Lake County runners post two top-10 finishers at Flathead Invite

DiGiallonardo places seventh

The Flathead Invite's boys race featured more than 170 runners at Rebecca Farm last Saturday and Lake County had a top-10 finisher and a multitude of placers against some of the state’s biggest running programs.

Polson senior David DiGiallonardo once again showed why he’s among the state’s top distance runners. DiGiallonardo powered his way to a seventh-place finish overall, clocking 15:58.88 — breaking the 16-minute barrier.

Behind him, sophomore Wyatt Boogerd (19:03.35, 102nd) gained valuable varsity experience, while junior Christopher Sopke (20:02.32, 125th) and freshman Tayshawn Edmo (20:24.81, 129th) added solid depth.

The Ronan boys packed in a solid group performance. Senior Devon BigMedicine led the way, running a personal best 17:47.10 to place 57th. Fellow senior Jhett McDonald crossed in 18:22.27 (80th), just ahead of teammate Will Normandeau (18:33.74, 86th). 

Junior Matiya Nenemay (19:01.47, 101st) and senior Tobias Wilson (19:04.95, 104th) kept the Chiefs’ scoring tight.

Mission freshman Isaiah Garipey showed he’s not your typical freshman runner, finishing 72nd in 18:06.55. His time marked one of the top freshman performances of the meet, showing promise for the Bulldogs’ future. 

Senior Jason Leishman (20:55.80, 139th), senior Jake Helser (21:02.67, 141st), and junior Sage Assiniboine (24:20.67, 175th) all battled on the challenging course.

Arlee’s young team also made its presence felt. Junior Trevor Van Maanen ran 19:06.12 for 106th place, pacing the Warriors. Freshman Aarinnario North Peigan (21:19.19, 149th) showed grit in his first varsity test, while juniors William Fisher IV (21:49.75, 162nd) and Aiden Swab (21:50.02, 163rd) ran close together. Senior Chase Courville (22:02.86, 166th) provided leadership for the developing squad.

Two Eagle River fielded a large group, highlighted by sophomore Jason Trahan, who finished 137th in 20:50.01. Freshman Anthony Sheridan (21:25.60, 153rd) and senior Jayvian Burke (21:38.74, 156th) added consistent mid-pack times, while senior Ryiley Gates (24:15.85, 174th) and freshman Raymond Mendoza (24:34.55, 176th) closed out the lineup.

Glacier’s Owen Thiel won in 15:06.36, edging Bozeman’s Miles Halvorsen by less than a second in one of the fastest early-season showdowns in recent memory.

Delany shines at Rebecca Farms

Polson placed a runner in the top 10 and stacked personal bests behind her, while Ronan added a wave of season-bests and Mission/St. Ignatius celebrated a freshman breakthrough. 

Glacier’s Lauren Bissen won the 5,000 meters in 18:12.85, edging teammate Ada Thiel and leading a front pack loaded with AA powers. Against that company, Polson freshman Quinn Delaney turned in a statement performance to place 10th in 19:45.11.

Polson’s depth showed in the middle of the race. Junior Morgan Delaney navigated the crowded second mile and closed well to finish 43rd in 21:28.18. Sophomore Kimora Scott kept the Pirates’ scoring tight with a 61st-place 22:09.87, then eighth-grader Taryn Cochran chipped in a significant breakthrough, clocking a personal record 23:22.43 for 83rd. 

Sophomore Reese Adams crossed in 24:02.96 (98th), senior Brittian Davis ran 24:38.78 (106th), and freshman Amaya Shizuku recorded a PR 25:58.86 (120th) as Polson stacked seven finishers inside the top 120.

Ronan answered with a balanced team effort. Senior Annie Adams led the Maidens in 24:09.31 (101st), with senior Gracie Heiner only two places and two seconds back at 24:11.50 (102nd). Senior Bailee Woll added 24:54.90 (109th) to keep Ronan’s scoring five on schedule, and the program’s underclassmen continued to move up: junior Jenadei Ellsworth posted a personal-best 26:40.56 (124th), senior Maddie Duffey followed in 26:55.87 (125th), and sophomore Alexa Youngren closed the scoring with a PR 27:06.98 (127th). 

Mission celebrated a breakout from freshman Raileigh McDonald, who finished 90th in a personal-best 23:40.89. Teammate Quincey Jensen added another finish for the Bulldogs in 28:34.04 (131st), helping the co-op build varsity experience against one of the largest fields they’ll see before postseason.

Overall, six Lake County runners broke 19:20 and more than 50 finished under 22 minutes. Polson has a legitimate front-runner in Delaney and meaningful depth forming behind her; Ronan’s veterans are steady while its underclassmen are trending down in time; and Mission has a newcomer capable of scoring in meets. 

Most local programs pivot to smaller invites and Lake County runners are positioned to turn fast fields into faster times as the leaves start to turn.

 Polson freshman Quinn Delaney placed 10th at the Flathead Invite at Rebecca Farms. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)