Williams takes second at state

Derrick Williams had a great kick with about 400 meters left in the race, gutting out a second place finish at the state A cross country meet last Saturday.

“Derrick ran to win the race,” said coach Richard Menicke. “It was an aggressive strategy and it almost worked.”

The first mile pace was a blistering 4:58, Menicke said.

But Chris Jessop of Corvallis hung back and followed Williams until breaking out to take the lead in the end. Williams in the last mile had dropped back as far as fifth with about 400 meters left when he regrouped and was able to gut out a second place finish with a time of 16:24. Jessop clocked a 16 flat for the title.

“Williams did an amazing job,” Menicke said. “That’s big time.”

Williams is a junior and will return next year.

“He’ll be hungry next year and smarter about how he races the state race,” Menicke said. Junior Justin Whitman was battling a bug and took 17th with a time of 17:17.

As a team, the boys took fifth. The girls took sixth.

Jinise Osborne led the girls with a ninth place finish with a time of 19:46.

“She’s super strong,” Menicke said. “She felt good.”

The boys lose but one senior — Pascal Jessat — to graduation, and should be solid next year. The girls will lose several seniors, but will return Osborne.

Menicke gave kudos to frosh runner Tori Price, who had her fastest time of the year at state. He also was pleased with Nicki Moser.

“She ran solid.”

Corvallis won the boys title and Whitefish won the girls title.

  BOYS

Team scores: Corvallis 81,Whitefish 124, Belgrade 125, Browning 153, Columbia Falls 188, Livingston 198, Havre 204, Glendive 223, Anaconda 258, Laurel 259, Fergus 269, Hamilton 273, Billings Central 289, Polson 314, Dillon 323, Ronan 365, Frenchtown 366, Hardin 366, Libby 613.

GIRLS

Team scores: Whitefish 80, Fergus 88, Polson 100, Corvallis 126, Glendive 137, Havre 218, Browning 236, Columbia Falls 244, Laurel 246, Belgrade 303, Frenchtown 312, Billings Central, 339, Hamilton 345, Dillon 352, Anaconda 359, Custer 397, Livingston 414, Hardin 416, Ronan 475, Sidney 536.

Columbia Falls finishers, boys: 37, Zayne Brunz, 17:46; 65, James Ratzlaff, 18:17; 67, Seth McCall, 18:18; 80, Austin Dumay, 18:35; 103, Pascal Jessat, 19:12.

Girls: 50, Nicki Moser, 21:36; 54, Tori Price, 21:46; 58, Alexas Young, 21:53; 84, Kaylin Carvey, 22:39; 93, Tessa Cowan, 23:01.