PC teams compete at Malta Athletic Club Invite

All three Phillips County Cross Country teams were present at the 2020 Malta Athletic Club Invitational Cross Country Meet in Malta on Saturday, October 3.

"This was a great meet on one of the most beautiful fall days we've had, mainly because there was no wind," Malta Coach Thea Solberg said. "The meet ran very well and there was great competition."

The M-ettes tied for second at their home meet with a total of 68 points. Havre won the meet with 16 points, Malta and Fairview each had 68, and Whitewater was fourth with 72.

Other teams that participated were Box Elder, Circle, Rocky Boy, and Nashua. Dodson was present but only had three runners in the race.

Individually, the girls' race was won by Havre's Tamera O'Leary, who caught up with teammate Sadie Filius within the last 50 yards of the race. O'Leary posted a time of 21:41 and Filius had a time of 21:42. Third went to Havre's Hannah Haslem who had a time of 22:04.

Fifth place went to Malta senior Leslie Young who had a time of 23:48. Young shared her thoughts on being able to run in one last Malta Invitational, an event that was canceled last season due to rain.

"It feels pretty good because of all of the supporters and everyone that comes out to watch," Young said. "They just make you feel good about yourself."

Though she felt that the race was mentally tough due to the hills, Young kept pace behind Havre's top four finishers throughout the race.

"It makes me feel confident," Young said.

Young said that in her senior season, she would like to set new personal records for herself. The run-in Malta of 23:48 is her season's best, but her personal best was 22:39.3 set in Poplar last season.

Being in the program since her freshman season, Young shared what it has been like being an M-ette Cross Country runner.

"They are kind of like my second family," Young said. "They just make you feel good about yourself and everybody encourages each other to keep pushing and not to give up."

Malta's Kirsta Meisdalen was the second Phillips County Athlete to cross the line, placing ninth with a time of 24:56. The time was a new personal best, carving 2 seconds off of her career-best set in Poplar last year.

"I managed to get most of the hills pretty easily, so I think it went pretty good," Meisdalen said.

Being a sophomore, Meisdalen had not experienced a home meet until last Saturday. She shared her opinions on hosting a meet.

"I thought it would go worse than it did because during practice it is so hard to run this," Meisdalen said. "Normally when we run this course, it's at 3 p.m. and in the lower 80's."

She said that her first home meet felt different than any other meet because of how much smaller it was compared to other meets. She said that the Fort Peck meet had over 50 runners, while the Malta Invitational had close to 40.

Whitewater's Sammie Wisher placed eleventh at the meet with a time of 25:12.

"I think I did good but I did go a little fast in my first mile," Wisher said. "I think it was the adrenaline."

She felt that at the start she needed to get in front of girls she was running with. Eventually, when she reached the hill, Wisher reached her ideal pace. Wisher, who is an avid runner, was asked how she thought the season was going.

"It's going really good," Wisher said. "I think I am going to keep running into the summer and likely race next year. I feel that if I train during the summer, I will be better next year."

Sammie said that working with first-year Head Coach Carly Hammond was a lot of fun. Wisher said that the team made up an anthem in Coach Hammond's honor, which can be found at the end of the story.

Kendra Cummings was next for the Penguins, placing 14th with a time of 26:05. Dodson's Melony Fetter was 17th with a time of 28:00. Whitewater's Kelsee Cummings was 20th with a time of 28:30.

Kel. Cummings, who was a state placer in shot put at the 2019 State C Track Meet is running Cross Country for the first time of her high school career.

"Coach Prestwich asked Kendra if she would run this year and then Kendra said that if I run that she would," Cummings said. "I said yes, kind of as a joke and now I am here."

Cummings said that running in cross country is fun and that she is glad that she joined the team. She also mentioned that it is a good way to get in shape for basketball. Kelsee shared what she thought of her run in Malta.

"It was a pretty good race, especially after having last week off," Cummings said. "But I think I did pretty good."

The Penguins train in Whitewater primarily, but throughout the season, they have trained at Marian Hills Golf Course, but they felt that the course they ran that day featured easier terrain.

"It's harder because we go up the bigger hills and in this race, it was just one big hill and the rest were kind of little," Cummings said. "Our practices are a lot harder."

Cummings was asked about her team.

"I think that they are all hard workers and that they are all fun but they all work really hard during practice," Cummings said.

Dodson's Lindsey Fetter was 21st with a time of 28:38. M-ette Madyson Warburton was 25th with a time of 30:06. Whitewater's Ava Handley was 27th with a time of 30:26. Malta's Deion Lefdahl, a sophomore who played volleyball last season posted a time of 31:15 and was in 29th place.

Lefdahl shared what it was like running in the Malta Meet. She said that she was in some pain because of her knee, but she was offered extra incentive to finish strong.

"Nikki (Nicholson) said that she would buy me a Cherry Coke after I ran, so that's why I mentally got through it," Lefdahl said. "The big can. The 99 cent one."

She was asked about joining the team this year.

"I feel like it has made me stronger and I feel like I have gotten a lot closer to people," Lefdahl said. "I am learning how to push through things better. You might not think that you are able to, but you have to make yourself think that you can and push yourself through."

Lefdahl joked that she is playing football next year.

Right behind Lefdahl was Whitewater's Hannah Hanley who took 30th with a time of 32:18. Malta's Karley Weston was 32nd with a time of 33:16. Fellow M-ette Izzie Hallenberg took 34th with a time of 35:13. Dodson's Emma Cole was 35th with a time of 39:16. Malta's Aubri Werk was 36th with a time of 40:03.

The anthem of the 2020 Penguin Cross Country Team sang to the melody of Notre Dame's Victory March goes:

"Cross Country runners are we! When Ms. Hammond comes around, we jump for glee! And when we go to bed at night, our thighs are killing us! But when we awake on our grade school day, we know Ms. Hammond we can trust!"