Worland boys cross-country place in top 10 at Billings

Worland boys cross-country place in top 10 at Billings

Lady Bobcats hang with the best

By Alex Kuhn

Sports Editor

WORLAND - The Billings Invitational cross-country meet is a good early season test for Worland High School and Hot Springs County High School runners. The course is flat and without the typical hills you would see in a normal course, runners are free to hit the high gears from the start. Runners do have to manage the heat and this year was no exception, but this year also brought a smoky haze, from the forest fires in Montana.

While the heat, smoke and tough competition were challenges, the Warriors, Lady Warriors and Lady Bobcats overcame to impress their coaches with strong performances.

"It was a great day for Warrior cross-country," said WHS cross-country coach Tanya Kienlen. "It was a great first race for our new members and for the returning runners it brought PRs [personal records] and confidence. Overall we had an awesome weekend."

"It went really, really well. It was pretty hot and smoky, but regardless the girls did very well. Their times were amazing and were better than last years' time in the same race," said HSCHS cross-country coach Stephanie Metz.  

The Lady Bobcats only have three varsity runners at this point in the season and without those two other runners to fill out the team they cannot register a team score. But that didn't matter to the sophomore trio of McKenna Bomengen, Tajha Hunt or Olivia Weyer as they still put up impressive times. Hunt finished 21st overall, Bomengen 23rd and Weyer 68th.

The Worland boys finished eighth as a team with senior Jadon Swalstad, who finished 12th overall, leading the way. While the Lady Warriors, with only four varsity runners, had a strong showing as well with junior Kelli Holiday leading the charge, finishing 92nd.

Both Worland and Thermopolis will be preparing for their next meet which will be in Sheridan Saturday for the Sheridan Invitational. Each coach wants their runners to gain a familiarity with the Sheridan course as the V.A. Hospital grounds will be the site for the State Meet once again on Oct. 21.

"We're still working on our pacing, our kick at the end of races and going into Sheridan we know that's the course for the state meet. So the girls are approaching it differently because the goal is to run this race again," said Metz.

"State is at Sheridan again this year so this week is important for our team to get a good look at this course and embrace where we are at," said Kienlen.

Full results from the Billings Invitational are as follows.

Varsity

Girls

21, Tahja Hunt, Thermopolis, 20:55.55.

23, McKenna Bomengen, Thermopolis, 21:00.10.

68, Olivia Weyer, Thermopolis, 23:43.93.

92, Kelli Holiday, Worland, 24:56.03.

95, Paige Flock, Worland, 25:05.81.

98, Elisa Ayungua, Worland, 25:08.97.

121, Tatum Zimmerman, Worland, 26:31.81.

Boys

12, Jadon Swalstad, Worland, 17:22.12.

31, Rylan Mocko, Worland 17:59.08.

43, Nathaniel Nelson, Worland, 18:17.75.

45, Victor Olvera, Worland, 18:19.45.

80, Gabe Webster, Worland, 19:08.67.

95, Jaden Mickelson, Worland, 19:23.27.

JV

Girls

2, Lindsey Holiday, Worland, 22:25.77.

45, Brooke Flock, Worland, 25:04.21.

73, Lauren Anderson, Worland, 26:12.06.

93, Dayna Sandberg, Thermopolis, 27:13.45.

157, Nyah Campbell, Worland, 30:28.95.

Boys

9, Travis Christian, Worland, 19:29.93.

19, Tyler Hasbany, Worland, 19:45.27.

22, Caleb Fraser, Worland, 19:53.75.

76, Charles Rishel, Worland, 21:17.30.

130, Tommy Eckert, Worland, 22:36.03.