Polson Girls Take Third, Ronan Boys Crack Top 10 at Class A State Cross Country Meet

Lake County runners made a strong showing at the 2025 MHSA Class A State Cross Country Championships on Saturday at the University of Montana Golf Course, as the Polson girls placed third in the team standings and the Ronan boys finished 10th in a highly competitive field.

The Polson girls tallied 142 points to take third place behind champion Hardin (93) and runner-up Custer County (107), marking one of the program’s best team finishes in recent years.

“I didn't expect it, but I was well aware of the hard work the team put in during the off-season and knew a couple of our upperclassmen were highly motivated, which left me hopeful,” Polson Head Coach Jason Delaney said. “One of the girls' team goals at the beginning of the season was to bring home a state trophy, and at times during the season, the possibility of achieving that began to feel distant. However, despite some early and mid-season setbacks, they persevered to get a relatively healthy team on the starting line.”

Polson was led by Morgan Delaney, who finished third overall in 18:57.9, earning All-State honors with a top-five finish. Her teammates Quinn Delaney and Kimora Scott joined her in the top 10, placing sixth (19:35.8) and ninth (19:59.3), respectively.

The trio’s strong performances helped the Lady Pirates edge Columbia Falls and Billings Central for a podium spot in the 20-team field.

“All four of our All-State athletes ran impressive races to finish higher than they were ranked coming in,” Delaney said. “However, Taryn Cochran raced with patience and grit beyond her years to secure 32nd place at her first state meet, and Brittain Davis ran a really gutsy last mile in her final state meet to move us into a placing position.”

Taryn Cochran, just an eighth grader, finished 32nd (21:22.7). Britain Davis placed 92nd with a time of 23:49.0.

“We are very lucky to have several athletes on the team who started showing interest in this sport at the youth and middle school level,” Delaney said. “They have learned firsthand that consistency and persistence can develop an athlete both mentally and physically over time. None of our athletes on this team were stars when they started the sport and each of our top athletes has endured some setbacks at some time in the season and in years past, but have learned to work through the lows.”

Delaney added that Polson’s cross country program is built on the idea of taking the long approach in the sport and finding joy in the small accomplishments over time while recognizing everyone's journey in this sport is their own.

“There is an old saying among cross country coaches that the three most important words that determine a successful season are, ‘June, July, and August’.” Delaney said. “The athletes who are able to voluntarily put in the base work during this time are better prepared to put in the work during the season to race well in October. We try to have a fun environment and promote camaraderie through the summer so our athletes can feel fresh, but also fit and prepared entering the grind of the season.”

Ronan’s girls placed 17th overall (438 points), led by consistent pack running that capped off a season of steady improvement for the Maidens. Annie Adams was 66th (22:50.5) as a senior, while fellow senior Gracie Heiner was 80th (23:20.2). Hayden Dusty Bull was 83rd (23:22.6) with a season best as a sophomore.

Also for Ronan was Emma Heiner in 102nd (24:15.1) as a freshman, and senior Bailee Woll was 107th (24:26.4) for a season best.

On the boys’ side, Ronan finished 10th with 304 points, while Polson placed 12th with 361. Both programs placed runners in the top tier of the 23-team competition.

Ronan’s Devon BigMedicine was 31st as a senior (17:46.1), while Will Normandeau was 47th (18:13.6). Jhett McDonald was 63rd (18:42.5) and Matiya Nenemay was 68th (18:52.8).

Polson standout David DiGiallonardo ran one of the best races of the day, finishing third overall in 16:23.3 to earn All-State honors and lead all Lake County athletes. Wyatt Boogerd was 62nd (18:42.4) as a sophomore, freshman Tayshawn Edmo was 79th (19:09.2) and Christopher Sopke was 87nd (19:21).

“David DiGiallonardo executed with mistake-free veteran savvy,” Delaney said. “While Sheamis Cobb and Dominic Venters managed to end their high school careers with big personal records.”

Cobb posted a time of 20:38.6 for 130th, while Venters was 147th with a mark of 21:32.1. Ronan also saw Benjamin Running Rabbit place 95th (19:28.1), while Payton McElderry was 111st (19:52.0).

Hardin claimed the boys’ team title with 64 points, followed by Corvallis (137) and Columbia Falls (154).

“All 10 girls on this team contributed to our top 7 at some point during the year that ultimately yielded such an exciting result,” Delaney said. “We brought the whole team to state and are celebrating as a whole team because it was truly a whole team effort. We are graduating some key pieces from both the girls and boys teams, but I really like the groups coming back for next year and I'm already excited about the prospects moving forward.”

    Polson’s Morgan Delaney completes the MHSA State Cross Country race with a time of 18:57.9. Delaney took 3rd place in the race at the University of Montana Golf Course. (Emily Messer/Leader)
  

    Ronan Chief Devon BigMedicine takes 31st place with a time of 17:46.1 during the MHSA State Cross Country race. (Emily Messer.Leader)
  

    Ronan Maiden Annie Adams finishes the MHSA State Cross Country race at 22:50.5. In the A Girls Division senior Adams took 66th place at the University of Montana Golf Course. (Emily Messer/Leader)