helped the Vikings to a Class B boys title, the first for the program since 1975. (JP Edge/Hungry Horse News)
MISSOULA — The last time Bigfork won a boys cross country title? They went back-to-back in 1974-75.
“Before I was born,” said first-year Vikings’ coach Ryan Nollan.
The wait is over, after All-State runners Jack Jensen (third) and Elliot Sanford (10th) led Bigfork to 100 points, well ahead of runner-up Three Forks. Two-time defending champion Eureka was next with 150; at least the top trophy stays in the West.
“When you looked at times across the state, we weren’t there,” said Nollan, who has two boys, Ryder and North, on his team. “But they’re such a tough group, and they’re just racers. We have to slow them down on the first mile.”
Red Lodge’s Brandon Emineth won the boys race in 16 minutes, 38.93 seconds. Eureka’s Isaac Reynolds (16:54.09) was next, then Jensen (16:58.80).
Beyond Jensen, Nollan was most pleased with Sanford, who took 10th, and Bo Modderman, who finished 31st.
“Sanford’s time coming in projected to the mid-20s,” Nollan said. “Bo Modderman was our fifth. He got sick early on and had some injuries. He just came down today and took like 40 seconds off his best time (18:15, down from 18:53.9).”
“And of course, Jack in third. What a great race for a sophomore. Just a great weekend for him.”
Eureka’s Gavin Bates was able to run through his ankle injury to the 15th and final All-State spot. Reynolds, his teammate, ran his best time of the season but couldn’t catch Emineth.
“I was running with him the whole way,” Reynolds said. “But he had a better kick than me. I gave it my all, though, so it’s OK.”
“Bronze is a nice color,” said Eureka coach Andrew Gideon, who along with Bates and Reynolds has taken a state trophy home four straight years (the Lions were also third in 2018). “We might not have won, but we beat some good, quality teams and competed well.
“Congratulations to Bigfork.”
Thompson Falls’ Will Hyatt was All-State, finishing eighth; Mission’s Zoran Lafrombois was ninth.
Red Lodge won the girls team title with 87 points; Townsend and Columbus made it a Southern B trophy sweep.
Townsend’s Emma Stolte won the girls race in 19:18.91; the top area finisher was Eureka’s Lucy Reynolds, who was 26th.
Manhattan Christian swept the State C boys and girls titles, with sophomore Oren Arthun leading a 1-4-8 finish for the Eagle boys. Senior Lindsey Paulson of Belt/Centerville won the girls race for a second straight year.
Complete results can be found at competitivetiming.com and athletic.net.
State Cross Country Meet
Saturday
UM Golf Course
B BOYS
Team scores — 1, Bigfork 100, 2, Three Forks 118, 3, Eureka 150; 4, Glasgow 155; 5, Boulder 167, 6, Huntley Project 179; 7, Wolf Point 179; 8, Manhattan 184; 9, Columbus 283; 10, Cut Bank 287; 11, Mission 298; 12, Colstrip 356; 13, Thompson Falls 379; 14, Red Lodge 403; 15, Joliet 415; 16, Townsend 421; 17, Missoula Loyola 442; 18, Lodge Grass 444; 19, Poplar 521; 20, Shepherd 556; 21, Harlem 602; 22, Anaconda 628; 23, Deer Lodge 713.
Individual Top 15
1, Brandon Emineth, RL, 16:38.93; 2, Isaac Reynolds, Eur, 16:54.09; 3, Jack Jensen, Bfk, 16:58.80; 4, James Plymale, Columbus, 17:04.07; 5, Peyton Summers, WP, 17:09.61; 6, Kevin Graves, HP, 17:30.78; 7, Reed Larsen, Gla, 17:30.82; 8, Will Hyatt, Thompson Falls, 17:33.06; 9, Zoran Lafrombois, Mission, 17:34.52; 10, Elliot Sanford, Bigfork, 17:40.21; 11, Garrett Golding, TF, 17:40.56; 12, Elijah Quick, RL, 17:42.88; 13, Seth Stevenson, Colstrip, 17:42.98; 14, Carson Blanchard, Man, 17:45.30; 15, Gavin Bates, Eur, 17:47.71.
BIGFORK — 3, Jack Jensen; 10, Elliot Sanford; 23, Ryder Nollan 17:58.90; 31, Bo Modderman 18:14.98; 33, North Nollan 18:17.80.
EUREKA — 2, Isaac Reynolds; 15, Gavin Bates; 32, Jacob Buckingham 18:17.65; 47, Parker Bates 18:39.98; 54, Michael Pitman 18:47.64.
MISSION — 9, Zoran Lafrombois; 19, Thomas Nuila 17:53.28; 27, Robbie Nuila 18:05.19; 112, Harlon Leishman 20:53.63; 131, Sawyer Pule 21:46.16.
B GIRLS
Team scores — 1, Red Lodge 87; 2, Townsend 100; 3, Columbus 109; 4, Manhattan 115; 5, Three Forks 151; 6, Huntley Project 209; 7, Colstrip 257; 8, Glasgow 278; 9, Poplar 278; 10, Bigfork 308; 11, Shepherd 337; 12, Deer Lodge 365; 13, Eureka 420; 14, Big Timber 426; 15, Mission 459; 16, Lodge Grass 509; 17, Anaconda 527; 18, Cut Bank 543; 19, Alree 612.
Individual Top 15
1, Emma Stolte, Twn, 19:18.91; 2, Renea Parker, Bou, 19:32.58; 3, Natalie Wood, BT, 19:46.34; 4, Iris McKean, Gla, 20:01.27; 5, Kelsey Plymale, Columbus, 20:08.82; 6, Jayden Woodland, TF, 20:19.09; 7, Mackenzie Sheils, Columbus, 20:36.14; 8, Ella Miller, Man, 20:39.49; 9, Tanae Baker, Gla, 20:40.47; 10, Brayli Reimer, RL, 20:48.07; 11, Jazmin Gorder, Pop, 21:0.10; 12, Tayla Trottier, Har, 21:05.28; 13, Bailey Binando, RL, 21:11.72; 14, Memphis Meier, Twn, 21:14.43; 15, Brooke Binando, RL, 21:30.30.
BIGFORK — 29, Tabitha Raymond 22:16.72; 30, Mahali Kuzyk 22:17.16; 42, Claire Jensen 23:00.08; 73, Erika Dowling 24:22.72; 134, Makenna Keller 28:53.27.
EUREKA — 26, Lucy Reynolds 22:12.84; 88, Monroe Tornow 25:09.57; 94, Milynn Lucey 25:36.72; 104 Houston Hayes 26:20.39; 108, Arnica Kalware 26:43.89.
MISSION — 65, Kooper Page 24:01.50; 72, Cedar Hunt 24:15.90; 100, Natalie Helser 25:59.75; 107, Madyson Currie 26:43.41; 115 Evelyn Pavlock Ferencz 27:12.67.