Whitman, Benner earn most valuable cross country honors

Junior Shawn Whitman and freshman Leesa Benner received Most Valuable Athlete honors during the Columbia Falls High School cross country awards gathering after the completion of the 2008 season.

Whitman earned fourth place in Class A at the State Cross Country Championships after finishing second in the conference meet. He is in coach Steven Gasche's Cross Country Hall of Fame as the fourth fastest Wildcat in school history. Whitman is the junior class record holder with a time of 16 minutes, 14 seconds. He scored 281 varsity points.

Benner received All-Conference honorable mention this season, placing ninth at the conference meet. Her fastest time was 20:06, and Benner scored 168 points to earn Most Valuable Athlete honors.

Junior Patric Jessat received the School Record Award. He placed third at conference and ninth at state. Jessat is in the Hall of Fame as the sixth fastest Wildcat runner with a time of 16:20. He scored 259 varsity points.

The Most Promising Athlete Award for the boys went to freshman Justin Whitman. He was All-Conference with a seventh-place finish. His fastest time was 16:55, and he scored 211 varsity points.

Senior Tripp Gimbel won the Outstanding Career Award. He was All-Conference by placing ninth at the conference meet. His fastest time was 17:04, and he scored 209 points.

Senior Michael Kruse earned Most Improved Athlete honors. He was 10th at the conference meet for honorable mention. His best time was 17:11, and he scored 178 varsity points.

Most Promising Athlete honors for the Wildkat girls went to freshman Jinise Osborne. She scored 129 varsity points; her best time was 21:25.

Junior Dannah Turner received the Team Impact Award. Her best time was 21:03, and she scored 125 varsity points.

Teamwise, the CFHS boys earned second at state — their best-ever finish.