District championship meets begin next week, determining who will compete at Idaho's high school cross country state championships Nov. 2 at Eagle Island State Park.

The Boise girls and boys and Coeur d'Alene boys cross country programs will be carrying some big time victories with them into their respective district meets.

Boise traveled to Portland on Oct. 11 for the Rose City Championships while Coeur d'Alene traveled to Lakewood High School in Smokey Point, Wash., north of Seattle on Oct. 12 for the Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational. The only Idaho team of the 53 teams to compete at the Rose City Championships, Boise claimed both the boys and girls titles in the varsity championship races. The Brave won the boys title with 112 points, a 27-point victory margin over Ida B. Wells, and the girls title with 125 points, a 15-point margin over Portland area powerhouse and reigning Nike Cross Regional Northwest champion Lincoln. For perspective, Lincoln is ranked No. 2 and Boise No. 4 in the Oct. 10 Northwest Regional girls team rankings released by DyeStat.com.

Leading the way for the Brave boys in Portland was senior Jack Sheesley, who became the 10th Idaho boy on record to break the 15-minute barrier upon placing third at Rose City in 14:36.8. That time is not only a massive personal best for the senior, who last year competed at the Footlocker Cross Country National Championships in San Diego, but it makes him the fastest Idaho boy on record on a 5k course, besting the 14:37 run by Salmon's Danny Simmons at the 2021 RunningLane Cross Country Nationals. Sheesley joins Meridian's Nate Stadtlander and Coeur d'Alene's Max Cervi-Skinner this season to have run sub-15, and he joins Simmons and Rocky Mountain's Landon Heemeyer (14:38.79) as the only Idaho boys on record to have broken 14:40. Summit (Ore.) senior Hayden Boaz won the Rose City boys championship race in 14:31.10, leading 11 boys under 15 minutes. 

Leading the Brave on the girls side was junior Audrey Orme, who placed seventh in 17:22.50, a personal best and the fastest time this season by an Idaho girl. Orme and Meridian's Paisley Taylor and Boise teammate Lucy Spiess have all broken 18 minutes this season. Boise placed five girls in the top 40 to claim the Rose City title. The trophies for the meet were shaped like roses, and the top individual finishers received actual roses. Lakeride (Ore.) senior Chloe Huyler won the girls championship individual title in 16:32.10, leading three girls under 17 minutes.

At the Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational on Oct. 12, Coeur d'Alene repeated as boys elite team champions, winning with 115 points for a 20-point victory margin over Jesuit (Ore.) In a race that had 154 finishers from 40 teams. Coeur d'Alene senior Max Cervi-Skinner ran 14:40.1 to place second to Mercer Island's Owen Powell, who won in 14:40. Zack Cervi-Skinner placed fifth in 14:53.1 to become the 11th Idaho boy on record to run sub-15 and the fourth Idaho boy this season to break 15, and Wyatt Carr placed ninth in 15:03.2. Eagle placed 17th with 373 points, led by Maxwell Taggart (16:10.7, 74th place).

District 6 seniors Corbin Johnston (North Fremont) and Zane Lindquist (Teton) also made the trip to Hole in the Wall. Johnston placed 20th in the boys elite race in 15:19 while Lindquist was 21st in 15:19.9.

Eagle placed seventh in the Hole in the Wall girls elite race with 217 points, led by Betsy Reeder's 14th place finish in 18:16.5. Coeur d'Alene placed 15th with 337 points led by Dakota Keyworth in 19:18.6 for 53rd place. Thunder Ridge sophomore Klarisa Earl competed as an individual in the girls elite race, placing 65th in 19:30.

Back in the Gem State over the weekend, Bishop Kelly won the boys team title with 61 points and placed second to Enterprise (Ore.) in the girls team standings with 69 points at the Inland Empire Championships on Oct. 12 in Lewiston. Both individual titles went to the Knights, as Jack Tobin won the boys race in 15:21 and Zoey Stauffer won the girls race in 18:48.

At the Century Blake Stephens Invitational on Oct. 10 in Pocatello, Ririe took second for the first time this season but still remained undefeated versus Idaho teams upon placing second to Wyoming powerhouse Jackson, 44-71, in the varsity girls race. Jackson placed four in the top 10, including individual champion Madison Antonino (18:59.8) while Ririe placed three in the top 15, led by junior Lucy Boone in third in 20:09.6. Up until this meet, the Ririe girls had won every meet so far this season that was not divided up by grade (freshman only, sophomore only, etc.) Highland claimed the varsity boys team title, 24-47 over Century, and Century sophomore Ammon Bitton won the individual title in 16:46.8.

At the Firth Invitational on Oct. 9, Sugar-Salem won the girls title 82-108 over Snake River in a battle between the last two 3A state champs who are now competing in 4A. Sophomore Janyja Jackson led Sugar-Salem, finishing second in 19:50.7. Rigby won the boys title 42-68 over Sugar-Salem. Firth senior Kynzie Nielson won the girls race in 19:13.4 and Rigby senior Payton Bird won the boys race in 16:01.6.

Dyestat.com released its newest individual national rankings and regional team rankings last week, and Idaho is continuing to make its presence known.

Coeur d'Alene's Max Cervi-Skinner received the No. 10 spot in the updated individual boys national rankings released Oct. 10 while Stadtlander was included on the watch list.

In the Northwest regional team rankings released the same day, Coeur d'Alene took the No. 2 spot behind Crater (Ore.) in the boys team rankings while Timberline took No. 3, Boise No. 4 and Rocky Mountain No. 5 in the girls team rankings.

This is the last week before district championship meets start.

The Jack Nelson/Kent Seifert Invitational takes place this afternoon in Gooding Golf Course. As of Monday, 21 high school teams are registered.

Taking place Wednesday is the Winston Tilzey Invitational at West Park in Nampa. As of Monday, 32 high school teams are registered.

The Bugtown Invite is scheduled for Thursday at Caldwell Rotary Ponds. As of Monday, 19 high school teams are registered. 

The first district meet scheduled is Tuesday, the 4A Snake River Valley championships at Warren E. McCain Middle School.