After some of their runners starred in the local fundraiser Run for the Berries, the Priest River High boys and girls cross country teams enter 2026 with high expectations. 

The girls' team is fresh off a 3A District 1-2 title and returns their top runner, Alannah McLaimtaig. The senior finished second in the district meet to help the team take home the title.  

Interim head coach for the high school team Jessica Mortensen said the team’s first practices have been very productive, giving her high hopes for the team. 

“They come with high spirits. We haven't had a lot of pain in the first week, which is pretty common to have a considerable amount of aches and pains when you first get going again,” Mortensen said. “Their practices have been going really well. We did a long run today and the four girls I had at the morning practice were right there together.” 

The Spartans will also return seniors Breelynn Duran and Sakura Smith, who will need to step up and fill the gaps left behind by Capri White and Kyla White, who both qualified for state last year. Luckily for Priest River, sophomore Maiyu Smith will be returning as well, looking to improve on her state qualifying time of 25:55 that she ran at districts last year. 

Alongside Alannah McLaimtaig and the seniors will be her sister, Ailish McLaimtaig, who Mortensen said has been running since the sixth grade. 

“She looks like she's in really good shape this year and ready to run,” Mortensen said of the younger McLaimtaig. 

Returning sophomore Abagail Shaulis rounds out the Spartans’ group of six, which gives them enough to have a qualifying team at state. Mortensen said keeping the girls healthy will be key throughout the season to ensure they have enough runners for the district tournament. 

“If we can keep them healthy, I think they'll do really well this year,” Mortensen said. 

The Priest River boys only number four as it stands, leaving them without enough to qualify as a team for state. However, they can still qualify individually, and Mortensen said she hopes to find a fifth to get the team across the finish line. 

The Spartans will be led by senior Daniel Gunkle, who Mortensen said has been training all summer for the cross-country season. One of the highlights of Gunkle’s training was taking home the gold medal from the Run for the Berries men's 10K event with a blistering 40:04 time. 

The other Priest River star from the Run for the Berries event, Seth Paschetag, will be a freshman for the Spartans this year. As the lone freshman on the team, Paschetag is still getting up to speed on the length of high school runs, but Mortensen said he is adapting incredibly well.  

“They went on a really long run [Monday]... and that was the longest run Seth's I think ever been on, and he just did it like a trooper,” Mortensen said. 

Returners Maxwell Hewitt and Tadhg Conor McLaimtaig complete the Spartans’ boys team. Mortensen said the boys have continued to bring high spirits and put in the work to improve. 

“I'd really like to find a fifth boy because I think that the boys team is strong,” Mortensen said. 

FUN FACT: Jessica Mortensen is serving as the interim head coach for Priest River High and the head coach for Priest River Middle School. She said her experience as the middle school head coach gives her a lot of familiarity with the high school team, and she looks forward to coaching them again. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH: BOYS — Daniel Gunkle, sr.; Seth Paschetag, fr. GIRLS — Alannah McLaimtaig, sr.; Maiyu Smith, so. 

MOST ANTICIPATED MEET: Nike Bob Firman Meet, 9/25-26. Mortensen said this is by far the largest meet that the Spartans will attend, giving them the chance to compete against the best runners in the region. 

SCHEDULE: 

- 8/22 @ Post Falls Run 

- 8/28 @ Libby Cross Country Meet 

- 9/12 @ Timberlake Invitational  

- 9/22 @ Bonners Ferry Invite 

- 9/25-26 @ Nike Bob Firman Invitational 

- 10/1 @ Ben Castro Invite 

- 10/10 @ Battle for the 509 

- 10/31 @ Idaho State Championships 

    Priest River cross-country runner Maxwell Hewitt runs during a meet last year.