Glacier’s Bissen, Flathead’s Wilson shine at Mountain West Classic

MISSOULA — The usual suspects — Bozeman, Coeur d’Alene, Hardin, Hellgate and Gallatin — blazed through the Mountain West Classic cross country course Saturday.

But some Flathead Valley athletes pushed their way to some nice finishes.

Glacier freshman Lauren Bissen is one; she finished sixth overall in the girls’ varsity race, finishing in 18 minutes, 53.40 seconds at the University of Montana golf course.

The massive event — over 800 runners and 63 schools competed in the varsity races alone — saw Gallatin edge Bozeman for the girls team title, 123-131. Class A power Hardin wasn’t far back at 136; Flathead, led by junior Josie Wilson’s 16th-place finish (19:35.41, a personal record), was eighth.

Lilli Rumsey Eash (40th), Afton Wride (59th) and Mikenna Conan (62nd) gave the Bravettes the lowest score of the Valley teams.

Glacier’s girls were 14th, while Columbia Falls was 20th and Polson 26th. Polson’s Morgan Delaney was 33rd, finishing in 20:02.86.

Coeur d’Alene was dominant on the boys side, scoring 45 points, but Bozeman finished with an impressive 75 behind senior Nathan Neil, who won the race in 15:09.84.

Glacier sophomore Owen Thiel (27th, 16:32.73) was the top local boys finisher; as a team the Wolfpack were 15th, one spot ahead of Flathead and two ahead of Columbia Falls.

Bauer Hollman was Flathead’s top finisher, taking 66th in 17:04.90. Three spots behind was Bigfork senior Jack Jensen (17:06.15, and Glacier freshman Gabe Ackerly was 70th at 17:06.28.

Mason Genovese of Whitefish was right behind Ackerly at 17:06.83.

The Wildcats saw River Blazejewski finish 83rd (out of 449 varsity boys runners) at 17:13.33; the Columbia Falls girls were led by sophomore Ashley Andrews; she was 67th at 20:51.78.

Complete results can be found at athletic.net.