XC girls win Northwest A conference

The Lady Dogs cross country team ran their way to a third straight Northwest A conference championship Saturday in Columbia Falls.

Whitefish took first at the Western A Classic, finishing ahead of Corvallis and Polson.

The pack of Jessica Henson (19:56.5), Ella Greenberg (20:00.2) and Jade Greenberg (20:05.2) finished fourth, fifth and sixth.

Josephine Vardell came in just behind at 14th (20:53.0).

Henson, Ella and Jade Greenberg and Vardell all received All Conference honors.

Head coach Richard Menicke said nine of his girls ran season-best times, including five on the JV team.

On the boys side, Miles Vrentas took 12th (17:09.5) and Bridger Gaertner 14th (17:22.0). Both runners received All Conference honors.

Colter Gaertner came in at 27th (18:03.1), Jacob Henson at 36th (19:29.6) and Tyler Dunnagan at 43rd (18:52.6).

The boys overall took sixth, with 11 runners putting up season best times.

Columbia Falls, Frenchtown and Corvallis took the top three spots for boys.

This week the team heads to University Golf Course in Missoula for the Class A State Tournament.

Menicke said his girls are looking for a trophy, though Hardin and Corvallis look like they’ll pose a challenge, and his boys are hoping for a top 10 finish.

Last year the girls took fourth, with Ella Greenberg taking eighth, and the boys finished 12th.-

The girls race will begin at 1:10 p.m. and the boys at 2:20.

Western A Divisional

Saturday

At Rebecca Farm

Boys

Team Totals

Columbia Falls 39, Frenchtown 76, Corvallis 78, Hamilton 109, Ronan 131, Whitefish 132, Polson 144, Browning 205, Dillon 248, Stevensville 298, Libby 310

Individuals

12 Miles Vrentas 17:09.5

14 Bridger Gaertner 17:22.0

27 Colter Gaertner 18:03.1

36 Jacob Henson 18:29.6

43 Tyler Dunnagan 18:52.6

56 Zack Dunnagan 19:15.1

64 Jeiven Pemberton 20:27.0

Girls

Team Totals

Whitefish 59, Corvallis 83, Polson 105, Frenchtown 107, Dillon 112, Columbia Falls 113, Hamilton 144, Browning 242, Ronan 289

Individuals

4 Jessica Henson 19:56.5

5 Ella Greenberg 20:00.2

6 Jade Greenberg 20:05.2

14 Josephine Vardell 20:53.0

30 Erin Wilde 22:06.6

34 Braya Hobson 22:23.7

49 Annie Robertson 23:23.2