Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
It's not going out on a limb to say the Scottie XC runners kicked butt last week in Malta, where they enjoyed the moment at a tree. Standing on the tree are Braden Meland (left) and Tony Kaiser (right). Sitting on tree branch, from left, are Mary Fewer, Logan Gunderson, Alex Simensen and Chase Hughes. Standing on ground, from left, are Ethan Jamba, Kasey Seyfert, Kerry Hoffman, Brinlie Nielsen, Walker Allen, Morgan Guttenberg, Amanda Wolff, Julia Kolstad and Tanner Overby. Sitting on the grass, from left, are Gabe Hallock, Josie Braaten and Andrea Hansen.
The football Scotties did their part, blanking Baker.
So did the volleyball Scotties, getting intense with Glendive and beating Wolf Point.
But the XC Scotties, now their Homecoming Week success was double the fun.
The boys won the Malta Invitational. The girls won the Malta Invitational. How far can these two teams go?
"It's looking pretty promising for the boys," Walker Allen, the team's top runner at Malta, told The Courier before practice Tuesday.
The outlook isn't just for this season. Allen points to next year's veteran boys squad – which expects to have at least five seniors, himself included. Beyond 2015, the junior high XC boys have loads of promise to become the big dogs.
Allen said the boys didn't expect to win at Malta. But the team is training hard to get top runners Allen and Gabe Hallock below 18 minutes over 3 miles and the middle pack of teammates into the 18s.
At Malta, the Glasgow boys placed first at Marian Hills Golf Course with 108 points, followed by Havre at 116, Culbertson-Bainville 120, Brockton 149, Rocky Boy 153, Poplar 168 and Winnett 173. Of 15 schools competing, only these fielded full teams of five members.
Allen placed 11th individually in 18:51, Hallock 12th in 18:55, Kasey Seyfert 24th in 9:28, Braden Meland 29th in 19:36, Chase Hughes 32nd in 19:55, Logan Gunderson 45th in 22:00 and Ethan Jamba 49th in 22:31. Tony Kaiser was fifth among JV runners in 23.15.
Rocky Boy's Tristen Belgrade was first overall in 17:23.
On the girls side, Glasgow won with 49 points, followed by Winnett at 82, Malta 99, Havre 132 and Circle 163. Josie Braaten placed second overall in 20:06,Amanda Wolff sixth in 21:17, Alex Simensen 12th in 22:53, Brinlie Nielsen 13th in 2:59, Kerry Hoffman 16th in 23:31, Mary Fewer 23rd in 24:27 and Faith Sallee 30th in 25:17. On the JV, Morgan Guttenberg was fifth in 26:35 and Andrea Hansen ninth in 34:41.
Winnett's BreElle Walker led all girls in 19:58.
Braaten is on the comeback trail, placing first for the state champion Scotties two straight weeks after sitting out to rest a swollen foot joint.
She ran 10 seconds faster in Malta than a week earlier at Billings and is aiming to return to the 18s that she hit last year.
"My foot's feeling better," she said. "The time off helped, but I need to bounce back."
Braaten said she believes the Scottie girls dynasty can win a fifth straight title at State, but it would be the "hardest" to achieve in the half-decade for this year's younger edition.
"We're working for it," she said. "I just think it would be really cool if we could get another championship."
The quest continues this week. It's the Frazer Invite Thursday and Culbertson Invite Saturday. The Glasgow Invite is Sept. 27 at Fort Peck.
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