Cross country teams get state course preview

By ROBERT JAMES

Managing Editor

The boys and girls cross country teams got a preview of this year's state course last Thursday at the Lewiston Invitational.

Racers ran the same route they will run at state this year, coach Paul Bonnell said.

Casey Hampton made a bold move for the girls team and powered her way to fifth place at the race, finishing in 22:26.99. Hampton led the race at the mile-and-a-half mark and even though she dropped back a bit, she ran well, coach Paul Bonnell said.

"It was a good, tough race from her," he said, noting that Hampton was able to hold off Sandpoint's number two runner at the finish.

Teammate Melody Braden finished second in the race, continuing her excellent season. Braden beat Megan Bartlett of Sandpoint and finished just behind Angie Wayland of Post Falls, Bonnell said.

"Melody was as powerful as she has been this past several races," Bonnell said.

The girls team finished third at the meet, behind Sandpoint and Moscow.

The team was missing Mandy Sandaker, who ran the JV race after missing the meet last week. With her normal time, Bonnell believes the team would have finished second.

Besides Hampton and Braden, Bonnell thought Molly McClintock and Riley Boorman ran well as the Badgers' third- and fourth-place finishers.

McClintock passed several runners on the downhill portion of the course, Bonnell said.

For the boys, Ray Sayers finished an impressive 12th place, just five seconds out of the top 10, Bonnell said.

"I was really pleased with Ray's race," Bonnell said. "He's getting excited about state. He's been there before."

The boys team finished ninth, five points behind Priest River.

The team, however, was missing Ryan Winebark, who normally is the number two runner.

Winebark pulled out of the race with a leg injury. Bonnell isn't sure how serious it is, but said Winebark will ride the bike during practice this week to rest the injury a bit.

Tyler Craig, Dylan Sweeney and Jason Hurst helped pick up the slack, Bonnell said.

Craig finished 26th while Sweeney, a freshman, was 55th and Hurst finished just behind him in 56th place.

The race allowed the team to look at the state course. The course is a good fit for Bonners Ferry, Bonnell said.

"It's our kind of course," he said of the hilly, sandy trail.

This week the team goes to Moscow Saturday for the Moscow Invitational.