Ririe and Malad girls, Skyline boys, shine at another competitive Tiger-Grizz meet (updated)

Note: Story and photos have be updated.

IDAHO FALLS – Hundreds of the state’s top runners converged on Freeman Park Friday for the Tiger-Grizz Cross Country Invitational.

The early season race is usually a good gauge for area teams to check on teams they’ll be chasing at districts and eventually the state meet.

Last year, Ririe’s Lucy Boone said she was disappointed at finishing second at the Tiger-Grizz.

That didn’t slow her down on the way to finishing second at the 3A state championships and helping the Bulldogs claim a state team title last season.

Boone clocked 19:50.9 to win Friday’s race and has won all three races so far this season, all in under 20 minutes.

“I wanted to get better,” she said, noting her time of 19:08.7 at the Madison Dash two weeks ago. Last year she ran 20.09.9 at Tiger-Grizz.

Boone held off Bella Spencer of West Jefferson, who won Tiger-Grizz and the 2A state title in 2023. Paetyn Polatis of Snake River, who was third at last year’s 4A state meet, finished third.

It was Malad taking the team title with a slim 103 to 106 win over Ririe. Snake River and Sugar-Salem were right behind with 107 and 113 points, respectively.

Sugar-Salem sophomore Darrel Dickson said his goal was just to improve every race.

The Diggers swept the boys and girls 4A team state titles last year and he wants to be part of that success once again.

He won Friday’s Varsity B race by nearly 30 seconds over runner-up Boston Burbidge of Malad.

“Coming into the season I knew there was going to be a lot of competition because we have these really good senior boys and juniors … I’m really excited for state this year,” he said.

Sugar-Salem finished third on Saturday behind defending 3A state champion Rire and 3A runner-up Malad.

Dickson pulled away from Malad’s Boston Burbidge to win the boys Varsity B race.

Ririe won Friday’s boys team title with 89 points, topping Malad (95) and Sugar-Salem (106).

It was Raelee Richardson of Twin Falls winning the girls Varsity A (6A, 5A) race in 19:24.

Thunder Ridge’s Klarisa Earl held off Idaho Falls’ Jaycee Jensen to place sixth in the Varsity A race.

Timberline dominated the team standings, outpacing second-place Owyhee 50 to 133.

Thunder Ridge was fourth in the team standings and Highland was sixth.

Ethan Hansen of Century won the boys Varsity A race in 16:06.5, with teammate Ammon Bitton right behind in 16:10.9.

“Me and my teammate started to break off around right after the hills, at mile two we decided to put a little distance on the field,” Hansen said. “It’s a hard course,” he added. “Probably the hardest course we’ll do all year.”

Skyline, with Alexander Renna (8th), Davis Roberts (9th), William McCombs (16th), Kaleb Mickelsen (18th) and Desmond Swaner (19th) won the boys team title with 70 points.

Rigby finished second with 86 points and Highland was third with 109.