On a day that showcased the Flathead Valley’s running pedigree, Annie Hill ran herself into the record books.
The Glacier sophomore clocked the fastest three-mile time in Montana history and captured her second consecutive Class AA cross country state championship on Saturday in Great Falls.
Hill ran 16:30.71, surpassing the previous all-class state record of 16:33.20, set last year by Bigfork’s Makena Morley. Hill also took over the Class AA state record, which was held by Flathead’s Zoe Nelson, who ran 16:50 as a sophomore in 2002.
Hill crossed the finish line 45 seconds faster than last year, when she claimed her first state championship in 17:11.88.
Entering Saturday’s race, Hill was the 12th ranked runner in the nation. Her impressive time likely vaulted her up the ranks even further and puts her in position to vie for regional and national accolades.
Hill will compete at Nike Cross Northwest in Boise, Idaho on Nov. 14 before traveling to Walnut, California for the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships West Regional on Dec. 5. A year ago, Hill placed fourth at the Foot Locker regional race and finished eighth at Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego.
Flathead’s Kaitlin Wride placed sixth at state on Saturday, clocking 17:29.74.
The Bozeman girls, who placed three runners in the top 10, won their ninth straight team championship, scoring 52 points. Billings Senior was second with 68 and Missoula Sentinel was third with 69.
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Flathead’s Perrin Wins AA Title
In only his second cross country season, Jake Perrin achieved championship glory.
The Flathead senior followed in his older brother Zach’s fast footsteps and won his own Class AA state title, clocking a personal-best 14:47.
Perrin’s time was the fastest for a Class AA state champion since 1999, when Flathead’s David Vidal won in 14:42. The state record is 14:41 set by Jorn Grimsley of Billings Skyview in 1993.
Perrin held off Helena’s Aidan Reed, the reigning state champion who placed second in 14:57.
Perrin’s freshman brother, Ben, placed 17th, clocking 15:51. Zach Perrin was a state champion distance runner at Flathead who graduated in 2013 and now runs at the University of Colorado.
Glacier’s Logan Harmon placed seventh in 15:30.98.
The Bozeman boys, with four runners in the top eight, won their seventh straight team championship with a remarkable 33 points. That is tied for the eighth best team score in state history. Missoula Hellgate finished second with 61 points and Billings Senior was third, 106. Flathead placed fourth with 122 and Glacier was fifth, 127.
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Logan Morley Defends Boys Title
Logan Morley ran away with one more state championship medal.
The Bigfork senior earned his second consecutive Class B title, clocking 15:36.02 on Saturday in Great Falls.
Morley ended his illustrious prep cross country career with two titles as well as second-place and third-place medals from the state meet.
Morley held off Manhattan’s Leonard McComas, 15:43.
Jamie Good of Lincoln County placed 13th in 16:51. Teammate Brian Sturdevant was 16th, 16:57.
Manhattan won the team trophy with 33 points, putting four runners in the top seven. Broadwater was second with 123 and St. Labre Catholic was third, 133.
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Bryn Morley Captures Championship
Bryn Morley has officially stepped out of the shadow of her older sister Makena.
The Bigfork sophomore claimed the Class B girls state championship, running 17:26.15 to win by a minute and a half.
Morley, who placed second last year behind Makena’s all-class state record performance, also helped Bigfork claim the team trophy for the first time since 2002.
The Valkyries had four runners in the top 13 and tallied 63 points. Freshman Anya Young placed third in 19:07. Matty McAnally placed eighth, 19:50.91. Alicia Kalenak was 13th, 20:08.
Manhattan placed second with 88 points. Lincoln County was third with 161.
Tyann Totten of Lincoln County earned 14th, 20:09.
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Whitefish, Gray Place Second in Class A
Barrett Gray finished runner-up in the Class A girls race and helped Whitefish bring home a second-place trophy from the state meet in Great Falls.
The Whitefish senior clocked 19:15. Jaycie Schmalz of Hamilton won in 18:26.22. Whitefish’s Sara Perez placed 12th, 19:56.
The Lady Bulldogs earned 114 points to bring home the second-place trophy for the third year in a row.
Polson’s Ryan Harrop placed sixth, 19:36, and Malia Seeley earned 1oth, 19:55. Molly Sitter was 16th, 20:02. Polson earned fourth as a team with 156 points.
Hardin placed third as a team with 152 points.
In the Class A boys race, Sage Wanner of Columbia Falls placed sixth, 16:05. Cameron Miekle of Hamilton claimed the championship, 15:26.
Corvallis won the team trophy with 70 points. Fergus and Hardin tied for second with 104 points apiece.