Columbia Falls team wins high school division of grueling race

Columbia Falls was well represented at the Diamond City Relay recently, a challenging off-pavement race that covers 215 miles over three days in the Little Belt Mountains of central Montana.

The Columbia Falls team won the high school division, while the University of Montana won the overall race, said Heather Thomas-Clark, official team “Mom.” Thomas-Clark, along with team Dads Todd Swope and Kurt Kress drove shuttle vehicles and provided team support.

The Columbia Falls team consisted of 11 runners, who ran two legs a day. Most legs are 3 to 5 miles, but one leg was 12½, Clark noted.

The team was coached by former Columbia Falls cross country team members Quinn Clark and David Slama, as coach Jim Peacock, who normally coaches the squad, was hiking in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

This year’s team was Mila Johns, Findley Dezzani, Mason Colliander, Griffin Laroque, Cosley Payne, Chloe Savoy, Mya Badger, Braydon Swope and Oliver Kress.

“This is a grueling event with varied terrain and weather and there was no whining; these kids are quite extraordinary,” Thomas-Clark said. “They were complimented at the end of the course by some head coaches form other teams as being a coach’s dream ... they are self-sufficient, extremely competitive; holding their own against D-1 college runners and just the right amount of goofiness — to which we said well for all that they have Jim Peacock to thank for way he coaches them. He raises them up, teaches them to compete and maintains humor at all times; it’s a gift he gives all runners that get on the bus with his team.”