Cross Country: Loggers compete in cold at Whitefish

Libby’s Nikola Falk turned in a top-five finish and Jacob Thomas set another personal best on a cold course Saturday at Whitefish.

Falk covered the 3.0-mile course on the campus of Whitefish High School with a time of 19:43 – more than a minute off the winning pace and four seconds out of fourth. Meanwhile, Thomas continued his late-season surge with a time of 17:48 – good for 12th in a tough field of competitors.

Dylan Berget placed 17th with a time of 18:00 – 49 seconds faster than his previous personal best. Kody Berget came in 26th and Zeke Carlson followed in 27th – both with times of 18:40.

Also running for the boys were Matt Nelson (32nd, 18:59), Cody Elliott (39th, 19:54), Kyle Stern (49th, 21:35), and Chris Faulkner and Jesse Nelson (tied for 53rd, 22:13).

As a team, the Loggers finished fourth behind Frenchtown, Columbia Falls and Whitefish. Eight schools competed – seven with full squads.

Besides Falk, also competing for the girls was Elizabeth Rodgers (41st, 21:51), who had her fastest time this season by a minute-and-a-half.

In a two-mile middle-school race, Cody Barrick (15:00) and Annie Berget (15:35) competed.

The Northwestern A Divisional meet has been scheduled for Friday in Pablo, however, Libby coach Rod Tempel said it’s possible that it could be pushed back to Saturday.