State C Meet: LaBrie Earns Second Title

Whitewater Penguin Shelbi LaBrie, a senior, won her final high school cross country race, as she earned a first place finish for the second year in a row at the State C Cross Country Meet in Missoula on October 26.

The PCN caught up with LaBrie, who won the race with a time of 19.40 and asked her thoughts on winning her second title.

"Well, of course, it feels really good," LaBrie said. "But I think for me, what means more is all the people who take time to text me, or support me, come watch me, you know, even call me. It's more so about all of the people that have encouraged me throughout this stuff."

This year's state event was held at the University of Montana Golf Course.

LaBrie was joined by Whitewater teammate Tyler Scheffelmear, who was 89th with a personal best of 21.52 in the boys' race.

Dodson junior Donovan Posey reached the podium and earned All-State honors with a 12th place finish after posting a time of 18:12.6.

Coyote teammate Lance KillEagle, a junior, was 53rd with a time of 20:12.5. Junior Brayden Jones was 56th with a time of 20:22.2. Senior Junior Stiffarm was 88th with a time of 21:50.3. Sophomore Jaxon Jones was 97th with a time of 22:17.2. Eighth Grader Tygh Healy was 123rd with a time of 24:35.4. Dodson was ninth of 24th teams at state.

"The boys ran a good race and did a great job of closing their gaps," Dodson Head Coach Tianna Bloomer said. "We are only losing one runner after this year and plan on making a strong comeback next year. It is at the same course so they know what to expect. There weren't any personal bests made at this meet but they sure came close."

The team's lone Lady Coyote Precious Stiffarm ran a time of 30:37.

"She tried her best and finished with a strong time for her on this course," Coach Bloomer said. "Missoula is a tough one. Very proud of her for finishing the season and never giving up!"

LaBrie shared what all of the runners at the meet experienced as far as the course goes.

"For a lot of it, there might be either a slight downhill or a slight uphill, but it's pretty flat and it's very gradual one way or the other," LaBrie said. "Maybe tiny little ups and downs, so you could consider it rolling. There aren't actual hills, but your brain will really process (hills). There's only one hill, and it's a pretty good hill, but it's only one. It's not super scary and you're running on grass for the majority of it and it's well marked. It's a good course, it just feels really broken up with a lot of turns."

The weather was cool at the start of the girls' race at 11:30 a.m., but LaBrie said the sun eventually came out.

LaBrie started among the top 15 out of the starting line. This is by design.

"I wasn't gonna jump out too fast 'cause I know that a lot of those runners like to run that first mile a little faster and then they slow down the second and third mile," LaBrie said. "I was just going to be super consistent, so that was my goal. I knew I'd catch them if I was patient and I was consistent with my running."

She was asked about her mental toughness, which helped propel her to the finish line.

"I learned it all from my coach, I will tell you that," LaBrie said of Whitewater Head Coach Carly Hammond. "You might think I'm biased, but I think that Coach Hammond is the best coach, I can guarantee you, in the state for running. I wouldn't want anyone else as my coach. I think of us more of a duo."

Coach Hammond and LaBrie run together in many practices and races throughout the year.

"She knows me and how I run more than anybody else," LaBrie said.

Coach Hammond offered her final analysis on LaBrie's final cross country race.

We came into the meet planning to run the same race Shelbi has been running all season. She generally starts behind the front runners and eases her way up to the front pack by about 2.25 miles.

It's worked well all year, she seems to do better and can increase her splits as she runs. It was risky as you just don't know how those other runners will come out at the state meet. TJ Chirrick was ready to put up a fight and she did.

In the first mile of the race, Shelbi was about 14 seconds behind the first-place runner, Chirrick. She gained ground on about five of the other lead runners during mile-two and was able to pull into second place at about 1.75 miles, still behind Chirrick by 14 seconds.

As they headed into mile-three, this is a part of the course that most of the spectators didn't see because it heads off onto the other side of the course, so no one had a clue what was going to happen by the end of the race. I ran back there and with each stride, Shelbi started creeping up on Chirrick and right at about 2.5 miles, she was able to pass her looking so strong. She gained about 50 yards on her by the last 400 meters and ended with her best time on that course, 19.40.

I think there were a lot of shocked people to see her come around the corner in first place. But, if you know Shelbi, she's never out of the race. She's just got so much drive and grit.

LaBrie plans to hang up her cross country shoes, but she plans on continuing her athletic career after high school as a member of the Montana State University Billings Women's Basketball Team. More on that in an upcoming PCN.