M-ettes race through snow

The Malta High School Cross Country Team participated in the snowy 2019 State Cross Country meet held at Eagle Falls Golf Course in Great Falls on Saturday, October 26.

The course was blanketed with snow that occurred the night before the meet.

"What we faced on Saturday was what I call true cross country," Coach Thea Solberg told the PCN. "It's like life in general. You never know what each day will bring, or what each meet will be like. Every course is different and the weather is always uncertain. You have to just decide in your mind that you will have to make the best of what is in front of you and persevere."

The meet was won by Broadwater who scored a total of 55 points and featured sophomore Emma Stolte, who finished second individually. Sophomore Hayley Burns of Colstrip won the state title with a time of 19:29.50. Harlem senior L'Tia Lawrence took third with a time of 19:47.04. Columbus' Kelsey Plymale was fourth with a time of 19:49.98.

Malta, who took seventeenth as a team, was led by junior Leslie Young who had a time of 23:24.8, her fastest time at any of her previous state meets.

"I feel pretty good about my time," Young said. "It was cold, I got shoved, I almost slipped but I didn't fall downhill, so that was pretty good."

Young had mixed thoughts about the weather.

"I like running in the colder weather, so it was a plus but it was a little too cold," she said.

Senior Jillian O'Brien was second for the M-ettes, having posted a time of 24:19.61, the second fasted time of her career.

"We expected it to snow but I didn't expect this much," O'Brien said after her run. "I actually like when it's cold because it keeps your body cooler. It worked out well for me. The snow didn't bother me. I ran where the snow was worn down so I didn't fall down."

The meet possibly marked the last time that O'Brien will run in a competitive atmosphere.

"I am happy I never have to run again," O'Brien said with a laugh. "I have enjoyed cross country but I don't ever want to run again."

Kaycee Bond, also a senior, posted a time of 24:19.61. Unlike O'Brien, Bond may continue running at the next level.

"I might run in college," Bond said. "But I will definitely do some fun runs and 5k runs this summer."

Her final cross country run as an M-ette was colder than expected.

"It was cold," Bond said. "I started off not feeling my toes but towards the end, I was able to feel them. I felt good at the end. I was able to pass a girl at the end. I was pretty determined to pass her. I was not letting her beat me."

Bond was determined to beat the runner in front of her because she had been passed by that same runner close to the end of the race.

"Coach Fallon (Handley) told me to stay with her and not let her beat me," Bond said. "It wasn't my best time but it wasn't my worst, so I am pretty happy with that."

Junior Danie Rhodes had a time of 28:07.29, freshman Kirsta Meisdalen had a time of 28:51.94 and freshman Isabelle Hallenberg had a time of 28:57.67.

"All these runners that ran Saturday took up the challenge of the snow, the slick surfaces, and the persistent cold and persevered and no matter where they placed in the race, they are heroes because they crossed the finish line," Coach Solberg said. "And you can't take that away from them. Many memories were made that day."