Priest River cross country impresses in Sandpoint
(Photo by DYLAN GREENE) Junior Annika Rantala races to a 14th place finish at the William Johnson Sandpoint Invitational on Saturday at Travers Park.
SANDPOINT — This Saturday at the William Johnson Sandpoint Invitational, the Priest River Lamanna girls cross country team showed they have a chance to do something they’ve never done before — win a league championship.
Junior Annika Rantala took home 14th and senior Sharnai Hogan grabbed 18th in the girls varsity race to lead the Spartans to a seventh place finish as a team. They finished only 10 points behind Bonners Ferry and 24 behind Timberlake.
Priest River cross country coach Lance Clark was impressed with what he saw given the tough competition at the meet.
“The girls could take home a first time ever league championship,” Clark wrote in an email. “This will take a team effort in which all the girls are willing to put their best foot forward at districts. I believe in them, they just need to believe in themselves. They will also need to be rested, present and healthy at districts for all this to happen.
Sophomores Erika Swoboda and Ainslee Nordby, senior Izzie Schmidt and freshman Jaylein Zylstra also competed for Priest River. Swoboda claimed 49th, Nordby secured 53rd, Schmidt took 56th and Zylstra placed 59th with a personal record.
On the boys varsity side, junior Graden Hanes led the way with a 49th place finish and freshman Ethan Korff crossed the line right behind him in 50th with a personal best.
Freshmen Dylan Lord and Edgil Williams claimed 56th and 60th respectively. Sophomore Bradley Bennett and freshmen Keith Magers and Charles Bennett took 61st, 62nd and 63rd.
“Our boys team is mostly new runners who are young and loaded with talent in which they are just finding out how to use,” Clark said. “I really believe they can show up to be a great team next year. I look forward to all of them getting their personal best at districts in a week.”
Priest River will compete in the 3A Region 1 district championships Thursday, Oct. 24 at Farragut State Park.
William Johnson Sandpoint Invitational
VARSITY GIRLS
PRIEST RIVER RESULTS — 14, Annika Rantala, 20:09.0. 19, Sharnai Hogan, 20:49.6. 49, Erika Swoboda, 23:58.3. 53, Ainslee Nordby, 24:53.4. 56, Izzie Schmidt, 25:05.5. 59, Jaylein Zylstra, 26:44.3.
VARSITY BOYS
PRIEST RIVER RESULTS — 49, Graden Hanes, 19:54.2. 50, Ethan Korff, 20:06.0. 56, Dylan Lord, 20:51.7. 60, Edgil Williams, 22:43.8. 61, Bradley Bennett, 23:14.2. 62, Keith Magers, 23:27.1. 63, Charles Bennett, 24:47.7.