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Running Scotties Miss Podium at Class B Championships

Glasgow streaked to respective 4th and 5th-place finishes in the boys' and girls' Class B State Meet on Saturday. Each field comprised 32 teams, though the standard of excellence set by both the male and female Running Scotties - 1st or 2nd-place in seven of nine 2015 meets for the former; the latter, five of nine- ensured the ride back from Great Falls was a muted, somber affair.

Walker Allen (22nd) and Ellis McKean (24th) each crossed the finish line in under 17:20. Merlin McKean (17:47; 43rd) and Braden Meland (17:57; 49th) rounded out the scorers. Meet winners Manhattan placed four in the overall top seven en route to a 90-point victory over 2nd-place Broadwater.

In the girls' race, Emily (26th) and Julia Kolstad (28th) turned in identical times of 20:55, and all five of the team's scorers finished in under 22:00. Brinlie Nielsen (21:27; 41st), Alex Simensen (21:40; 46th), and Morgan Guttenberg (21:51; 46th) accounted for the final three spots. They finished 129 points behind winners Big Fork, and 14 behind 4th-placed Broadwater.

The Scotties enter the offseason knowing that to succeed in 2016, they will need to account for the loss of nine seniors, four of whom (Allen, Meland, Kolstad, Simensen) were regular scorers for their respective team. Said Allen:

"The course was fast and so were we. We all did what we needed to do -- the other teams just ran amazing races as well. It was a great season and I am proud of all the guys and gals I ran with throughout the years. I'm going to miss them all."

State Championship Results

Boys (in order of finish): Manhattan 33, Broadwater 123, St. Labre 133, Glasgow 165, Thompson Falls 187, Ronan, Lincoln County, Red Lodge, Lame Deer, Loyola-Sacred Heart, Shepherd, Joliet, Colstrip, Shelby, Harlem, Libby, Whitehall, Huntley Project, Lodge Grass, Columbus, St. Ignatius, Rocky Boy, Wolf Point, Cut Bank Anaconda, Poplar.

Big Fork, Jefferson, Powell County, Roundup, Sweet Grass County, and Three Forks each fielded fewer than five runners.

Walker Allen, 22 17:11

Ellis McKean, 24 17:15

Gabe Hallock, 27 17:19

Merlin McKean, 43 17:47

Braden Meland, 49 17:57

Cade Myrick, 65 18:21

Chase Hughes, 80 18:40

Girls: Bigfork 63, Manhattan 88, Lincoln County 161, Broadwater 178, Glasgow 192, Red Lodge 231, Huntley Project, Roundup, Libby, Shepherd, Colstrip, Malta, Anaconda, St. Labre Catholic, Shelby, Columbus, Poplar, Sweet Grass County, Powell County, Loyola-Sacred Heart, Lodge Grass, Harlem, Thompson Falls, Rocky Boy.

Cut Bank, Lame Deer, Ronan, Three Forks, Whitehall, Wolf Point, and St. Ignatius each fielded fewer than five runners.

Emily Kolstad, 26 20:55

Julia Kolstad, 28 20:55

Brinlie Nielsen, 41 21:27

Alex Simensen, 46 21:40

Morgan Guttenberg, 51 21:51

Katie Kaiser, 54 22:02

Faith Sallee, 109 24:08

 

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