Harriers attend Malta Invitational

The Dodson-Whitewater Harriers are off to a solid start this season, already qualifying four of six runners for the State Meet in Kalispell this October.

The team went to the Malta Athletic Club Invitational Cross Country Meet last Saturday and runners pressed hard to improve their times though the course set in Marian Hills Golf Course was a little hillier than the Dodson practice course.

Tyrese Messerly posted the fastest time amongst his team, posting a mark of 20:18, while taking twenty-first at the meet of about fifty runners.

"It was good," Messerly told the PCN. "It was kind of an incline most of the race but I pushed it out and stuck through it and almost improved my time with a ten second decrease (since his last run at Marian Hills)."

Messerly was encouraged by the weather that was moderately warm by the time the boys ran the 3-mile race.

"It was nice and breezy," Messerly said. "It wasn't too hot, wasn't too cold, just perfect. It was the right temperature to be running a race."

In last season's race Messerly remembered a rougher outing.

"I cramped up so terrible," Messerly said. "I had the worst cramp ever."

Trevor Walker was able to complete that race with a time of 21:56, Jasper Doney completed the race with a time of 27:49 and Bella Lawless finished with a time of 27:07.

Messerly is encouraged by his new teammates Walker and LoneBear.

"I think it's good," he said. "It pushes us more. It's a more enthused practice and a good experience, I think.

He has been pleasantly surprised with how the duo has started the year.

"They are taking me by surprise," Messerly said. "I didn't expect them to do this good, especially my cousin Trevor Walker."

Walker enjoyed the pace of the Malta meet.

"It was pretty good," Walker said. "There was a lot more competition than the last meet."

Walker has an idea of how to improve his cross country running.

"I just need to run more and do more hills, more off-road and the next time I should do better," Walker said.

Walker thinks the season is going pretty good for his first try at cross country.

"I'm improving every time," Walker said. "I just gotta go out there and give all my effort. That's all a person can do."

Walker had a pretty good kick at the end of the race.

"I used to go to school with this kid named Eron Snow and I was trying to catch him but I started a little too early," Walker said. "There's always next time."