Polson Girls, Ronan Boys take second at Thompson Falls Invite

Runners from across the Mission Valley made their mark at the Thompson Falls Invitational on Saturday, with Polson’s girls taking second place as a team, Ronan’s boys finishing runner-up, and athletes from Mission, Charlo, and Arlee delivering several personal-best performances on the hilly Rivers Bend Golf Course layout.

"The team has been working so hard this season. It's been really fun to see some of the athletes have huge improvements," said Polson Head Coach Jason Delaney. He noted that the girls are consistently scoring among the top teams in Class A with the boys “showing large improvements almost every week,” despite some minor injuries and illness.

Delaney pointed out that at the Mountain West race two weeks ago, the Polson girls were second among class A schools, while Morgan Delaney and David DiGiallonardo were fifth and 14th overall, regardless of classification showcasing their elite status among state runners.

“Racing cross country almost always requires some problem-solving and patience to work through setbacks,” he adds. “We believe our best is still to come."

Polson’s depth shone through as the Lady Pirates claimed second with 54 points, just behind Columbia Falls. Morgan Delaney won the overall title in 19:00.45, followed closely by Quinn Delaney in second at 19:33.73. Koko Scott added a strong third with a 20:19.91 clocking.

The scoring was rounded out by personal-best times from Taryn Cochran (14th, 22:04.11) and Reese Adams (34th, 23:55.43). Elsie Detert placed 41st in 24:17.82 (PR), and Amaya Shizuku finished 61st in 25:56.41 (PR).

"We spend a lot of time tracking and celebrating small improvements," Delaney said. "We also work to address each individual athlete's needs as best we can while working in groups with the ambition to see incremental improvements over time add up to big gains in the long run."

Delaney added that none of Polson's top athletes started out as star runners in this sport, but rather have developed their abilities over time through consistent conditioning.

"Seeing our athletes find ways to improve and helping them work through their plateaus or setbacks is one of the most exciting parts of this sport," Delaney said. He noted that some athletes have shaved more than two minutes off their 5k times, while others continue reaching for those big drops.

Ronan finished seventh with 206 points, led by Annie Adams (22nd, 22:44.94) and Gracie Heiner (26th, 23:24.30). DeeDee Ellsworth was 48th in 24:48.18 (PR), Hayden DustyBull 50th in 24:51.11, and Maddie Duffey 60th in 25:54.68. In junior varsity action, Alexa Youngren clocked a personal-best 26:55.19 for 9th, while Madison WhiteMountain was 31st in 31:00.17.

St. Ignatius was paced by Raileigh McDonald (42nd, 24:19.30) and Brooklyn Leishman (44th, 24:33.65). Teammate Quincey Jensen crossed 74th in 28:32.16, with Janie Mitchell running 29:35.87 (PR) for 18th in the JV race. Arlee’s girls were led by Kaidance Pierre (69th, 26:55.68) and Izabella Knoll (72nd, 27:29.76).

Two Eagle River had several junior varsity finishers, including Keke Tenas (15th, 28:36.94), Luree Shotgun (16th, 28:51.66 PR), and Arorah Madplume (21st, 30:00.87). Koleah Finley (23rd, 31:16.29), Sierra Hall (25th, 31:22.35) and Goddess Barrett (26th, 32:13.05) also gained valuable experience.

Ronan’s boys (120) took second behind Columbia Falls thanks to a tightly packed top five. Devon BigMedicine led the way in 12th at 17:40.01. He was followed by Will Normandeau (23rd, 18:32.96), Matiya Nenemay (25th, 18:43.05 PR), Jhett McDonald (27th, 18:50.12), and Tobias Wilson (33rd, 18:59.89 PR).

Depth was key for the Chiefs, with Payton McElderry running 62nd (19:53.27). In JV, Elijah Zepeda impressed with a fourth place 19:21.76 (PR), while Clint Bolman ran 19:53.95 for sixth. Benjamin RunningRabbit placed seventh in 20:04.09. Other finishers included Toby Cantlon (94th, 21:22.23), Ilum White (42nd JV, 24:12.57), Liam Grieff (43rd JV, 24:28.86 PR), Anthony Lozeau (53rd JV, 26:05.27 PR), and Dennis Gates (62nd JV, 31:26.85).

Polson’s boys (11th, 273) were highlighted by the overall champion, David DiGiallonardo, who ran a commanding 16:11.03 to win by nearly 90 seconds. Wyatt Boogerd added a 14th-place finish in 18:07.87 (PR). The Pirates’ other scorers included Tayshawn Edmo (47th, 19:24.83 PR), Sheamis Cobb (100th, 21:47.48 PR), and Galen Berg (111th, 23:29.92 PR). In JV, Brayden Bible (64th, 33:55.29 PR) and Baylin Bible (66th, 36:52.69 PR) also competed.

According to Delaney, “Our whole boys team ran personal bests” apart from Digiallonardo, who won his race. "I'm very proud of the work this team has been putting in this season and it has really begun to show,” he added.

Arlee placed 12th with 320 points. The Warriors were led by Trevor VanMaanen (20th, 18:21.68), followed by Aarinnario NorthPeigan (57th, 19:49.42 PR). Jason Wright (75th, 20:27.26 PR) and William Fisher IV (76th, 20:27.44 PR) finished nearly side-by-side. Rounding out the team were Aiden Swab (92nd, 21:09.28) and Chase Courville (96th, 21:27.47).
Mission’s boys finished 17th. Top Bulldog finisher was Jason Leishman in 71st (20:20.74), with teammates Jake Helser (93rd, 21:13.47), Isaac Morigeau (95th, 21:26.38), Hawkaluk Hudson (106th, 22:14.43), and Adley Larson (114th, 25:02.96) completing the squad.

Two Eagle River (16th, 446) had Jason Trahan (78th, 20:34.18) and Dreyden Hendrickx (80th, 20:36.01) leading the way. They were joined by Anthony Sheridan (81st, 20:36.99 PR), Ryiley Gates (103rd, 22:01.85), and Gregory Plummer (104th, 22:01.87). In JV, Chief Barrett X (27th, 22:37.69 PR), Jesus Barrett X (38th, 24:01.68), Kayson Gates (58th, 28:23.74 PR), Liam Shepherd (59th, 29:20.96), and Caleb Afterbuffalo (63rd, 32:58.34) all finished.

    Overall boys champion at the Thompsons Falls Invite was Polson's David DiGiallonardo, shown here outpacing Owen Jermyn of Plains. (Courtesy photo)