Lions still roaring, but Viking boys could make noise
Eureka has the recent pedigree, with the last two State B cross country boys’ championships safely behind the trophy case at Lincoln County High School.
But Bigfork, under a first-year head coach and a host of talented runners coming back, might be ready to make some noise.
“We’re looking pretty strong, pretty solid,” allowed Vikings’ coach Ryan Nollan, whose boys performed well at last week’s Libby Invitational. “A bunch of these boys ran track last year and they were kind of really good in the mile and the two-mile, and three of them hadn’t run cross country before.
“They were all looking at each other and saying, ‘We might be pretty good.’“
So far they are, with senior Colton Wroble, junior Elijah Albert and junior Bo Moderman joining the talented nucleus of brothers Ryder and North Nollan (Ryan’s sons), sophomore Jack Jenson, senior Elliot Sanford and sophomore Colton Ballard. Bigfork was 10th at state a year ago.
“We ran a ton this summer,” Coach Nollan said. “We beat Eureka (at Libby), which has won state twice in a row, and we were right in there with a couple other good schools. I think we have something to work toward here.”
Eureka has senior Isaac Reynolds leading a quartet of returnees: juniors Sam Hall, and Michael Pittman and sophomore Parker Bates complete a strong core.
“Parker started out with a PR (in Libby), which was nice,” Eureka coach Andrew Gideon said. “We have one more that hasn’t run, but he’ll run next week. We have our work cut out for us, if we want to defend our title.
“We will put up a fight, I know that.”
Mission was eighth at state and Thompson Falls ninth at the 2020 state meet, and Mission has some good ones: juniors Andrew Rush and Thomas Nuila and freshman Robbie Nuila.
Eureka has fewer numbers on the girls’ side, but Gideon noted that juniors Taylor Lancaster and Milynn Lucey have their sights set on a top 15 at state. They were 25th and 28th a year ago.
Mission junior Cedar Hunt (18th) was the top Western B finisher at state in 2020; Bigfork’s top girl was Tabitha Raymond, who was 54th as a sophomore.
Thompson Falls, Eureka and Mission finished 9-10-11 in State B girls a year ago. Bigfork, which didn’t have a full team last season, owns girls’ titles from 2015 and 2002.
Manhattan, Glasgow and Red Lodge continue to be a threat in both boys and girls; Townsend is the two-time defending B girls’ champion.
Before Eureka broke through, the last Western B boys’ champion was Darby in 2008. Thompson Falls won it in 2007. Bigfork won back-to-back boys’ crowns in 1974-75.