What to watch for at Montana state cross country meet
Runners from all classes will convene at the University of Montana Golf Course in Missoula Saturday for the Montana State Cross Country Championships.
Races begin at 11 a.m., starting with the Class AA girls. Races for each class and gender are scheduled to go about every 30 minutes or so afterward, concluding with the Class C boys at 2:50 p.m.
Here are some things to watch for ahead of the 59th annual event showcasing the best distance runners in the state.
The Great Falls High boys look to be in line for another team trophy after finishing third last season.
Junior Ryan Harrington is the top runner for the Bison and is ranked fifth among AA competition based on personal bests this year, per results compiled on athletic.net.
Harrington’s time of 15:41.5 in the 5k race came at the Mountain West Classic in Missoula at the UM course, where he finished third among a field of over 400 runners in September. Harrington finished fourth individually for Great Falls High last season.
Sophomore Conrad Schruth is the No. 2 runner for head coach Bob Stingley, ranked 15th among the AA field with a time of 16:20 at the Butte Invitational. Senior Mac Palmer (16:31.6) is ranked 20th, while Ashtyn Rask and John Spinti make up the rest of the Great Falls High roster, which is forecast to take third as a team based on times so far this season.
Missoula Sentinel and Bozeman High are the top two boys’ teams, respectively, heading into the state meet.
Bozeman teammates Weston Brown (15:12) and Nathan Neil (15:17.6) boast the best 5k times so far this season, while K.J. Popiel is ranked ninth. Senior Keagen Crosby is the No. 1 harrier for Sentinel and sixth-ranked in AA (15:43), with Callum Coots and Quinn Newman also on track for All-State finishes (top 15).
Missoula Hellgate is the defending champion, with senior Finneas Colescott being the top returner after finishing second to graduated champion Tanner Klumph of Sentinel last season.
Aizalyn Flaten of CMR has been the No. 1 runner among Electric City girls so far this season and is tied for 13th heading into state, putting the freshman in line for an All-State showing Saturday.
Her personal best of 19:37.1 came at the Butte Invitational at the end of September, and she finished 20th (19:45.71) at the UM course at the Mountain West Invitational racing against schools of all classes in Montana and other top programs from the Northwest.
Great Falls High sophomore Vail Van Voast has the top times for the Bison girls, ranked 26th with a season-best time of 20:20.7 in Butte.
Freshman Emerson Hamma is the highest-ranked runner for the CMR boys and mentor Nathan Gregier, ranked 40th among AA athletes with a personal-record 17:03.9.
Claire Rutherford of Bozeman Gallatin (18:20.2) is the top female AA harrier entering the state meet, while Natalie Nichols (4th/19:11.9) leads defending champion Bozeman High.
Missoula Hellgate is predicted to take the girls’ team title, per athletic.net, and Bozeman second.
Class A boys
Top runner: Greyson Piseno, freshman, Billings Central (Season best: 15:48.2)
Defending champion: Hamilton
Team trophy prediction (per athletic.net): 1. Livingston; 2. Hardin; 3. Whitefish
Class A girls
Top runner: Karis Brightwings-Pease, eighth grade, Hardin (18:26.8)
Defending champion: Columbia Falls
Team trophy prediction: 1. Hardin; 2. Corvallis; 3. Columbia Falls
Class B boys
Top runner: Peyton Summers, junior, Wolf Point (15:43)
Defending champion: Bigfork
Team trophy prediction: 1. St. Ignatius; 2. Three Forks; 3. Jefferson (Boulder)
Class B girls
Top runner: Tanae Baker, sophomore, Glasgow (18:28.5)
Defending champion: Red Lodge
Team trophy prediction: 1. Glasgow; 2. Columbus; 3. Manhattan
Class C boys
Top runner: Oren Arthun, junior, Manhattan Christian (16:08.9)
Defending champion: Manhattan Christian
Returning champion: Oren Arthun, Manhattan Christian
Team trophy prediction: 1. Manhattan Christian; 2. Plenty Coups; 3. West Yellowstone
Class C girls
Top runner: Annie Kaul, senior, Plentywood (18:35.9)
Defending champion: Manhattan Christian
Team trophy prediction: 1. Culbertson; 2. Scobey; 3. Manhattan Christian
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: What to watch for at Montana state cross country meet
