Ronan’s BigMedicine finishes 11th at Canal Bank Run
By BRANDON HANSEN For the Leader | Lake County Leader | UPDATED 11 months, 2 weeks AGO
Will Normandeau, a junior at Ronan, takes 14th place out of 72 runners in the Ronan Canal run. (Emily Messer / Leader)
Brayden Rolfe, a senior at Ronan, places 28th in the Ronan Canal Run on Aug 29. (Emily Messer / Leader)
Freshman Emma Heiner from Ronan takes 33rd place in the 5,000 meter Ronan Canal run. (Emily Messer / Leader)
St. Ignatius Freshman, Hudson Hawkaluk finishes the 5,000 meter run at 23 minutes. He places 45th out of 72 runners in the Ronan Canal Bank Run. (Emily Messer / Leader)
Cross country runners didn’t have to go far to begin their season, as Ronan hosted its annual Canal Bank Run on Friday, August 29. Several local runners from Ronan and Mission placed inside the top 20, showcasing some solid talent as the season gets past the start line.
Ronan senior Devon BigMedicine led the way for the Chiefs, clocking 18:57 to grab 11th place overall in a strong field. Teammate Will Normandeau wasn’t far behind, finishing 14th in 19:04. Senior Jhett McDonald added depth with a 19:49 effort for 19th, while senior Tobias Wilson (20:40), sophomore Payton McElderry (20:41), and senior Braden Rolfe (20:50) packed closely in the middle of the field.
Mission showcased an impressive crop of underclassmen, led by freshman Isaiah Garipey’s 20:21 finish for 22nd place. Fellow freshmen Hawkaluk Hudson (23:00), Isaac Morigeau (23:03), and Sonny Matt (23:18) ran as a tight pack, all finishing within 18 seconds of each other.
On the girls side, Ronan senior Bailee Woll led the way for the Maidens, crossing in 25:00 to place 14th overall. Just six seconds back, senior teammate Annie Adams finished 16th giving Ronan a solid one-two punch in the middle of the field. Senior Gracie Heiner (26:35) finished 23rd, followed closely by senior Maddie Duffey (27:00) in 26th.
For Mission, a pair of freshmen set the tone. Raileigh McDonald cracked the top 25 with a 26:49 finish, while classmate Brooklyn Leishman wasn’t far behind in 27:07 for 28th.
While Hamilton and Corvallis runners took the top spots, the Canal Bank Run served as an early confidence-builder for both Ronan and Mission, showcasing senior leadership for the Maidens and a promising new wave for the Bulldogs.
Brayden Rolfe, a senior at Ronan, places 28th in the Ronan Canal Run on Aug 29. (Emily Messer / Leader)
Freshman Emma Heiner from Ronan takes 33rd place in the 5,000 meter Ronan Canal run. (Emily Messer / Leader)
St. Ignatius Freshman, Hudson Hawkaluk finishes the 5,000 meter run at 23 minutes. He places 45th out of 72 runners in the Ronan Canal Bank Run. (Emily Messer / Leader)
Raleigh McDonald a freshman for St. Ignatius cross country was number 25th to complete the Ronan Canal Bank Run. This 5,000 meter race included 44 girl runners. (Emily Messer / Leader)