Blazejewski has best race of the season at Helena

The Columbia Falls cross country teams competed in some unique events in the past week as they had a final tuneup heading into the postseason.

On Thursday the varsity squad competed in the Capital City 7 on 7 in Helena, which features seven different races for boys and girls.

Logan Peterson was 31st with a 17:33 in the first race; his brother Lucas was 25th in the second race with an 18:02; while Oliver Kress took 18th in the third race with a 17:47.

But River Blazejewski ran the best race of the bunch in the fourth race, posting a 16:55, taking fifth. It was his best race of the season.

Quinn Clark also had a good race, taking eighth in the fifth race with a 17:52.

“River stuck with a lead pack in his race.  The group kept shedding runners off the back of back.  River was still in the lead pack of five for the last mile and hung tough.  It led to a great time, and it’s really good for the team if we can get a boy or two in the sub 17’s,” coach Jim Peacock noted as the season winds down. “Overall, I thought all the kids that ran in Helena did an outstanding job.  Almost all of them either ran a season best race, or they ran their second fastest race of the year.  The format is a lot of fun to watch, because each kid has to find their own pace and strategy.  I love watching how they handle running independently at this part of the season.”

On the girls’ side, Ally Sempf was 18th in race one with a 20:37; Mya Badger was 13th in race two with a 21:08; Cora Hanan was 15th in the third race with a 21:30; Marissa Schaeffer took 10th in the fourth race with a 21:32 and Lexi Oberholtzer took 22nd in the fifth race with a 23:46.

The girls were without Ashley Andrews, one of their top runners.

In the Mission Shadow Duels, the junior varsity squad competed. Eric Miner and Mason Colliander took 28th and 29th for the boys.

Chloe Savoy took 9th and Ruby Davis took 19th.

The postseason starts this weekend with the Western A Divisional race in Stevensville Saturday. The state meet is in Kalispell the following weekend at Rebecca Farm.