Newcomers Lead Teams To Titles Sandpoint Girls, Lake City Boys Win Cross Country Regionals
A pair of first-time winners, both sophomores, led their teams to repeat victories in the A-1 Region I cross country meet Saturday at Farragut State Park.
Both runners, Nicole Maloney of Sandpoint and Charlie Miller of Lake City, displayed poise usually expected from frequent winners. They each seized the lead on the final hill on the 3.1-mile course along the picturesque shores of Lake Pend Oreille, and sprinting downhill the final one-quarter mile to comfortable victories.
Sandpoint captured its fourth straight girls regional crown, while Lake City’s boys won back-to-back championships.
There was a distinct Badgers flavor, meanwhile, in the A-2 District I-II races. Bonners Ferry’s boys and girls dethroned Moscow for team championships.
While Moscow didn’t seriously contend for team titles, the Bears did take home the individual trophies. Kenny Benjamin and Yvonne Shea pulled away for easy victories.
The top three boys and girls teams in the A-1 and A-2 races will return to the same course next Saturday for the state meets. The top 12 A-1 and A-2 boys and top 11 A-1 and A-2 girls also qualify for state.
A-1 Region I
LC’s boys posted 27 points, placing five runners in the top 10. Lewiston finished second with 57 and Sandpoint advanced to state by finishing third with 82.
Miller trailed Lewiston’s Aron Taylor just over half the race before the Timberwolf put his finishing gear into overdrive. He finished in 17 minutes, 24 seconds - 11 seconds ahead of Taylor.
“My adrenaline just started pumping when I got to the top (of the last hill),” Miller said. “I just kept running hard. After I caught him I kept making myself think he was right behind me.”
The Timberwolves have run with a pack mentality all season, and it was evident Saturday. Max Schmidt (third), Josh Johnson (fourth), Mike Keith (seventh) and Nick Schmidt (10th) brought home the win.
While Miller most likely won’t contend for an individual title at state, LC coach Donna Messenger believes the pack-attack style could help the Timberwolves nudge into the top five.
Although he trailed most of the race, Miller thought his strategy would ultimately pay off.
“I wasn’t going to give up until I caught (Taylor),” Miller said.
Sandpoint’s girls posted 32 points, just edging Coeur d’Alene (36). LC also qualified for state (third with 66).
One wouldn’t know it’s Maloney’s first season by watching her run. She finished in 21:07, 16 seconds ahead of CdA’s Eva Unruh.
“She’s just a natural,” Sandpoint coach Cheryl Klein said.
Unruh and teammate Kelsi Luhnow (third) led through the 2-mile mark. But that’s when Maloney started her charge.
A-2 District I-II
After watching his teams get pounded the past two years by Moscow, Bonners Ferry coach Harry O’Dell couldn’t keep from smiling.
Like the winning A-1 teams, the Badgers ran tightly, too. Both Bonners Ferry teams posted 31 points. Moscow’s boys finished second with 46, while Priest River and Lakeland tied with 86. But Priest River earned the final state berth because its sixth runner, Brian White, finished 30th, three spots ahead of Lakeland’s sixth runner.
Kellogg’s girls followed Bonners Ferry with 69 points, nipping third-place Moscow (71-1/2).
Benjamin (17:41) led two other teammates through the first mile. That’s when the Badgers started moving through the pack. Moscow had three runners in the top six, but Bonners Ferry had the first five counters in the top 12.
St. Maries’ Jeremy Badgett finished runner-up (17:52).
Shea’s 21:05 for Moscow was 30 seconds ahead of St. Maries freshman Aree Stone. Lany Dowell of Bonners Ferry finished third, followed by her sister Lila (fourth).
, DataTimes