State cross country: Backyard battle in Class A

Rebecca Farm is host to the 60th Montana State Cross Country Championships Saturday, and for the first time since 2020.

Good timing. The Flathead Valley has some really good runners to showcase, not the least of which are from Columbia Falls and Whitefish.

In fact Class A seems likely to bring the most drama, with a boys race that is led by a potent Browning squad with Columbia Falls hot on the Indians’ heels.

Meanwhile the Flathead and Glacier girls are poised for high finishes, though Missoula Hellgate, Gallatin and Bozeman seem ready to keep the spotlight.

Class A

The surprise isn’t that Browning’s boys are good, it’s that it’s been this long (2007) without a state championship. That year they won their 22nd.

“Browning has the winningest school program in history, all classes, going back to the early 70s,” said Columbia Falls coach Jim Peacock, who was running for Boulder in Class B while Browning was winding down a run of 18 state titles (three in Class B) in 18 years from 1974-91. “It’s been a couple years since they’ve been a powerhouse and it’s really neat to see the coach they’ve had the last couple years (Roy McNabb) bring the winning culture back to that program.”

Jerdan Crawford, Preston Iron Heart and River Racine lead Browning, and have a habit of sticking together.

Columbia Falls, meanwhile, has River Blazewski, Oliver Kress, Logan Peterson and Lucas Peterson tightly bunched.

“We’ve got a little bit better depth. But right now they’ve been able to sneak ahead of us with those first couple runners,” Peacock said. “I think we compete with them really well. If the kids do what they’ve done all year, they’ll give themselves a chance. If Browning does what they’ve done all year, it will be a really good battle.

“We’ll see who has the best day and either way walk away pretty happy about having a great team that put in some great times.”

Not far behind is Whitefish, where first-year cross country runner Simon Douglas has surged and given the Bulldogs a strong core of four along with Mason Genovese, Deneb Linton and Ethan Amick.

“Browning is really tough. They’re dynamite,” Whitefish coach Richard Menicke said. “Columbia falls has the same thing Browning has — a strong group of guys that runs in a nice tight group. “We’d be extremely happy to come home in third because there are a couple of excellent teams (Hardin and Corvallis) right on our heels.

Hardin seems a lock to win its second straight girls title and fifth in seven years. The Bulldogs have four runners — Karis Brightwings-Pease, Mariah Aragon, Zoey Real Bird and Dierra Takes Enemy — ranked in the top 10 in Class A, so Corvallis and Columbia Falls can battle for second place.

“Corvallis has been edging us the last few meets but we’ve been missing the girl that led us most of the year,” said Peacock, referring to Ashley Andrews. “She should be back and healthy this weekend.”

Whitefish might make a run at the state trophy, and like the Wildkats welcomes back an injured runner in Maeve Inglefinger.

“Our girls have beena surprising team, and young,” Menicke said of the Bulldogs. “I’m interested to see how (Inglefinger’s return) changes our team results.”

Among the local athletes that could get top 15 All-State honors are Bigfork’s Jack Jensen and Polson freshman Jackson Bontadelli for the boys, and Polson freshman Morgan Delaney for the girls.

“It’s great to have this meet in our backyard,” Peacock said. “As a local coach, I’m hopeful to see some good local representation and spectating. There are a lot of good local individuals and teams competing this weekend.”

Class AA

Hellgate’s girls, led by state favorite Rose Wiltse, appear to be too strong for even the Gallatin Raptors and Bozeman Hawks.

Meanwhile Flathead and Glacier are shaping up to battle for fourth. The Bravettes were fourth in 2022 and the Wolfpack were ninth.

“I think we’re right where exactly to be,” Glacier coach Cody Moore said. “The best Glacier has ever been on the women’s side is fourth (in 2016). … I think the top three would be amazing and an A-plus day, but top four or five would be great and a testament to how far these girls have come from last year.”

Freshman Lauren Bissen leads Glacier, and has the fifth-best time in AA coming in (18 minutes, 44.4 seconds).

“She’s a great kid, and she’s a great competitor,” Moore said. “And she’s somebody who has kind of become a student of the sport. Grow not just physically but also mentally. I think she is set up really well to have a great day Saturday and has a bright future ahead of her.”

Flathead has three potential All-State runners in Lilli Rumsey Eash, Mikenna Conan and Josie Wilson.

“This group of girls is really deep and we’ve had a lot of improvement from McKenna Conan and Afton Wride, and Josie Wilson has done a great job of moving into that No.1 position,” Flathead coach Jesse Rumsey said. “She’s super strong and I”m excited to see what she brings on Saturday.

“It’s 100 percent bittersweet. This group of seniors that I’ve coached for so long — it’s really cool to host this cross country, to run the final race at Rebecca Farm. I’m feeling really good about our chances Saturday, for both my girls and boys teams.”

Bozeman, Great Falls High and Billings West top what looks to be a tight boys team race, while Flathead projects seventh and Glacier, 11th. The Braves’ Robbie Nuila, a transfer from Mission, has the sixth-best time in AA coming in. Rumsey has big hopes for a good final race for senior Bauer Hollman, a mainstay for four seasons.

Sophomore Owen Thiel is a potential All-State runner for a young Glacier squad.

“We have three of the top 10-12 freshmen in the state,” Moore noted. “We have a couple possible all-state kids, and we’re in the hunt for top eight. That would be a massive step forward for the program.”

Class B

Boulder’s boys and Manhattan’s girls are the favorites.

Eureka is projected as 10th in the boys race, but Lions coach Andrew Gideon notes his squad was ranked 16th before most of the team PR’d at divisionals. A similar performance would have the Lions roaring.

“Every single kid the last 500 meters kicked into gear and fought until the end,” Gideon said.

As far as the Western teams go, Gideon added: “I’m looking forward to seeing what Plains girls (ranked eighth) can do. If they have all five of them, they could be pretty good.”

The Trotters’ Marina Tulloch, one of three freshmen ranked in the top six, has the fifth-best time in Class B.