HELENA — The Bozeman girls and Kalispell Flathead boys walked way with team titles at the Capital City 7 of 7 Invitational cross country meet Thursday at the Bill Roberts Golf Course.
Butte High and Butte Central’s runners, though, had to leave two knowing the can do some good things on the course that will host the state meet on Oct. 20.
Butte High’s girls placed 13th in the 47-team field. The meet featured seven races with No. 1s running with No. 1, No. 2s racing No. 2s, etc. Coaches don’t have to enter a No. 1 runner. They typically position their top runners in a race that will best push and test their skills.
The Bulldogs and Maroons didn’t have a No. 1 runner Thursday.
Butte High’s Mariah Richardson placed 15th in the No. 2 race with a time of 20 minutes, 26 seconds in the 3-mile race. Haley Hodge posted the best Bulldog time, taking 13th in the No. 3 race in 20:21.
Bailee Hansen (20:37), Erika McLeod (21:19), Andie Hogan (21:36) and Jordan Duffy (20:55) also posted strong times for the Bulldogs, who race again next Thursday at the Bozeman Invitational.
Butte High’s boys placed 23 in the large meet. Butte Central’s boys placed 31st.
BC’s Conor McGee was the fastest runner from Butte, placing 10th in the No. 2 race in 16:32. Shannon Teample (17:40), Clay Stillwagon (20:13), Connor Larson (19:22), Jarett Larson (21:41) and Patric O’Harron (25:29) also ran for the Maroons, who are scheduled to race in Dillon on Saturday.
Nic Raiser led the Bulldogs, placing 15th in the No. 3 race in 17:13. Cooper Fisher (18:14), Kody Lane (18:12), Hunter Biegler (18:39) and Forrest Kultgen (18:43) posted solid times for the Bulldogs.