Wildcats earn second at state X-C
After 25 years of coaching, Stephen Gasche savored the sight of a Columbia Falls boys cross country team on the awards stand at the State Championships.
A CFHS boys team had never finished higher than fourth at state, but this is the year of the Wildcat. They worked their way to the second-place plaque at the state meet at the University of Missoula Golf Course on Saturday in Missoula, finishing behind only Hamilton.
The Broncs came in with 77 points, and the Wildcats were second with 125. Dillon was third (149), Lewiston fourth (151) and Havre fifth (158) to round out the top five. Whitefish was 12th (311) and Libby 17th (503).
CFHS finished a solid eighth with 246 points. Whitefish was the state champion with 43.
Having never placed higher than fourth, teamwise, the Wildcat boys concluded the 2008 season with two All-State harriers. Junior Shawn Whitman earned fourth place with a time of 16:18.94. Junior Patric Jessat was ninth in 16:31.57. Whitefish senior Drew Coco was the individual state champion; his time was 15:26.88.
Gasche said Whitman and Jessat ran "gutsy races," challenging the front of the pack behind Coco.
"I knew they were both capable of great races and they came through with flying colors," said Gasche, who celebrated his silver anniversary of coaching in style.
Collectively, Shawn Whitman, Patric Jessat, Justin Whitman, Tripp Gimbel and Pascal Jessat clinched the second-place award by running, on the average, 23 seconds per runner faster than they did at the Mountain West Classic on the same course four weeks earlier.
Justin Whitman was 30th (17:23.51), Gimbel 37th (17:33.67) and Pascal Jessat 45th (17:46.26). Michael Kruse finished 48th (17:51.97) and Joe Gross 57th (18:14.38), both bringing down their times.
"I could not have been more proud of the way they ran and I think they are deserving of their accomplishments this season," Gasche said of the boys team.
The Cats should very competitive next season as the Whitman and Jessat brothers, and Gross will return along with state alternates Kodiak Gimbel and Jacob Silva.
Sophomore Nicki Moser led the Wildkat girls at the state meet, running to 27th place in 20:46.28, her best day of the season. She was the only Wildkat to run a personal best as the wind made it a bit difficult to turn in fast times Saturday, according to Gasche.
Other scoring runners for CFHS were Leesa Benner (46th, 21:17.39), Dannah Turner (51st, 21:28.80), Madison Stolte (59th, 21:37.46) and Jinise Osborne (63rd, 21:45.28). Collectively, Gasche said they averaged a little better than 10 seconds faster per runner than when they ran at the Mountain West Classic. He said Turner and Osborne ran particularly strong races.
Alexas Young, the Kats' sixth finisher, was able to improve her time at Missoula by nearly two minutes. Tessa Cowan ran a strong race despite a sore ankle, Gasche said.
All seven girls will be back next year, which could make our girls team a contender at the state level as well," Gasche said.