Call him Owen, call him John Owen… whatever you call him you can now add this to his title – State B champion.

Out-dueling Ethan Walker of Harlem down the stretch, Plains’ John Owen Jermyn won the 2025 State B individual championship Saturday at the Montana All-Class cross country meet in Missoula, holding off Walker and Plains teammate and running partner Cord Greer, who finished third.

Jermyn won the race in 16:02.9 to Walker’s second-place time of 16:04.0. Greer finished a strong third place in 16:24.1.

For the Trotters, defending State B champion Marina Tulloch won 33rd place 21:47.0 to lead the Plains girls.

Led by their incomparable duo of Owen and Cord, the Horsemen finished just out of the money in the boys team race, as the Walker-led Harlem Wildcats won the State B team title with 60 points, Ennis was second with 140, Manhattan third at 160, Poplar fourth 192 and Plains fifth at 240.

Coaches Jesse and Charity Jermyn were very pleased with their runners at the University of Montana golf course when all was said and done. They realized that Walker was going to be their son Owen’s biggest challenge in winning the boys’ race.

“We knew heading in that Ethan Walker of Harlem was going to be tough competition. He generally likes to out kick his competition the last 400 meters of a race so Owen was going to have to run smart, which is exactly what he did,” Charity said. “Owen has also gotten a lot stronger since last year, so his own kick is looking really good.”

Charity added that Greer also ran according to plan and followed the two leaders in strongly. “Neither of the boys set new personal records, but State isn't about time it's about placing. So you have to have a plan and run smart,” she said. “Both boys did that well and it paid off.”

She added that both Horsemen runners realized what they were capable of doing partway through the season. “At the beginning of the year the discussion wasn't even how they were going to place at State,” she said. “It wasn't until halfway through when we realized that they could both be standing at the top of the podium.”

Which is where they both ended up Saturday during the awards ceremony.

Also running well for the Plains boys in Missoula were Kalem Ercanbrack (33rd in 18:28.1), Brock Ryan (20:36.5), Remington Ryan (21:27.9) and Asher Seymour (22:02.6).

Backing up Tulloch in the girls race, Annika Ercanbrack clocked 23:58. 2, eighth grader Emmy Russell finished in 24:11.3, and Kylie Silva in 25:59.7.

All in all, another season to build on for Plains cross country, Charity offered.

“Overall, this was a successful year, we had hoped the boys team-wise would have placed higher,” she said. “Sometimes that's just how it works out though. We'll be getting the majority of the team back next year and they'll try again.”

Tulloch, in particular, will be looking ahead to next year as, in good health last year as a sophomore, she ran away with the girls championship, but struggled this year due to being sick most of the season.

    THE HORSEMEN’S CORD GREER won third place in the State B cross country meet with an outstanding time of 16:24.1 in Missoula Saturday. (Emily Messer/Lake County Leader)
  

    ANNIKA ERCANBRACK of Plains approaches the finish line and finishes with a time of 23:58.2 in the State B girls cross country race Saturday. Ercanbrack placed 89th in the race. (Emily Messer/Lake County Leader)