Mission boys capture Western B/C cross country title

The Mission boys cross country team delivered a championship performance Thursday, Oct. 15, capturing the Western B/C Invitational team title at Rivers Bend Golf Course, while Arlee freshman Ava Van Maanen raced to an individual championship in the girls competition.

Mission placed five boys among the top 35 finishers, scoring 88 points to outdistance runner-up Lincoln County, which finished with 111. Florence-Carlton took third with 113 points, followed by Drummond with 115 and Plains with 126.

Senior Jason Leishman led Mission's championship effort, finishing sixth overall in a personal-best 17 minutes, 32.7 seconds over the 5,000-meter course.

Sophomore Isaiah Garipey followed in 10th place, clocking a season-best 17:59.5 to give Mission two runners among the top 10.

Boyd Kain added a 17th-place finish in 18:57.8, while eighth-grader Noah Robine continued his development with a personal-best 19:39.9, good for 28th overall.

Sophomore Isaac Morigeau rounded out Mission's five scoring runners, finishing 35th in a personal-best 20:05.5.

Two Eagle River also turned in a strong team performance, finishing seventh overall with 136 points.

Sophomore Anthony Sheridan paced Two Eagle River with a personal-best 18:15.7, finishing 13th overall.

Jason Trahan followed in 21st at 19:11.8, while Gregory Plummer was just two places behind in 22nd, recording a personal best 19:13.5.

Chief Barrett X added a 33rd-place finish in 19:54.1, giving Two Eagle River four runners among the top 35.

Arlee finished ninth in the boys team standings with 152 points, led by senior Trevor Van Maanen's eighth-place performance in 17:47.0.

Sophomore Aarinnario North Peigan followed in 30th at 19:46.4, while junior Bo Brockway was 32nd in 19:52.2.

Senior William Fisher IV finished 34th in 20:01.3, and eighth-grader Alijiah 

Van Maanen wins girls title; Mission takes second

On the girls side, Arlee freshman Ava Van Maanen won the individual championship in a personal-best 20:29.2.

Van Maanen's victory highlighted a strong afternoon for Arlee, which also received contributions from Jessica Arnold-Brown, Kaidance Pierre and Izabella Knoll.

Arnold-Brown finished 27th in 25:26.7, while Pierre took 42nd in 28:28.7 and Knoll placed 44th in 29:16.1.

Mission's girls also enjoyed a successful afternoon, finishing second in the team standings with 50 points.

Sophomore Brooklyn Leishman led Mission with a ninth-place finish in 23:04.0.

Raileigh McDonald followed in 19th at 23:59.6, while sophomore Emma Christopher recorded a personal best 24:19.8 to finish 21st.

Eighth-grader Shadow Garipey contributed a 30th-place finish in 25:55.0, and sophomore Quincey Jensen completed Mission's scoring five with a season-best 26:12.5, finishing 32nd.

Ember Ashley added a personal-best 28:09.7, good for 39th overall.

Two Eagle River was represented by three runners in the girls' competition, led by sophomore Justine Shelby, who finished 25th in 25:12.9.

Junior Koleah Finley placed 33rd in a personal-best 26:24.6, while senior Christine Tenas finished 38th in a season-best 28:05.2.