SMS cross country shines at Canfield Invite

HAYDEN — Bullpup cross country had a strong showing in their season-opening meet earlier this month.

Sandpoint Middle School claimed the boys junior varsity team title and captured second in the girls varsity and junior varsity races at the Canfield Invite on Sept. 16.

Runners competed on a 1.4-mile course located on the Avondale Golf Course in Hayden. Nine schools participated.

Athletes were split into varsity and JV races on both sides. Up to seven runners from each school ran in the varsity race and everyone else was in the JV race, just like a high school meet.

Izzy Waters led the way in the girls varsity race with a fifth-place finish. Elizabeth Storms was ninth, Bailey Majors 14th, Hannah Stiller 15th and Addison Oliver 26th.

The Bullpups were 31 points behind first-place Coeur d'Alene Charter.

"The girls were without two varsity runners due to illness and were still able to hang on to second," coach Jake Peterson said. "Waters ran a smart race, packed up with the leaders and had a nice kick down the stretch. Storms showed good speed in her first race ever and Majors and Stiller made the moves to secure a second-place team finish."

In the girls JV race, Siena Todd-Murray grabbed fifth, Piper Roark earned seventh, Hannah Ricks placed 15th, Abbi Francis secured 19th and Maicy Wittmann claimed 22nd to help the Bullpups finish runner-up to Coeur d'Alene Charter.

The boys didn't compete in the varsity race due to inexperience, but they dominated the JV race, finishing 11 points ahead of Coeur d'Alene Charter.

Roman Coscarelli, Jeru Gidley, Dawson Wood and Seth Grillo placed first, second, third and fourth respectively. Anthony Tallent took 21st, Evan Brubaker grabbed 24th and Jakeb Addison secured 26th to round out the top seven runners for SMS.

"Our top boys showed they can compete with top runners in the region and gained a ton of confidence," Peterson said.