Blackhawks post fast first mile, continue to work on mile splits

The Seeley-Swan Blackhawks Cross Country team took to the course in Thompson Falls on Tuesday, Sept. 17 and finished out the week on Friday in Great Falls. Not everyone made it to the races this week, but those who did continued to show improvement.

Thompson Falls Invite

The Ladies brought five runners to their first meet this season. Seeley-Swan tied for points with Thompson Falls for third behind Columbia Falls and Frenchtown. However because Thompson Falls had the faster finisher, the SSHS Ladies took fourth for the Varsity meet.

Coach Zelda Haines said Hannah Ayers ran her best race of the season. She ran ahead of Josey Neesvig of Thompson Falls the entire race but was outkicked 50 meters from the finish to take fifth place in 22:02.04. This was 1:08 faster than her finish at the Flathead Invite and just six seconds off her personal record (PR).

Kyla Conley and Sariah Maughan were 14 seconds behind Ayers finishing together, Conley in eighth place finishing in 22:16.59 and Maughan in ninth finishing in 22:16.68. This was a new PR for Maughan. They both set a 7:11 mile pace and finished ahead of Analeta Yellow Bird of Ronan.

"Sariah gutted out the race with those tightening hamstrings," said Coach Haines. "She is a special athlete to endure the pain."

Jayla Kauffman ran 31:08.55 finishing 80 of 127 in the field with a 9:50 mile pace. Although she wasn't as fast as her time at the Flathead Invite, she finished 44 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor Aurora Thayer of Lincoln County.

This was sophomore Beth Homen's first 5K race. She ran a 44:10.50 with a 14:10 mile pace. She beat two girls from Two Eagle River by nearly 4:30.

"The team is so proud of her and cheered her on to accomplish this feat," said Coach Haines.

For the boys, Chase Haines ran a 21:40.61 putting down a 7 minute mile to finished 46 out of 83. In a close finish, he outkicked Nate Gate of Two Eagle River and Tristan Place of Libby. Coach Haines said it wasn't a season best but was only two days after rolling his ankle at Rebecca Farms last Saturday.

Although not a season best, Levi Reinitz finished eight seconds ahead of his time at Rebecca Farms finishing in 23:41.12, 7:38 mile pace. He finished 58 of 83 after outkicking Daniel Ryan of Thompson Falls at the finish.

Sam Ayers was the only runner in the Middle School race. This was his first two mile race of the season. Ayers only missed the top 10 by 10 seconds finishing in 13:47.38, a respectable 6:54 mile pace. He finished 11 of 83, beating Elijah Onstad of St. Joseph by less than a second.

"Sam always gives it his all," said Coach Haines.

Great Falls Invite

Four of the SSHS Cross Country team traveled to Great Falls to check out the state course at the Eagle Falls Golf Course.

"It was great weather - no sun, no rain, no wind – to run an on a beautifully manicured course," said Coach Haines.

SSHS cross country graduate Logan Robinson was there to cheer on the team. He is now running for Providence College.

Hannah Ayers, running in spikes for the first time, ran her first mile in 6:21. Her second two miles were slower and she finished with a 7:14 mile average pace placing 14 of 103 with a time of 22:24.41.

Kauffman ran her best time of the season, 28:21.70, in spikes. She improved 2:06 over her best time that she posted at the Flathead Invite. She also ran her best first mile in 8:11. She finished 60th with a final pace of 9:09 per mile.

Reinitz, also running in spikes, beat Devin Cordier of Arlee by 16 seconds with a time of 23:54.47 taking 90th place of 107 runners in the B & C Division. He ran his best first mile of the season in 6:57 but slowed the next two miles for an overall pace of 7:43 per mile.

Haines missed his PR by three seconds finishing in 21:13.58, 63 of 107. Coach Haines thought had he had spikes, he would have set a new PR. His mile splits were the closest of the team, 6:24, 7:03 and 6:51.

Coach Haines said, "Our team needs to work on improving their second and third mile pace times to get better finishing times."

This Week

Up this week on Homecoming Saturday is the Mountain West Meet in Missoula on Saturday, Sept. 28. Coach Haines expects the Blackhawks will run in the Junior Varsity races so they can make it back for the Homecoming festivities.