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Morley Wins Fourth XC State Championship in Record Fashion

Four Flathead Valley runners capture individual championships at state meet

By Dillon Tabish

Makena Morley’s final cross country race in Montana was an historic one.

At the state cross country meet in Helena on Saturday, the Bigfork senior crossed the finish line in 16:33.20, breaking the all-class state record and winning her fourth Class B championship. The victory was two seconds faster than her winning time last year in Missoula, which set a new all-class mark by 15 seconds.

Morley became only the fourth high school girl to win four state championships, alongside Flathead’s Zoe Nelson (2001-04), Ruby Yellowtail of Lodge Grass (1989-92) and Kathy Jarvis of Havre (1982-85).

Morley is now headed to Nike Regionals in Boise in three weeks before competing at the Western Regional Foot Locker Cross Country Championship, where she hopes to win for the second year in a row and make a run at winning a national championship.

Regardless of how she does at those elite out-of-state meets, she has ensured her legacy in Montana will be a memorable one.

After crossing the finish line in Helena, she embraced her father, Steve, and mother, Jill, in an emotional family hug.

“I’m so happy Makena got to go out in a blaze of glory,” longtime Bigfork cross country coach Sue Loeffler said afterward.

Morley’s freshman sister, Bryn, finished the Class B girls race in second place, clocking 16:59, one of the fastest times in state history. She became only the third girl to break 17 minutes at the state meet, alongside her sister and Nelson.

» Click here for Class B girls results.

The girls’ brother, Logan, won his own state championship in impressive fashion. The Bigfork junior won the Class B boys state championship in 15:29.

» Click here for Class B boys results.

In the Class AA girls race, Glacier freshman Annie Hill captured the championship by 30 seconds. She won in 17:11.88 after running the entire 3-mile race alone out front.

Flathead’s Kaitlin Wride earned seventh, 18:20. The Bravettes earned third place as a team with 101 points.

The Bozeman girls claimed their eighth team championship in a row, edging Hellgate by two points. Bozeman had 60.

» Click here for Class AA girls results. 

Samantha Mundel of Columbia Falls cruised to victory in the Class A girls race, winning the title in 18:19.70.

Whitefish’s Sarah Latcham was runner-up, 18:45.64, and the Lady Bulldogs earned second place as a team for the second year in a row. Barrett Gray placed ninth, 19:58, and Whitefish logged 94 points. Corvallis won with 65 points.

Polson’s Ryan Harrop placed seventh, 19:53.

» Click here for Class A girls results.

In the Class AA boys race, Bozeman was unbeatable as a team while Helena’s Aidan Reed cruised to victory in 15:22.

Glacier placed three runners in the top 15 but were unable to unseat six-time state champ Bozeman. Kade McCutcheon placed sixth, 15:48.31, Logan Harmon was 13th, 15:53.02, and Brock Sandry earned 15:56.82. The Wolfpack earned third as a team with 95 points, barely missing out on second place, which went to Billings Senior, 93. Bozeman won with 42.

Flathead’s Sylas Schutt placed eighth, 15:49.39.

» Click here for Class AA boys results.

» Click here for Class A boys results. 

Read next week’s Flathead Beacon for more coverage from the state cross country meet.