Local teams dominate divisional XC meet

Boy, oh boy, this could be good. 

Great might be a better term for Sanders County cross-country fans. 

The Thompson Falls girls and Plains boys just won the team titles at this past weekend’s Western B/C Divisional championships in Missoula. 

And a sophomore from Plains won the individual title, while a freshman from Plains placed third in the boys’ competition. 

Boys and girls teams from both schools qualified for the team title chase at the Montana state B/C championships this Saturday, also in Missoula. 

Marina Tulloch added to her impressive 2024 cross-country resume when she crossed the finish line first for the Trotters, the latest in a series of individual wins for the sophomore on the very young Plains team. 

Tulloch broke the tape in an eye-popping 18:36.90, an average of six minutes per mile over the 5,000-meter (3.1-mile).  She easily outpaced runner-up Danica Yakos, a Drummond freshman who was clocked in 20:39.16. 

The top Thompson Falls girl was Audrey Fairbank, an eighth grader, who placed sixth with a time of 21:26.34, while Lady Hawks’ teammate, sophomore Aubrey Baxter finished eighth with a time of 211:49.04. 

Two other T Falls girls, Lexi Franck (eleventh, 21:58.76) and Evalyn Edwards (fifteenth, 22:35.58), also qualified for the state finals via their top 15 finishes at the Divisional meet. 

For Plains, junior Savannah Costner placed fourteenth with a time of 22:26.92, also a state qualifying time. 

Plains’ boys won the team title behind Jermyn’s third-place finish, completing the course with a time of 16:41.81.  Teammate and eighth grader, Simeon Costner was ninth with a time of 17:41.62, while another Horsemen freshman, Cord Greer, placed fourteenth. 

All three qualified for the individual finals, while the Plains team’s first place medal qualified them for the team chase. 

Thompson Falls’ boys placed fifth in the team chase and also qualified for the state championships this weekend.  No Blue Hawks’ runners finished in the Top 15. 

The top runner for T Falls’ boys was freshman Weston Block, who finished the course in twentieth place with a time of 18:41.40. 

Other Blue Hawks boys who competed were Nathan Baxter (26th, 19:39.72); Tuff Ryder (31st, 19:54.97); Blake Shusterman (34th, 20:08.13); Luke Pastorius (45th, 20:59.22) and Jakob Molina (68th, 23:39.67). 

Also competing for the Plains boys were Kalen Ercanbrack (seventeenth, 18:32.01; Mike Reistroffer (21st, 18:53.35), Jack Cockrell (25th, 19:10.42) and Brock Ryan (35th, 20:23.57).  A total of 71 boys finished the course. 

For the Thompson Falls girls, Peighton Kenney finished 23rd with a time of 23:40.39. 

Other finishers for Plains girls included Tia Bellinger (16th, 22:48.95), Ireland Corbin (19th, 23:17.95) and Annika Ercanbrack (20th, 23:18.02).  All five Trotters’ runners placed in the Top 20 out of 47 girls who competed. 

The State finals for B/C runners will be held at the University of Montana Golf Course in Missoula. 

    Thompson Falls cross country runners Aubrey Baxter (left) and Audrey Fairbank (right) on their way to the team championship at this year's Western B/C Divisional championship this past Saturday in Missoula.  (Photo by Sarah Naegeli)