SEE GAME PHOTOS
Photo Credit: Marlowe Hereford
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WEEK ONE
WEEK TWO
WEEK THREE
WEEK FOUR
It is hard to believe, but the first week of October is behind us, which means district championships and the state championships are not far off.
The first district championships take place Oct. 21--less than two weeks from now--and the state meet takes place three weeks from Saturday on Oct. 31 at Portneuf Wellness Complex in Pocatello.
Here is a glance of the current individual leaders in each classification as we reach the final two weeks of regular season meets.
In 6A, Coeur d'Alene junior Wyatt Morgenstern has the fastest boys time in the classification (and in Idaho) this season with his personal best 14:30.4 from Bob Firman (third place) on Sept. 26. That is No. 2 all-time on record in Idaho and the first sub-15 minute time of the season for an Idaho boy. Fellow junior and Coeur d'Alene teammate, Rowan Henry, is right behind him with 15:06.6 (season best), followed by Boise junior Austin Johnston (personal best 15:16.4) and Coeur d'Alene senior and defending Idaho 6A boys individual state runner-up Wyatt Carr (season best 15:18.8).
Eagle freshman Adalyn Bello leads 6A girls (and Idaho) this season with her personal best 17:43.6 from The Mook XC Invitational on Sept. 19. She has won two meets. Two other 6A girls have broken 18 minutes this season: Timberline junior Nadia Kouskov (season best 17:47.3) and Boise sophomore Isla Remington (personal best 17:59.4). Mountain View junior Jeweliet Pence is right on the cusp with her season best 18:00.3.
In 5A, Century seniors, teammates and best friends Ammon Bitton and Ethan Hansen lead the boys. Bitton has a personal best 15:11.7 from winning the annual Bob Conley Invitational varsity A boys race on Oct. 1 at Portneuf Wellness Complex and Hansen, Idaho's defending 5A boys individual state champion, has a season best 15:23.6 from the Madison Dash on Aug. 27. Bitton has won four meets this season. Sandpoint junior Kai Budensiek is right behind them with 15:27 (personal best) and Skyline senior Will McCombs is next (personal best 15:31).
Two-time defending 5A individual state champion, Twin Falls senior Raelee Richardson, leads 5A girls with her season best 18:07.5 from Bob Firman. Bishop Kelly sophomore Clare Murphy is next (season best 18:31.9) then Skyview junior Marylee Freeman (season best 19:00.2) and Richardson's teammate, Twin Falls senior Elizabeth Frampton (season best 19:44.5).
In 4A, Sugar-Salem junior and defending Idaho 4A boys individual state runner-up Darrel Dickson leads the boys with his season best 15:04.5 from Bob Firman. He has won four meets this season. Defending 4A individual state champion, McCall-Donnelly senior Charlie Speirs, is next with his season best 15:38.7, followed by Timberlake senior Caleb Royce (season best 15:44.7) and Fruitland senior Landon Hillam (season best 15:49.3).
Timberlake senior Lola Eggleston leads the 4A girls with her personal best 17:49.6 from Bob Firman. She is the lone Idaho 4A girl to break 18 minutes so far this season. Snake River senior Paetyn Polatis is next with her season best 18:53, followed by McCall-Donnelly sophomore Teagan Mascheroni (season best 19:08.7) and Fruitland senior and defending Idaho 4A girls individual state runner-up Ella Smith (season best 19:12.5).
In 3A, Community School senior John Harris leads with his personal best 15:39.1 from the Mook XC Invitational. He is the lone Idaho 3A boy to have broken 16 minutes thus far this season. Malad sophomore Jace Nalder is next (season best 16:06.6), followed by North Fremont senior Ben Reinke (season best 16:21.5) and Harris's teammate, Community School sophomore Jasper Lakefish (personal best 16:23).
Nampa Christian senior Phoebe Mitchell leads 3A girls with her season best 19:16.1 from the Caldwell Twilight on Sept. 3. Three eastern Idaho runners are behind her. Soda Springs freshman Anna Uskoski, who has won four consecutive meets, is behind Mitchell by fractions of a second with her personal best 19:16.2, followed by North Fremont junior Eliza Bingham (season best 19:28.7) and West Side junior Anslea Mumford (personal best 19:57.9).
In 2A, Victory Charter teammates Santiago Pena (sophomore) and JD Willey (junior) are No. 1 and No. 2 and separated by fractions of a second. Pena has a personal best 16:41.3 and Willey has a season best 16:41.8, both from the Vallivue Scramble on Sept. 26. Deary freshman Ben Forsmann (personal best 16:56.1) and Liberty Charter freshman Logan Dayley (personal best) are next.
Victory Charter senior and defending Idaho 2A girls individual state runner-up Libby Stockett leads Idaho 2A girls with her personal best 18:20.8 from the Vallivue Scramble. She is the only Idaho 2A girl this season to have broken 19 minutes thus far, and she has won three meets. Liberty Charter sophomore Ava Kelpin is next (personal best 19:20), followed by Oakley sophomore Mia Bowen (season best 19:32.3) and Logos junior Livia Longshore (season best 19:36).
Two Idaho teams Included In DyeStat's National Rankings
One boys team and one girls team from the Gem State were among the 60 teams ranked in DyeStat.com's Oct. 1 national rankings.
Rocky Mountain, which most recently won the girls varsity A title at the annual Bob Conley Invitational on Oct. 1 at Portneuf Wellness Complex, is No. 29 in DyeStat's National Girls Team rankings while Coeur d'Alene, which placed second in the boys elite race at the Bob Firman Invitational on Sept. 26 in Spokane, is No. 14 in DyeStat's National Boys Team rankings.
On The Horizon
The annual Blake Stephens Invitational, in memory of Century alumnus Blake Stephens, takes place today at Idaho State University's course in Pocatello. As of Tuesday, 23 high school teams are registered.
Coeur d'Alene, Community School, Eagle, Fruitland, Hillcrest, Idaho Falls, Rigby and Sandpoint will be making the trek to Smokey Point, Wash., north of Seattle, on Saturday for the annual Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational. As of Tuesday, 162 high school teams are registered, including the U.S. No. 9 Sehome (Wash.) girls. Couer d'Alene enters the meet as three-time defending boys elite team champions while Eagle placed third in last year's girls elite race.
Coeur d'Alene Charter, Kellogg, Logos, Moscow, Priest River, Sandpoint, Timberline (Weippe) and Troy will compete Saturday at the Ninth Battle for the 509 at Spokane Polo Grounds. As of Tuesday, 51 high school teams are registered.
The annual Inland Empire Challenge takes place Saturday at Lewiston Orchards. As of Tuesday, 21 high school teams are registered.
The Winston Tilzey Invitational, for teams in the 4A classification and smaller, takes place Oct. 14 at West Park in Nampa. As of Tuesday, 24 high school teams are registered.