Kalispell runners steal show at Libby cross country invite

While Libby played host to it’s annual Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, Kalispell runners stole the show.

Two Glacier High School runners, Kade McCutcheon and Brock Sandry, ran the course in 15:48.9 and 15:55.04 to finish 1-2. They were the only runners to break 16 minutes.

On the girl’s side, Glacier freshman Annie Hill finished a full minute ahead of the next girl in her first varsity race, coming in at 17:31.35. The next place finisher, a Sandpoint, Idaho, racer took silver at 18:31.92.

The event itself went smoothly and quickly, Libby coach Rod Tempel said.

“I got some compliments from quite a few coaches,” he said. “At most events you don’t get times until the day is over. Here, because of Sarah Barrick and some high school girls helping her, the first results were printed before the boys race started.”

Niklaus Gier, a sophomore, was the top Libby boy. He crossed the finish line at 19:41.31. The three other Loggers, Allan Rice, Caleb Hooper and Tyler Doubek, brought up the rear of the varsity pack.

For the girls, sisters Emily and Krysten Mossburg were the top Logger scorers, and finished just nine seconds apart. Emily crossed at 22:17.35 and Krysten at 22:26.35.

For the Libby teams, it was a disappointing outing, but one Loggers head coach Rod Tempel said could show signs of good things to come.

“It looks like the younger kids are going to steer this team for a while,” he said. “We have more kids than we ran, but they don’t have enough practices yet.”

The Libby boys only competed with four racers, not enough to warrant a team finish. Three boys competed in the junior varsity race, including Miguel Hernandez, a senior who Tempel thinks will battle with Gier for top runner.

“They’re gonna be fighting it out,” Tempel said. “Miguel may have run more this summer, but didn’t have enough practice, so I put him in J.V.”

Hernandez helped pace the junior varsity boys for most of the race before taking off at his race pace for the last portion.

The Lady Loggers had eight girls racing and finished last in the standings, behind Whitefish.

“I had a feeling the Mossburgs would run pretty even,” Tempel said. “Krysten is the older one and she told her little sister to go ahead. She had a side ache. I think that’s a pretty mature thing to say.”

Olivia Friss finished at 24:57.6 and Courtney Bowe at 27:33.11. The other four Lady Loggers came in after the 30-minute mark.

Libby Invitational boys team totals:

Glacier 28; Sandpoint, Idaho, 33; Timberlake, Idaho, 97; Whitefish 111, Columbia Falls 145. Not scoring: Eureka and Libby.

Libby Loggers varsity boys’ individual rankings and times:

31. Niklaus Gier, 19:41.31

37. Allan Rice, 21:42.52

38. Caleb Hooper, 21:48.35

39. Tyler Doubek, 28:57.06

Libby Loggers junior varsity boys individual times: 

Miguel Hernandez, 28:45

John Doubek, 29:03

Travis Burrell, 29:35

Libby Invitational girls team totals:

Sandpoint, Idaho, 37; Glacier 52; Timberlake, Idaho, 81; Columbia Falls 110; Whitefish 111; Libby 178; Not scoring: Eureka.

Libby Loggers varsity girls’ individual rankings and times:

27. Emily Mossburg, 22:17.35

29. Krysten Mossburg, 22:26.68

37. Olivia Friss, 24:57.6

41. Courtney Bowe, 27:33.11

44. Grace Doolin, 30:27.43

45. Paula Fernandez, 30:29.29

46. Kiara McLinden, 30:34.03

47. Laura Bales, 30:46.74