And they’re off! Tiger-Grizz Invitational features the area’s top runners

EASTERN IDAHO – The Tiger-Grizz Invitational, the top early-season cross country meet in the state, is set for Friday at Freeman Park with the first race scheduled for 10 a.m.

Varsity races start at noon with 51 schools competing.

Here’s a look at who’s expected to challenge for the podium.

Some of the area’s top runners competed last week at the Cardinal Classic hosted by Soda Springs, with Century’s 1-2 punch of Ethan Hansen and Ammon Bitton leading the way, with Bitton winning the boys race and defending state champion Hansen right behind.

Rigby senior Jonas Porter finished third in the race, but holds the top time in the state after clocking 15:21.3 at the Centennial Course Invitational on Aug. 28. Hansen and Bitton are No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.

Darrel Dickson of Sugar-Salem, Davis Roberts of Skyline, and Owen Gregory of Blackfoot are all state medal contenders and rounded out the top six at the Centennial meet.

Girls to watch for include Klarisa Earl of Thunder Ridge, who ran 19:17.2 to win the Centennial Course race and finished sixth at Tiger-Grizz last season.

Century freshman Ivana Vasquez has the state’s No. 6 5A time after running 20:20.4 at the Madison Dash.

Paetyn Polatis of Snake River is fourth on the 4A performance list at 20:14.8 and won the Bee Invitational and the Terry Jones Invitational. She finished second at the Valley Invite.

Anna Uskoski, a freshman at Soda Springs, has broken 20 minutes in both races this year and clocked 19:35.0 at the Centennial Course Invite.

North Fremont sophomore Andrea Anderson won the Madison Dash 9-10th-grade race in 20:02.1 and is third on the 3A performance list, just ahead of West Jefferson standout and former state champion Bella Spencer, who finished second at last year’s Tiger-Grizz and went on to finish second at the state championships.

North Fremont’s Eliza Bingham adds to the Huskies’ depth and podium chances.

The Tiger-Grizz Invitational is also a chance for area teams to start fine-tuning for state-title runs.

Skyline is the returning 5A boys team champion and Idaho Falls is the returning 5A girls champion.

Sugar-Salem, a 4A powerhouse, returns as boys champion, and Malad comes off a 2025 season in which the boys and girls each won 3A state team titles.