More than halfway into their 2024 fall season, the Dragon Cross Country team has put in the miles to really go somewhere this season.  The Malad high school team is composed of twenty-six racers, most of whom aren’t content to simply sign up for a sport for the social scene.  The tough sport demands commitment and dedication, and that is just what they athletes have given this season.

The team hosted their opening meet, the Terry Jones Invitational race on Thursday, August 29.  While it may have seemed chaotic for the MHS coaches to both administrate the race and mentor their runners in their first competition, the day was a clear success as many of the athletes set what has become a season or personal best that day.

The following week the team traveled to Soda Springs to compete in the Cardinal Classic Invitational run at the Kelly Park Nordic Ski Trails.  Going up against more than 30 teams and hundreds of racers, the Dragon XC athletes kept in the mix for both the womens and mens teams.

Signing up for an even larger race, the team competed at the Tiger/Grizz XC meet at Freeman Park in Idaho Falls on Friday, September 13.  In the Varsity B division, Aezlyn Summers placed an exciting 12th place out of 106 racers representing 16 teams.  Malad as a team placed 4th overall, an impressive feat for the young team.  Cally Colemna, now running for Grace after her family moved over the summer, won the women’s race with a new PR.  The Malad men’s team had multiple top 20 finishes, helping them secure a second place win at the meet.

The MHS cross country schedule packed two races in the following week on Thursday, September 19- the Pirate Challenge hosted by West Side and then Saturday, September 21- the Bear Lake Beach run between Malad and the host school.

At the Pirate Challenge, the Malad men’s team claimed first place, scooting past Pocatello by just one point with 44 points.  The women’s team trailed behind Soda Springs in second place with 81 points.

The Bear Lake Beach Race, a later addition to their schedule, proved to be a successful race as not only did both the men’s and women’s team place first, but several of the Malad runners set new personal bests on the course. 

The team had planned to participate in the Bob Firman Invitational Race in Boise on the planned State XC meet course but had to cancel due to changes of the MHS Dragon Homecoming week.  They will next compete at the Bob Conley run at the Portneuf Wellness Complex in Pocatello, Idaho on Thursday, October 3.

Pirate Challenge

West Side HS, Dayton, ID

Thu, Sep 19, 2024

Womens 5,000 Meters

Official Team Scores

1.  Soda Springs 33

2.  Malad 81

3.  Raft River 86

4.  Marsh Valley 110

5.  Shelley 111

6.  Pocatello 115

7.  West Side 169

8.  American Falls 243

Individual Results

7.  Aezlyn Summers 21:24.07

12.  Kaycee Venable 21:55.57

18.  Samantha Schrenk 22:28.10

24.  Ellie Angell 22:57.09

25.  Kallee Talbot 22:57.74

26.  Hadlee Summers 23:10.34

28.  Brielle Bastian 23:19.83

30.  Adi Schow 23:28.08

39.  Jenna Talbot 23:59.34

50.  Bella Burbidge 26:16.06

74.  Madelyn Shaw 28:53.06

Mens 5,000 Meters

Official Team Scores

1.  Malad 44

2.  Pocatello 45

3.  West Side 74

4.  Soda Springs 91

5.  Shelley 102

6.  Marsh Valley 170

7.  Raft River 201

8.  Sho-Ban 246

Individual Results

3.  Boston Burbidge 17:33.62

7.  Levi Angell 17:53.45

9.  Brycen Talbot 18:17.98

10.  Braun Nalder 18:23.10

15.  Carter Smith 18:33.88

24.  Brex Martinsen 18:51.12

38.  Dawson Beutler 19:17.35

41.  Jaxon Blaisdell 19:23.09

52.  Caden Jeppson 20:03.91

56.  Cameron Allen 20:17.14

59.  Trigger Jones 20:37.98

70.  Evan Colton 21:31.08

73.  Joshua Pickett 21:35.62

Bear Lake Beach Race

North Beach Road, Bear Lake, ID

Saturday, Sep 21, 2024

Womens 5,000 Meters

Official Team Scores

1.  Malad 22

2.  Bear Lake 35

Individual Results

1.  Aezlyn Summers 20:56.57

2.  Kaycee Venable 21:21.69

5.  Ellie Angell 21:42.10

6.  Samantha Schrenk 21:42.33

8.  Brielle Bastian 22:55.13

10.  Hadlee Summers 23:22.15

11.  Jenna Talbot 23:25.35

12.  Kallee Talbot 23:25.40

14.  Bella Burbidge 25:09.66

17.  Madelyn Shaw 27:07.66

Mens 5,000 Meters

Official Team Scores

1.  Malad 15

2.  Bear Lake 50

Individual Results

1.  Boston Burbidge 16:47.69

2.  Levi Angell 17:22.15

3.  Brycen Talbot 18:23.75

4.  Carter Smith 18:24.73

5.  Dawson Beutler 19:09.31

6.  Jaxon Blaisdell 19:09.43

7.  Cameron Allen 19:49.15

8.  Trigger Jones 19:53.02

11.  Braun Nalder 20:02.71

12.  Brex Martinsen 20:02.74

13.  Caden Jeppson 20:07.01

16.  Evan Colton 20:25.31