Arlee, Mission runners turn in strong performances at state cross country championships

Arlee and Mission cross country runners capped their seasons with strong performances at the MHSA State Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Amend Park, highlighted by three top-20 finishes and numerous personal-best times.

Arlee's Ava Van Maanen led the local contingent with an eighth-place finish in the Class B girls 5,000-meter race, while Trevor Van Maanen placed 11th in the boys' competition. Mission's Jason Leishman also earned a top-20 finish, taking 20th in the boys race.

In all, 24 runners from the two schools competed at the state championships, combining for 19 personal-best performances.

Freshman Ava Van Maanen raced to eighth place in the Class B girls competition with a personal-best time of 19 minutes, 22.7 seconds. Van Maanen's finish was the highest among the 10 girls representing Arlee and Mission at the championship meet.

Fellow Arlee freshman Jessica Arnold-Brown also recorded a personal best, finishing 98th in 23:00.9.

Sophomores Izabella Knoll and Kaidance Pierre rounded out Arlee's girls contingent, both posting season-best performances. Knoll finished 196th in 26:38.7, while Pierre placed 205th in 27:01.8.

On the boys' side, senior Trevor Van Maanen paced Arlee with an 11th-place finish, completing the 5,000-meter course in a personal-best 16:33.7.

Van Maanen's performance was the fastest among the 14 boys representing Arlee and Mission. Senior William Fisher IV was Arlee's next finisher, placing 94th in a personal-best 18:53.9.

Sophomore Aarinnario North Peigan finished 119th in 19:18.5, while junior Bo Brockway finished 126th in 19:26.8. Both runners set personal records.

Eighth-grader Alijiah Rodriguez crossed the finish line in 196th place with a time of 21:12.8, followed closely by sophomore Josiah Glass in 199th at 21:16.6. Junior Nate Brush rounded out Arlee's boys' results, finishing 231st in 23:26.5. All seven Arlee boys recorded personal-best times at the state meet.

Senior Jason Leishman led Mission, finishing 20th in the Class B boys' race with a personal-best time of 16:57.1. Leishman was one of three local runners to finish in the top 20 in their respective races.

Sophomore Boyd Kain turned in the next-fastest time for Mission, placing 70th in 18:16.2, also a personal best. Fellow sophomore Isaiah Garipey followed in 86th place, finishing in 18:43.9.

Mission's Isaac Morigeau, another sophomore, finished 113th in a personal-best 19:09.0, while eighth-grader Noah Robine took 124th in 19:22.9, also setting a personal record.

Sophomore Hudson Hawkaluk placed 136th in 19:43.3, and senior Sage Assiniboine rounded out Mission's boys contingent in 177th with a time of 20:21.0.

Six of Mission's seven boys recorded personal-best performances.

In the girls' competition, sophomore Raileigh McDonald led Mission with a 97th-place finish in a personal-best time of 22:57.1.

Sophomore Brooklyn Leishman followed closely behind, finishing 102nd in 23:07.4, while fellow sophomore Emma Christopher placed 111th with a personal-best 23:24.4. Eighth-grader Shadow Garipey finished 157th in 24:51.4, recording a personal best in her state championship appearance and sophomore Quincey Jensen posted a season-best time of 25:58.1 to finish 184th, while freshman Ember Ashley finished 188th with a personal best of 26:15.6.