Powder River Examiner -

Forty teams were on hand for the Lady Hawk Cross Country Team’s first competition of the year at the Billings Invite, held Friday, August 26th in Billings.

With 133 runners in the Girls Varsity race, and another 183 runners in Girls JV, competition was tough, and made more difficult by weather conditions.

Returning Cross Country Coach Ashley Emmons told us about the meet: “At first the weather was nice, but as the race progressed it started to get rainy and windy. With about a ½ mile left in the race, hail began to pour down.”

The race took place on a soccer field and had limited cover, so racers were scrambling for any protection they could find from the ice pelting down from above.

Rebekah Rasmussen was within site of the end when the storm hit. She battled through the hail to cross the finish line, but runners further back were not so lucky.

Emmons and Rheanna Shroeder both gained numerous bruises from the hail, which eventually passed and allowed the runners to finish, though the time clock had reportedly toppled over in the storm.

Rebekah Rasmussen finished with a time of 28:18.19 in the race, with teammate Rheanna Schroeder finishing in 29:52.69, for 128th and 130th place respectively.

Natalie Wood from Sweet Grass County placed first with a scorching 19:15.17 across the 5,000 meter course.

Joining Rasmussen and Schroeder on the team are Mercy Brost and Ciara McDowell, who plan to run in future races.

This Friday the team heads to the Hardin Invitational, which the team told us always seems to be a hot race in terms of temperature, and the forecast for Friday looks to be true to form, with an expected high of 90.