Hatchery run challenges valley runners
Carrie Pichler
Scarlet Naomi Plant gives an enthusiastic thumbs up while pacing teammate Alice North at Hatchery Challenge Invite
Carrie Pichler
VikingDalton Delaney took first place at Arlee’s challenging meet.
Carrie Pichler
Bulldog Tate Weingart placed third.
Carrie Pichler
Warrior Parker Holz
Carrie Pichler
Carrie Pichler
Carrie Pichler
Carrie Pichler
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ARLEE – It was a beautiful day in Arlee on Monday, as the Warriors and Scarlets hosted Arlee’s seventh annual Hatchery Challenge cross-country meet. Valley teams from Charlo and Mission joined Arlee as well as Darby, Phillipsburg, Seeley-Swan and Deer Lodge to tackle the challenging 3.2-mile run.
First year Arlee head coach, Ashley Gaumer, said there was a nice turn out for the meet on with weather conditions just right.
“The meet went really well,” she said. “It was fun to see the kids compete in their hometown locally.”
Leading the Arlee pack with promise of posting contending postseason times was Scarlet Amelia North who placed seventh with a time of 32:31.
“Amelia is just nothing but improving,” Gaumer said. “She ran really well in Arlee though the course was longer.”
Becca Whitesell crossed the line in the eight spot with a time of 23:17.
For the boys Sequoia Wiley placed the highest crossing the finish line at 12th with a time of 22:24 and Parker Holz right behind at 22:24 good for 13th.
“Parker’s been staying pretty consistent getting his times down,” Gaumer said but is really pleased to see the drive in all her athletes in preparation for postseason.
“The season is going really well, all of the kids have improved a lot and I’m really proud of how they’re doing,” she said. “We’re looking forward to State coming up in a couple of weeks.”
Top dog in the boys race was Charlo’s Dalton Delaney, taking first finishing up the extra-long course with a time of 17:27. Delaney has been making some noise in the last couple of weeks finding himself in the upper ranks of each meet he runs.
Also finishing in a top 10 place for the Vikings was Kyle Couture crossing in fifth with a time of 19:43.
Devi Knutson made top ten in 10th for the Lady Vikings while Skyler Frame finished at her heels in 11th. Knutson posted a 25:57 and Frame finished with 26:08.
With only three rostered athletes, the Mission team is not only the smallest but also the youngest with a junior and two freshmen.
Bulldog Tate Weingart finished in third in the Hatchery Challenge logging a time of 17:56. Weingart has been steadily improving his times and is preparing to make a splash at State after busting his personal best time this last run.
Freshmen Lady Bulldogs Shaniya Decker and Tori Peterson have a long high school career ahead of them after qualifying to compete at this year’s State and will carry the experience to their senior year.
Decker finished in 12th with a time of 23:52 and Peterson came in at 16th completing the run with a time of 28:13.
Mission coach Marc Cutler is seeing great improvement in his three runners and is looking forward to his young athletes all working on besting personal times as the season continues.
“We are really trying to work on beating personal records as of right now.” Cutler said. “All three kiddos have been working hard, improving themselves.”
Each team will compete in Ronan Oct. 17 before heading to Helena to race in the State Championship meet Oct. 25.
Results
Boys
Dalton Delaney (Cha) 17:27; Evan Duggan (Dar) 17:30; Tate Weingart (Mis) 17:56; Rennon Paredes (Dar) 19:35; Kyle Couture (Cha) 19:43; Garrett McCormack (Dar) 19:58; Joshua Grace (SS) 20:00; Tilore Spears (Dar) 20:20; Cameron Haines (SS) 21:15; Will Senecal (DL) 22:04; Dugan Runkel (Cha) 21:18; Sequoia Wiley (Arl) 22:24; Parker Holz (Arl) 22:33; Ivory Brien (Arl)26:35; Michael Matt (Arl) 30:51
Girls
Lilly Lang (Dar) 19:39; Maria Waldbilling (Phil) 21:38; Mekder Lombardi (DL) 22:13; Maya Diekman (Dar) 22:19; Beti Lombardi (DL) 22:49; Maggie Althaus (Phil) 22:55; Amelia North (Arl) 23:04; Becca Whitesell (Arl) 23:17; Cera Strumpfer (SS) 23:36; Devi Knutson (Cha) 25:57; Skyler Frame (Cha) 26:08; Shaniya Decker (Mis) 23:52; Elizabeth Done (SS) 29:14; Mary Strumpfer (SS) 29:34; Sydney Cutler (Phil) 30:47; Tori Peterson (Mis) 28:13:00; Naomi Plant (Arl) 32:23; Alice North (Arl) 32:31
