POLSON - Things are clicking for the Lady Pirate cross country

team these days. The Polson girls went one-two-three to capture the

Northwestern A Conference Championship Saturday at the Polson Golf

Course.

POLSON - Things are clicking for the Lady Pirate cross country team these days. The Polson girls went one-two-three to capture the Northwestern A Conference Championship Saturday at the Polson Golf Course.

Claudia Hewston, Aja Starkey and Tegan Bauer led Polson to an incredible one-point victory over Columbia Falls, but the podium sweep wasn't the only determining factor in the win.

"Hallie (Hovenkotter) and Alicia (Jore) - if either had been just one spot down it would have made all the difference," coach Matt Seeley said. "Hallie was right in the thick of it with a bunch of girls and came out right where she needed to."

Jore was struggling with an injury that's been bothering her all year long, but her willingness to push through the pain was ultimately what clinched the title for her team. The result proved what many cross country coaches have known all along - every point counts.

"We came in thinking that we had a shot at the sweep," Seeley said of his top three. "Aja and Teagan both ran really tough. They had a great effort."

The all-sophomore squad repeated a feat their school had not accomplished since 1994 when the Lady Pirates also went on to win a state championship.

"We really could be a surprise," Seeley said of his team's chances next weekend. "Corvallis has looked really good at a couple meets and if they run like that, they're really unbeatable."

But with three solid frontrunners in the Pirate lineup, this team has the potential to do great things. Hewston, whose been lighting up cross country courses all season long, will hope to improve on her third place finish at the state meet last year.

"Claudia has won two in a row and beat one of her chief rivals already this year, so she's going in to state with a lot of confidence," Seeley said. "She's a competitor and she's running well right now."

For the boys, the trophy went to Whitefish, but the Pirates ran tough behind senior Alex Nystrom's sixth place, finishing just seven points behind the Bulldogs in the end.

"The boys had a very aggressive start and were very motivated, but couldn't quite hold it all the way up to the finish," Seeley said. "They learned something and are now even more fired up to try to beat some of those teams and finish strong at the state meet."

But the race at state is sure to be a dogfight. Conference rivals Whitefish and Columbia Falls will be back, of course, but Seeley said there will be at least three other strong teams in the mix.

The Montana State Cross Country Championships are Saturday, Oct. 22 at the University of Montana Golf Course in Missoula. Class A boys take off a 1:40 p.m. and class A girls run at 2:45 p.m.

NORTHWESTERN A DIVISIONAL RESULTS

Girls team scores: Polson 37, Columbia Falls 38, Whitefish 55, Frenchtown 100. Also competing: Libby.

Top 15 individuals: 1, Claudia Hewston, Pol, 19:28; 2, Aja Starkey, Pol, 20:15; 3, Tegan Bauer, Pol, 20:24; 4, Jinise Osborne, CF, 20:45; 5, Nicole Brist, WF, 21:09; 6, Maya Gordon, WF, 21:14; 7, Meredith Stolte, CF, 21:22; 8, Samantha Mundel, CF, 21:34; 9, Cami Casazza, CF, 21:57; 10, Tori Price, CF, 22:07; 11, Carlee Brown, CF, 22:08; 12, Maja Holmquist, Ftn, 22:15; 13, Peyton Twete, WF, 22:23; 14, Hallie Hovenkotter, Pol, 22:26; 15, Emma Marchetti, WF, 22:33.

Boys Team scores: Whitefish 52, Polson 59, Columbia Falls 63, Frenchtown 76, Libby 103.

Top 15 individuals: 1, Derrick Williams, CF, 16:43; 2, Fischer Gangemi, WF, 17:04; 3, Jacob Thomas, Lib, 17:06; 4, Jace Kalbfleisch, WF, 17:08; 5, Gunnar Nabozney, Ftn, 17:29; 6, Alex Nystrom, Pol, 17:39; 7, Carson Wabaunsee, Ftn, 17:44; 8, Travis Hayes, Pol, 17:47; 9, Colton Crismore, Lib, 17:50; 10, James Ratslaff, CF, 17:55; 11, Zayne Brunz, CF, 17:58; 12, Will Holdhusen, WF, 17:59; 13, Jimmy Bjorge, Pol, 18:01; 14, Blake Normand, Ftn, 18:04; 15, Jared Rubel, Pol, 18:06