District titles secured, area runners prepare for the state championships

EASTERN IDAHO – There was plenty of cross country action this week as teams competed in district meets with berths to the upcoming state meet on the line.

Here’s a recap of the district races.

The state championships are Nov. 1 at LCSC Orchards in Lewiston.

6A District 4-5-6

Boys
Rigby’s Jonas Porter and Vincent Kisner finished 1-2 at the 6A District 4-5-6 meet, but it was Highland winning the team title, edging Rigby by three points.

The Rams placed all five runners in the top nine, led by Spencer Smith, who finished fourth.

Girls
Madison’s Millie Drake clocked a personal best of 18:43.6 to win the girls race. She was followed by Highland’s Makenzie Tucker, who also finished in a PR time of 18:54.8.

Highland and Thunder Ridge tied in the team standings with 45 points, but the Rams were declared the winner as their fifth-place runner beat the Titans’ fifth-place runner.

5A District 6

Boys
Defending state champion Skyline had a 1-2 finish as Alexander Renna and Davis Roberts helped lead the Grizzlies to an impressive win with 25 points.

Idaho Falls, last year’s state runner-up, was second with 71 points.

Skyline finished with five runners in the top 11.

Girls
Jaycee Jensen of Idaho Falls added to impressive resume with a district title in 19:4.7.

Teammate Eliza Peck was second in 19:42.6 to help lead the Tigers the team title with 40 points.

Skyline, led by Reagan Rhodes’ sixth place finish, was second with 52 points.

5A District 5

Boys
Century’s duo of Ammon Bitton and Ethan Hansen finished first and second, respectively, but it was Preston placing five runners in the top 10 to earn the team title with 31 points to the Diamondbacks’ 36.

Porter Campbell (third), Ryan Burnett (fourth), Alex Scott (sixth), McAllen Campbell (eighth) and Jonathan Cole (10) were Preston’s top finishers.

Girls
Preston won the team title with 26 points, led by Avery Fullmer’s third-place finish.

Individually, Pocatello’s Katie Boyle was the top finisher in 18:52.1 and Century’s Adyson DeClark placed second in 19:42.8.

4A District 6

Perennial power Sugar-Salem swept the boys and girls team titles.

On the boys side, Darrel Dickson clocked 16:30.33 to win the title, with South Fremont’s Beau Ashcraft finishing second in 17:03.90.

It was a close team finish as Sugar-Salem placed four runners in the top six and South Fremont had four runners in the top eight.

The Diggers had just enough for a five-point team win.

It was another close finish in the girls race as Sugar-Salem held off Teton 24-31.

The Diggers’ Janyja Jackson won the individual title, followed by Teton’s Crosby Kelly in 21:01.40.

4A District 5

Boys
Snake River’s Graham High and Matthew Bennett had a near photo finish as Graham finished in 16:45.11 and Bennett crossed in 16:45.56 to lead the Panthers to the team title.

Archer Clark was third for Bear Lake.

Snake River finished with 22 points.

Girls
Paetyn Polatis of Snake River had little trouble in the girls race, clocking 19:58.43 to outdistance teammate Savaya Christensen at 20:44.54.

The Panthers’ Brinlee Hadley was third as Snake River finished with 19 points to win the team title.

3A District 5

Boys
Malad’s Boston Burbidge won the individual title in 16:47.11 and helped lead the Dragons to a team title with 30 points.

Teammates Jace Nalder (third), Levi Angell (fourth) and Braun Nalder (eighth) all finished in the top 10.

Ethan Willis of West Side was second in 16:58.29.

Girls
Malad held off power Soda Springs for the team title with 27 points, but it was the Cardinals’ Ellie Wood taking home the individual title in 20:3951.

Malad placed five runners in the top eight.

3A District 6

The defending state champion Ririe boys and girls teams geared up for another title run by sweeping the district team titles.

The Bulldog boys finished with 26 points to hold off North Fremont, while the Ririe girls won comfortably with 27 points.

Lucy Boone just missed topping 19 minutes, winning in 19:00.1, with West Jefferson’s Bella Spencer taking second in 19:26.6.

North Fremont’s Eliza Bingham finished third.

In the boys race, Ririe’s Spencer Barney and Cody Baxter each finished with personal-best times of 16:50.4.

2A District 6

Boys
Leadore freshman Jace Jones won the district title with a personal-best time of 17:32.58.

Two other freshmen followed, with Parley Banks placing second and Logan Bragg of Alturas Prep taking third.

Girls
It was a close finish in the girls race as Leadore’s Azelynn Jones held off Butte County’s Lydia Babcock 20:28.18 to 20:30.95.

1A/2A District 5

Boys
Xavier Parrish and Iver Hendrickson of Rockland were the top two finishers, with Colt Coleman of Grace placing third.
Rockland won the team title with 19 points.

Girls
Sophomore Brilee Steidley of Rockland clocked 20:53.6 to win the individual title and Grace’s Lily Coleman was second in 21:16.8.