Local XC Teams Peaking At The Right Time

With the district championships taking place this week our local cross country teams seem to be trending in the right direction.  In the last race before districts both Soda Springs and Grace ran in the Preston Invitational last week.  Several of the top runners for both schools hit either season best times or set new personal records in that race.

The Grace Grizzlies boys team saw every one of their top five runners hit season best times on the course in Preston.  Colt Coleman was the best runner for Grace and ran a season best time.  Carter Mecham and Treyson King each set new PR’s with Brock Johnson and Jonah Wilkerson setting season best times.  The Grizzlies finished in eleventh place as a team but were the only 2A school in attendance with several 3, 4, and 5A schools.  Lily Coleman was the only Lady Grizzly to run in the race.  Lily was able to run a new season best time as well.  The Grizzlies will compete for their district title in Pocatello on Thursday on the ISU course.

The Lady Cardinals also had several girls run season best times.  Mylee White, Riley Goode, Courtnee Gronning and Mollie Renfroe all ran all time personal bests.  Joining them was freshman standout Brinley Kunz who continues to close the gap between her and the teams leading runner Ellie Wood.  Wood was one of the only Lady Cardinals to not set a new best time but still had the best time of any of the local girls finishing in sixth place individually.  As a team the Lady Cardinals finished in third place behind Sugar Salem and Preston.  The Cardinals boys had three of their top runners also set new personal records in Preston last week.  Reuben Uskoski, Dre Lloyd, and Jaxson Horsley all hit new PR’s.  Freshman Uskoski just like Kunz on the girls side is closing in on the team's leading runner Landon Moldenhauer.  Moldenhauer was  once again the top runner for the Cardinals finishing just three seconds ahead of Uskoski.  As a team the Cardinal men finished in fifth place.  Despite their strong performances the Cardinals still finished behind district foe Malad.  The two teams will face off for the district title Wednesday at Kelly Park.

Grace Results: Colt Coleman 17:58.8, Carter Mecham 18:35.6, Brock Johnson 18:37.0, Jonah Wilkerson 19:09.2, Treyson King 19:21.4, Cutler Andersen 20:55.5, Lily Coleman 21:31.4

Soda Girls Results: Ellie Wood 20:28.7, Brinley Kunz 20:32.4, Mollie Renfroe 21:13.3, Courtnee Gronning 21:50.2, Rosie Harris 21:57.7, Madilyn Kempe 22:07.9, Riley Goode 23:33.5

Soda Boys Results: Landon Moldenhauer 16:55.3, Reuben Uskoski 16:58.5, Dre Lloyd 17:32.6, Jaxson Horsley 17:43.9, Kage Kirby 18:06.7, Jonathan Beutler 19:36.5, James Birch 20:10.8