Area runners compete at Montana State Cross Country Championships

The Havre High cross country teams, and many area runners took part in the Montana State Cross Country Championships on a beautiful afternoon last Saturday in Missoula.

Racing at the UM Golf Course, the Havre High girls finished seventh in Class A with a score of 247. The Hardin girls captured the state championship. Hailey Gingery led the Blue Ponies with a 21st place finish in 20:49.4. Ela Harbor finished 39th, Marley Springer took 50th, Paige Anderson was 65th, Gracie Shandorf was 72nd and Harper Wendland was 82nd for the Ponies.

On the boys side, Havre was 21st overall, while Hardin also won the team title. Mason Gregoire was Havre's top runner with a 46th-place finish overall. Koby Preputin took 88th overall, while Brayden Nimmick was 124th, Eric Messinger was 144th and Wyatt Anderson and Kaden Weigel rounded out the running for the Ponies.

In Class B, Chinook's Neva Lowe earned All-State honors by finishing 11th in the girls race with a time of 20:11.12. Harlem's Ethan Walker also turned in a fourth-place finish as the Wildcat boys took fifth in the team competition.