Harriers cap off regular season with Helena race

The Herd of Turtles varsity cross country runners brought the heat to capital city this past Thursday.

“At this meet, it’s all about competing well, racing hard, and overall effort. It’s the individual success that brings team success,” head coach Jim Peacock said.

The Helena 7 on 7 meet functions and is scored a bit differently than other meets. The seventh-place male and female runners on a team run together, all the way up to the ones race. Because of this change, all seven runners contribute towards the score, based on their place. If a coach leaves a spot blank, it’s simulated as if that runner took last place in said race. 

“Lots of class A schools don’t put their top runners in the top places at this meet, as the coaches are allowed to enter them in any slot they choose,” Peacock said.

The girls ran blazing fast, with several breakout performances.  

Senior Findley Dezzani ran in the number ones race, with a time of 21:20. Senior Ashley Andrews ran in the twos, with a 20:53.  

Junior Hazel Alexander was the fastest runner for the girls, running a 20:39, officially establishing herself as the ninth fastest 5k in Columbia Falls school history. Alexander was the second fastest class A girl in her third place race. 

Freshman Noelle Svennungsen had a special breakout race. Excluding Frenchtown’s fastest girl, Svennungsen finished first with a 20:55 in her fourth place race for class A girls. 

“Especially when they’re competing at the varsity level; as a coach you have to be mindful to not rely on freshmen too heavily, to not put too much pressure on them, as they’re still growing and learning how to be competitive in the sport of cross country. Without her older teammates around her, running with no ‘mental barriers,’ Noelle picked her own spot in the race, and ran a great time,” Peacock said.

On the men’s side, the times generally trended slower at this meet, but there were still some fast times. 

Senior River Blazejewski was first for the team with a 16:54. In the number twos race, senior Mason Colliander ran a 17:59. In the threes, senior Aiyers Powell ran an 18:23.

“Overall, great races. The one and two races ran especially phenomenal.”     

   The JV teams also competed on Saturday at the Mission Shadow Duels in Pablo. Although it’s run in a pretty strange format, (racers are staggered twenty seconds apart from each other upon the initial gun) it’s still scored the same as a regular meet. The boys finished 8th with 172 points.

There are also several hay bales runners must hurdle, staggered throughout the course.  

One standout performance was that of senior Stimson Dolesh, who ran a personal best time of 19:13. 

“Stimson took it out reasonably aggressive, and it got working from three-quarters of a mile to the end; however, he held onto his goal and stayed plugged in,” Peacock said.

Juniors Brayden Swope and Keian Moran ran respectable times as well, with an 18:44 and 18:59.

It’s officially postseason. The Harriers will travel down to the Hamilton Golf Course on Friday to compete at the Western A Classic (Divisional) meet.