Justin time

Already All-State, Justin Morgan upped his cross country game a few notches this season and almost became Thompson Falls' first individual champion ever.

Repeating his All-State B performance from 2019, Morgan won second place individually in the boys State B portion of the Montana All-Class Meet in Kalispell Friday, finishing less than a second behind the winner during a driving snowstorm.

Although Morgan's stirring run to second was the highlight for the Blue Hawks at the Rebecca Farms-hosted State meet, Thompson Falls coach Sarah Naegeli was simply grateful that her team was able to make it through the unpredictable COVID-19 season of 2020 and appreciated the efforts made by each and every one of her athletes to reach this point. Even in the face of a historic winter event in October.

"This team had so many obstacles and changes thrown at them," she said mentioning masks, COVID, smoke, meet changes and quarantines, among other things. "They stepped up to each and every challenge, met them head on and overcame each one. Snow was a minor inconvenience after everything else we've been through, it didn't phase any of our runners."

Seven boys and five girls competed for the Hawks in Kalispell as both Falls teams placed ninth in team scoring. Naegeli was proud of all her charges but Morgan's was foremost in her mind. She said it was one of the most exciting cross country races she had ever watched.

A witness to many, many cross country races during her long career as both a competitor during her youth and as a coach during most of the rest of her life, Naegeli did not hold back in relating what she thought of Morgan's inspiring race. Morgan and Wolf Point's Zander Ackerman quickly pulled away from the pack and ran at their own very fast pace.

"Those two pulled

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into the lead, pushed each other the entire race and never backed off until they passed over the finish line," she said. "I am so proud of Justin's well-deserved finish to his high school career."

Ackerman held off Morgan by only 84/100ths of a second, winning in 17:16.85 while Morgan clocked out in 17:17.69.

Brooks McAfee (19:49.86), Cael Thilmony (20:25.84), Nathan Cottingham (22:06.55), Andy Koonce (22:06.63), Ben Croft (23:24.97) and Briar Palmer (23:25.41) rounded out the efforts by the Hawk boys in the 2020 State B meet.

With the Lady Hawks there was a collective sadness last week as the top runner on the team, senior Josey Neesvig, was sidelined sick with the disease we are all tired of talking about. A dedicated runner throughout her high school career, Neesvig was hoping to cap her splendid cross country career with an All-State B finish, but fate had other plans.

"I want it known that Josey gave every ounce of effort possible to make it to the state meet," Naegeli said. "Unfortunately, COVID took a toll on her and she just didn't have the time needed to recover. Her nomination for honorary all-conference by the other coaches speaks volumes to her work ethic and sportsmanship.

"She gives all that she has when she competes and it was heartbreaking for her, and for her teammates, to have her miss the chance to race her senior year."

In her sister's absence, freshman Hattie Neesvig led the Lady Hawks with a 32nd place finish in 23:37.90, followed by Ellie Baxter (24:05.50), Faith Palmer (25:33.94), Megan Baxter (25:34.72) and Roni Hanks (27:26.02).

As much as she watches the times and conditioning of her runners, Naegeli was seeming to be happiest about just having them all together again – minus Josey Neesvig of course – for the State meet in Kalispell. The team had been in quarantine for two weeks leading up to the meet.

"If anything, this team of runners has learned to appreciate every single opportunity to train and compete together," she said. "Coming back from two weeks of training in isolation made the last week of training a great time of team bonding, hard work and focus."

As for how her team performed, Naegeli said, "we had some great races and incredible finishes. Our four freshmen were confident and poised, our first-year state runners were focused, and our returning runners pulled the team together and inspired some great performances.

"The snow was deep enough that footing was horrible, and dry enough that it was akin to running in sand," she added. "Times were generally slow for all runners (by about 30-60 seconds), and still Roni Hanks and Megan Baxter ran season-best times and Ben Croft was seconds away from a personal record."