The members of Bigfork’s boys and girls cross-country teams have started their season off with the right foot forward.

Friday in Cut Bank at their first meet of the 2011 season, runners from Bigfork High School and Bigfork Middle School won three of the four races that were held ? — the high school girls race, middle school girls race and middle school boys race.

“We had a great start to our season,” said Bigfork head cross country coach Sue Loeffler.

Freshman Makena Morley took first place in the high school girls race, in what was the inaugural race of her prep career. She completed the course in 17:46. Junior Chelsea Olson earned the best time of her career — 20:19 — to place fifth.

Chance Kittle, who is a freshman and therefore also competed for the first time at the high school level, finished his race in 21:25.

“I was real happy with everyone’s performance,” Loeffler said. “Like I have been telling them, ‘practice like champions and you will compete like champions.’”

Although Bigfork was missing some of its high school runners, the middle school team gave onlookers plenty to talk about.

Bryn Morley placed first in the middle school girls race with a time of 9:24, and behind her was Mattie McAnally in second place with a time of 9:58.

In the middle school boys race, Logan Morley took first place in 8:23.5. In sixth place was Bigfork’s George Gibbson in 10:15.9 followed by Colton Stodghill in seventh place in 10:25. Cody Johnson finished in 12th place in 11:16.

Up next

The Bigfork cross-country teams compete at 10 a.m. Saturday in Kalispell at the Kidsport Complex.