STATE CROSS COUNTRY MEETS: The race for four winds back through Pocatello for Viking boys

Times PDT 

At Portneuf Wellness Complex, Pocatello

Schedule of races: 4A girls, 9 a.m.; 2A girls, 9:30 a.m.; 5A girls, 10 a.m.; 4A boys, 10:30 a.m.; 2A boys, 11 a.m.; 5A boys, 11:30 a.m.; 6A girls, noon; 3A girls, 12:30 p.m.; 6A boys, 1 p.m.; 3A boys, 1:30 p.m.

By JASON ELLIOTT 

Sports writer 

A few have tried. 

But there hasn't been a four-time champion that has emerged from the state cross country meet in Idaho's highest classification. 

Saturday, it's Coeur d'Alene's chance to change that as the Vikings return to the Portneuf Wellness Complex, where the program won the first of three straight in 2023. 

"There's a little bit of a target on our back," Coeur d'Alene senior Gabriel Heule said. "We're just hoping we can execute what we're planning and bring home another state championship." 

Coeur d'Alene won the 5A title in 2011, as well as the 2023 title under then-coach Cathy Compton. Emry Carr has won the last two as head coach of the Vikings, who are ranked second in the Northwest, 11th nationally by DyeStat.

"We know going to Pocatello, especially with the Boise teams, there's good competition everywhere we go," Carr said. "We've got to go and execute and not worry about the outcome. If we do what we're supposed to do during the race, we'll do just fine." 

Senior Wyatt Carr was 24th in 2023 as a freshman. Heule went to Pocatello for the meet as an alternate. 

"There's a lot of different terrain there," Heule said. "You've got dirt, grass and sand and all kinds of stuff. It was also freezing that day, so I was happy being in the tent for a while." 

Lachlan May, who finished 11th on that team in 2023, passed away last month while attending Tulane University in New Orleans. This year's team dedicated the remainder of the season to May, and wore 'LM' stickers on their jerseys during last week's 6A district meet at The Course in Spokane Valley. 

"He was a big part of our program," Heule said. "It's sad that he's no longer with us. So we're just wanting to do this in memory of our guy and do well for him. He was one of the guys that was here when we started to kick things up. We're just trying to keep it moving forward." 

Junior Wyatt Morgenstern holds the fastest time in 6A at 14 minutes, 30.4 seconds, set at the Nike Bob Firman Invitational on Sept. 26. Senior Wyatt Carr is third (14:51.1), junior Rowan Henry fourth (14:53.5), junior Blaise Howard eighth (15:24.1) and Heule 10th (15:26.1). 

"We've changed our training strategy a little this year," Emry Carr said. "What we're expecting and what you're seeing, we've been building to this point. Now, we should see a jump in performance. Hopefully that happens at state, then again Nov. 21 (at Nike Northwest Regionals at The Course in Spokane Valley) and again on Dec. 5 (Nike Nationals). That's the goal." 

Lake City senior Sam Reade holds the 15th fastest time (15.47) in 6A.

Junior Anna Christman is fifth (17:58.2) and sophomore Victoria Howard eighth (18:10.3) for the Coeur d'Alene girls, who were sixth last year at state. 

"We've got a very, very good girls team," Emry Carr said. "But we just haven't put it all together yet and raced the way that we potentially could. We'll see what happens, but they're going to be competitive down there." 

Post Falls qualified its girls team for state for the 11th straight year. 

"I'm really excited for them," Post Falls coach Ryan Booth said. "They've got a lot of confidence and have been positive all season long. They really believed they could make it. We've had a good mix of runners that have stepped up all season. Ainsley Parker has been a great leader. Dorothy Pope has led by example. Kaitlyn Martin transferred from Kootenai Classical (Academy, in Post Falls), but has been a great addition to our team. It's been really fun to see them grow throughout the season." 

Rocky Mountain of Meridian won the girls 6A team title last year at the Lewis-Clark State Course in Lewiston Orchards. 

5A: Once the Hawks began to believe, the results started to come according to Lakeland co-coach Shannon Hall. 

"We've got runners that really believe in running and that pack mentality," Hall said. "And we're seeing the results with that. We've got two different packs that run together, and have almost gathered a third at this point." 

Senior Maddie Chapple is at state for the fourth straight year. Lakeland also qualified its girls team for the second straight year. 

"Things are just really coming together," Hall said. "With our girls, we've got one senior, three juniors and we've got freshmen and sophomores. We'll have a strong group coming back next year as well." 

Skyline of Idaho Falls won the boys team title last year. Ethan Hansen, a senior from Century High in Pocatello, is ranked third in 5A (15.23.6). 

Idaho Falls won the girls team title. Twin Falls senior Raelee Richardson, last year's individual champion, holds the fastest time in 5A (18:07.5), hitting the mark at the Nike Bob Firman Invitational Sept. 26 at The Course in Spokane Valley. 

4A: Timberlake senior Lola Eggleston holds the fastest time in the classification (17:43.3), setting the mark in last week's 4A District 1 meet at The Course.

Not that she's thinking that far ahead. 

"My mantra this year has been to 'stay curious,'" Eggleston said. "I'll go into a meet thinking, 'let's see how good I can do today. Hey Lola, maybe PR today or maybe run a little faster than you think you can.'" 

Eggleston was third at state last year, helping the Tiger girls win their fourth state title. 

"I just want to go have fun on a new course against girls that I only see once or twice a year," Eggleston said. "Being able to compete with them and see them on the trip is going to be great." 

Timberlake has never had a girls individual champion, but has posted three individual boys champions (Frank Lagrimanta in 2005 and 2006, Logan Hunt in 2019 and Jacob Barnhart in 2022). 

Timberlake senior Caleb Royce has the third-fastest time in the classification (15:44.7). Royce was eighth at state last year, helping the Tiger boys finish third.

"I know we'll be able to compete with anyone next week," Royce said. "A lot of the guys from last year's team are back and we know we can do better. We haven't put that expectation on ourselves of winning a state title like last year. We're going to go and have fun and that's all that really matters to us." 

"We need to focus on the process, which we try to do all the time," Timberlake coach Shawn Lawler said. "We're always focused on closing gaps and relying on each other, so it doesn't feel like a bunch of individuals out there, it's a team. We're stronger as a team than an bunch of individuals." 

Sugar-Salem won the boys team title last year. 

McCall-Donnelly senior Charlie Spiers returns after winning the 2025 individual title and holds the top time in the classification at 15:03.7. 

3A: Malad swept team titles at last year's meet in Lewiston. 

2A: Victory Charter of Nampa swept team titles at last year's meet. It was the second straight girls title.