Thinclads had great offseason

The Columbia Falls cross country teams should have a slew of solid runners this season, with a mix of both younger and more seasoned runners vying for spots on the varsity team.

The boys’ team is anchored by Logan Peterson, his brother Lucas, Johnny Blankenship, Quinn Clark, Hayden Mohr-Mead and Brock Swope, noted coach Jim Peacock.

Peacock expects the boys’ lineup to shuffle a bit as the season progresses with the potential of some younger runners to make their marks.

Both the boys and girls squads have put in a lot of time on the offseason, including a grueling long distance relay race against a host of other teams earlier this season in the Diamond City Relay.

The relay was a three-day race that started in Townsend and covered 212 miles and netted more than 24,700 feet of elevation gain. 

Both the girls and boys competed in the event.

The girls team, like the boys, should also be solid again this year, even with the loss of state champion Hannah Sempf. This year they’ll look for good things from Siri Erickson, as well as Courtney Hoerner, Ally Sempf, Ruby Davis, Lexi Oberholtzer, Marissa Schaeffer and two transfers from Great Falls, sisters Nina and Mya Badger.

The Badger sisters were in the top 30 at state AA last year.

Peacock also expects good things from freshmen Ashley Andrews and Finley Dezzani.

“The girls graduated a lot and reload just as good as last year,” Peacock noted.

The squad opens the season in Libby Friday.

In other sports:

Volleyball is on the road at the Northwest-Southwest A tip-off tourney this weekend.

In golf: The season has already started. Winslow Peters led the Wildcats at the Browning Invitational taking 10th while shooting an 83. Connor Presnell shot an 87. On the girls side, Chloe Ramage shot a 116. The Cats were competing the Whitefish Invitational Tuesday.