Malta third at home

The Malta M-ettes Cross Country Team fared well at the Malta Athletic Club Invitational Cross Country Meet held at Marian Hills Golf Course last Saturday, September 9.

The M-ettes took third place as a team and led by senior runner TaChante' Cole and freshman standout Leslie Young, who took seventh and eighth place respectively.

The Dodson Coyotes were also at the meet and fared well qualifying two runners for the Class C State meet in Helena on October 21.

Malta's meet had 14 boys teams and 15 girls teams represented. The meet was a milestone for the school's team that has existed for twenty years. Coach Thea Solberg has been with the team as coach for the past 15 seasons.

"This meet is exciting because there are a lot of teams here," Coach Solberg said. "There are a lot more kids here because of the fires in Kalispell. It's one of our largest meets that we have hosted. It was a beautiful day. It's cool this morning and everybody seems to be in a good mood."

In the girls' race, L'Tia Lawrence of Harlem won with a time of 19:33. Havre's Kadia Miller of Havre was second with a time of 21:06. Poplar's Carlee Longtree was third with a time of 21:40.

Before the race, Malta's runners were feeling the nerves of running in their home meet, including Cole, who had ran the home meet three times prior to Saturday's race.

"I'm really nervous," Cole said. "I feel like I am expected to do better than usual."

Cole went on to say that those nerves would subside after she was into her run. Cole finished with a time of 22:23.

"I feel like I did pretty good," Cole said after the race. "I feel a lot more tired than I did at the last meet and I thought I was pushing myself at the last meet."

For Cole, she has run in her last cross country home meet of her career.

"It's actually kind of sad, now that I am done running the race," Cole said. "I wasn't that sad before the race."

She said her favorite memories of running at Marian Hills included being around her teammates.

Young, like Cole, had finished in the top ten in the team's last meet, but she too had some nervousness before the race.

"I'm a little nervous because there are a lot of people," Young said.

Young had quite the kick at the end of the race, passing a few runners in the final 200 meters of the race. Her time was 22:36.

"I was trying to beat people so that others behind me couldn't pass me," Young said.

Jillian O'Brien took twenty-second with a time of 25:52.

Kaycee Bond, a sophomore, was excited about running in her home meet.

"I'm excited about it," Bond said. "I didn't get to run it last time because I was sick."

Her goal was to land within 29 minutes and she did taking thirty-second with a time of 28.33.

Monicha Williamson was also feeling a bit nervous before the run, posted a time she did not like in the team's last meet, but she had a strategy at her home met.

"I have to pick someone to pace myself with to stay with and I will improve," Williamson said noting that she and teammate Joanie Sjostrom often make each other laugh throughout races.

Williamson took thirty-first with a time of 27:58 and J. Sjostrom took thirty-seventh with a time of 31:11. Reese Sjostrom had a time of 29:19 in the JV race, while Chloe Hunter had a time of 41:38 in the JV race.

Dodson's Melony Fetter took twenty-eighth place with a time of 27:17 and Ireland Best finished with a time of 42:16.

"I am feeling pretty good," Fetter said about her race. "Running is my favorite sport. I just feel free when I run."

She said that having confidence in your running is key, along with a good stride and breathing.

In the boys' race, Dodson's Corbin LoneBear took thirty-fifth place with a time of 21:05 and his teammate Marty LoneBear ran in the JV race, finishing with a time of 29:15.

Hays- Lodge Pole's Isiah Runs Above took first place in the boys' race with a time of 17:08. Sam Smith of the Richey-Lambert Fusion took second with a time of 17:17 and third place went to Glasgow's Ellis McKean who had a time of 17:18.