The Lady Hawk Cross Country runners prepare for their race at State, in Missoula on October 22nd. Note the snow line on the mountain in the background. (Photos courtesy Ashley Emmons)
The Broadus runners are pictured amongst the crowd of other runners just after the beginning of the State race in Missoula.
The Broadus Cross Country team competed at the State race in Missoula at the University of Montana golf course on Saturday, in the culminating race of the 2022 year. Running for the Lady Hawks were Seniors Rheanna Schroeder and Mercy Brost, Sophomores Alix Heacock and Rebekah Rasmussen, and Freshman Gracey Bradley.
Conditions for the race were similar to previous State races in Missoula, that is to say conditions were not blue bird weather. Rainy conditions prevailed for the race, with the snowline slowly dropping down the slopes Mount Sentinel, Mount Jumbo, and other surrounding peaks throughout the day, as winter conditions prevailed just a few hundred feet above the golf course.
Broadus Cross Country Coach Ashley Emmons told us that despite the rainy weather, race conditions weren't bad, as the wind was fairly calm and the temperature stayed warm enough that runners weren't chilled down.
The Lady Hawks placed 17th overall as a team in Class C. Runners from 29 different schools competed in the race. Manhattan Christian placed 1st as a team.
Rebekah Rasmussen led the Lady Hawks with a time of 25 minutes 25 seconds to finish the 3.1 mile race. This time earned Rasmussen a 49th place finish. Alix Heacock placed 68th overall with a 27:10, running her best time of the year and an overall personal record by over a minute. Rheanna Schroeder placed 91st with a 29:47, Gracey Bradley placed 97th with a 30:57, and Mercy Brost ran across the finish in 103rd place, with a 31:33.
Placing first overall in the Class C Girls race was Annie Kaul of Plentywood, who completed the race in 19:10.
With Mercy Brost and Rheanna Schroeder both running in their final seasons with the Lady Hawks, Emmons commented: "We will miss their leadership and positive influence on their teammates." Both runners ran three years for the XC team.
With a solid returning core of runners as well as the potential to recruit some 8th graders next season, Emmons is looking forward to next year. Ashley told us that she would like to start a AAU program or running club where kids of many ages could learn the joys of running, along with continuing to push for a high school boys program (as several high school boys are currently interested in the program), and a junior high team to ignite the passion for running at an earlier age. One option would be to take runners to the various road races around the area during the summer, as many towns in the area hold fun runs similar to the 4th of July Freedom Run in Broadus.
Ashley wanted to thank the Booster Club, as well as Barry and Marilyn Emmons for providing drinks and food for the team on their journey to Missoula. Ashley and team braved the weather coming back as they chased the storm across Montana on their way back East, arriving in the wee hours of the morning Sunday.
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