News you can use
News you can use
Rachel David and the Montana State University-Northern cross country teams start their season at today's Early Bird Invite hosted by Carroll College in Helena. The Northern rodeo teams also get their fall season going this weekend at the Northwest College Big Sky Region Rodeo in Powell, Wyoming.
Montana State University-Northern head cross country coach Chad Spangler has built the program from the ground up, literally. It was less than five years ago that Northern added cross country as a full-time sport.
Now, as the 2019 season dawns, Spangler is looking for his Lights and Skylights to take the next step.
No longer just a young, up-and-coming program just starting out, Northern now aims to compete with the very best of the Frontier Conference.
And Spangler has the runners to do just that.
The Lights return some outstanding talent this season, led by former Havre Blue Pony and senior leader Luke Karnauskas. Also back for the Lights is senior Amos Taisaw, as well as sophomore Field Soosloff, and junior Kai Krumweide. That foursome turned in some strong showings last season, and they expect to be even better this fall.
Sophomore Liam Baez-Terry is another returner who expects to make noise this season, while former Turner Tornado Eddie Harmon, newcomer Dan Kirwa from Kenya, and freshman Gabriel Strader round out the MSU-N lineup.
The Northern women's team also returns one of the top individual runners in the Frontier Conference in senior Rachel David. Two years ago, David became the first MSU-N runner to qualify for the NAIA national meet, and, in her final year as a Skylights, she'll be gunning for big things.
The Skylights also return senior Kaitlin Nystrom and sophomore Kaylee Nystrom, another pair of former Havre High standouts. Ashley McCready-Romero, Grace Schwenk, returner Raini Johnson and newcomer Allison Tigert complete the Skylight roster.
As for the schedule, Northern competes at the Early Bird Invite in Helena today, and will attend meets at Rocky Mountain College and the University of Providence, as well as the Lewis-Clark State Invite and the Bulldog Invite in Dillon.
Of course, the most exciting race on Northern's schedule may be the annual Battle of the Border dual with Western Wyoming. The meet shifts back-and-forth between the two schools, and for the second time in four years, it returns to Havre. The Lights and Skylights will host the dual meet Sept. 28 at Prairie Farms Golf Course.
Northern wraps up the 2019 season at the Frontier Conference Championships Nov. 8 in Billings.
This weekend also marks the start of the fall season for the MSU-N rodeo team under the direction of head coach Doug Kallenberger.
Both the Lights and Skylights finished strong in the Big Sky Region last season, and they'll be looking to do so again this year.
The Northern men's team features Colten Barker (calf roping/team roping), Kade Christianson (calf roping/team roping), Taylor Corbett (steer wrestling), Tyler Doney (team roping), Clay Doney (team roping), Kolby Kittson (saddle bronc), Liam Marshall (bareback), Micha Miranda (team roping), and Chance Switzer (team roping/bull riding). The MSU-N women's team includes, Mikayla Connelly (barrels), Skylee Dirden (breakway/goats), Tiana Gomes (breakaway), Jayne Keeley (barrels/goats), Mikenna Schauer (barrels, goats, breakaway), Bailey Wickre (barrels/breakaway) and Kassidy Williamson (barrels/goats/breakway).
Northern will have four fall rodeos, starting at Northwest College this weekend. The Lights and Skylights will also travel to Montana Western and Dawson Community College, but the big event comes Sept. 20 when Northern hosts the Montana State University-Northern Big Sky Region Rodeo. MSU-N completes its season with four rodeos in the spring, including the Big Sky Region Finals May 1-2 in Great Falls.
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