Malta Cross Country 2024

The Malta Cross Country team consists of four runners this year, a smaller group but one with plenty of running experience.

Mustang Kash Stiles and M-ette Megan Morser are Malta's seniors this season.

Malta Head Coach Thea Solberg spoke about both of her seniors;

"Kash Stiles comes in as the senior for the boys and comes in with many years of experience. He began his running career at Sidney, while in middle school. He really enjoys running and what it does for him to prepare for basketball season. He joined the Malta Cross Country team his sophomore year. He ran very well that year and improved as a runner, posting his all time personal best right before state. His junior year started out very well and then he sustained an injury that sidelined him for much of the season. He comes in this cross country season looking much stronger, more fit and ready for action. He is working very hard and is running right with the front of the pack at practices. He brings a good work ethic, leadership and encouragement to the rest of the team. We look forward to seeing how this season unfolds for Kash.

"Megan Morser is the lone M-ette runner who came into the program as a freshman. She had some good track experience coming in and used that to capitalize on her finishes at the end of the race. Each year that she has come out and run, she has improved her time, running faster each year. One thing that is enjoyable to watch is how Megan finishes a race. She'll be running the race, saving energy, then kicking it up a notch, will run in with lightning speed where she might pass several runners in the finish lane. This is what we hope will happen this year. Megan comes into this season looking the strongest and most fit we've seen of her, and we are anxious to see how the season turns out."

Malta has one junior, Kael Young, who is in his third season with the team.

"He comes in on the heals of a successful swimming season with the Malta Swim Team. He is a strong athlete and works very hard, no matter what sport. He pushes himself at each practice and meet that he participates in. He has improved much, dropping time and improving nearly every meet from start to finish each year that he has participated in. He brings to the program a strong work ethic as well, is super coachable, trying suggestions that we might have. We look forward to watching Kael perform and seeing how he improves as the season unfolds.

The newest member of the team is Greg Gardipee, who is a transfer student from Harlem High School, where he ran cross country for the Wildcats.

"Greg comes in with some great running experience, placing 50th at state for Class B boys in 2023 and he finished with a time of 18:43," Coach Solberg said. "He helped Harlem place 11th overall for teams with his performance. He comes in with strength and determination. He works very hard and is goal-oriented. His main goal is to run fast enough at each meet to beat his time from the previous meet. He doesn't let up at practices and therefore is pushing the other runners on the team. We look forward to seeing how much he improves at each meet and how the season unfolds, especially the post season at state."

Coach Solberg said that each runner has the goal to beat their best time from last season. Coach Solberg believes that as the season goes on and the runners get stronger and faster, this goal should be attainable for each runner.

"If they work hard, then the times will drop and they will get faster, and that's the goal," Coach Solberg said.

Coach Solberg said that she and assistant coach Lisa Young are excited to have a team and the opportunity to watch them grow as runners this season.

"They inspire us. This isn't an easy sport and it is so rewarding to see them working so hard to train for, and eventually running a race over a course that is often less than ideal," Coach Solberg said. "This sport is one of the most positive sports, because no matter your skill level or who you are, you get cheered for and encouraged from start to finish. And in case you are not familiar with cross country, it is a sport where you train for and run in a 5k (3.1 mile) race each week of a short 10 week season."

Morser recorded her first time of the year in Wolf Point on Friday, August 30, a time of 28.33.7.

Guardipee started his season with a seventh place finish in Wolf Point and a time of 19:29. He then ran a personal best of 18:54.3 and took second place at the Poplar Invitational on Friday, September 7.

Young set a season's best of 23:06.4 in Poplar and had a time of 23:14.2 in Wolf Point.

Stiles set a season's best of 25:27.5 in Wolf Point and had a time of 26:18.5 in Poplar.

2024 Malta XC Schedule

DAY DATE EVENT TIME SITE

Friday August 16 First Day of Practice 4:15 PM

Friday Aug. 30 Wolf Point Invitational 10:00 AM Wolf Point

Saturday Sept. 7 Poplar Invitational 10:00 AM Poplar

Saturday Sept. 14 Havre Invitational 10:00 AM Havre

Thursday Sept. 19 Frazer Invitational TBA Frazer

Saturday Sept. 28 Mountain West Classic 10:00 AM Missoula

Saturday Oct. 5 Glasgow Invitational 10:00 AM Fort Peck

Saturday Oct. 12 Malta Invitational 10:00 AM Malta

Friday Oct. 18 Harlem Invitational 10:00 AM Harlem

Saturday Oct. 26 State B Cross Country Meet TBA Missoula