Badgers blaze at Travers Park

October 12, 2016

Photos by Jack Wade Freshman Abigail Gorton and junior Jordan Young ran with each other for the entirety of the race. Together, they posted the second and third fastest times for the Lady Badgers since 2007, when Melody Braden ran a 19:51.

A cool, wet morning at Travers Park in Sandpoint led to fast times on Saturday in one of the last cross country races of the season. Three mostly flat one-mile loops around the park gave spectators great opportunity to watch many schools from across northern Idaho test the 3.1 mile course. “It was basically a track meet,” said Coach Tyler Warner. “Fast, left-hand turns, straightaways and such. It can be really difficult to stay awake in those races, you tend to get bored and fall asleep.” Badger Will Colson The upside, however, was a chance for a lot of personal and season best times. Bonners Ferry also got a chance to show off the new uniforms that arrived earlier in the week. The JV boys started the day for Bonners Ferry. Cameron Rae crossed the line first for the Badgers at 24:09, a more than two minute improvement from his time at Priest River the previous week. Will Colson finished next with a time of 25:54, followed by Brady Bateman at 26:13. Nathan Olsen rounded out Bonners Ferry finishers with a 26:14, just behind Bateman. After the JV races the rain lightened, giving some relief to the varsity races. The ladies toed the line to great success. Freshman Abigail Gorton and junior Jordan Young ran with each other for the entirety of the race, using teamwork to push each other and weave through the competition. Gorton took 10th overall with an impressive 20:02 and Young was 12th with a 20:06. Together, Young and Gorton posted the second and third fastest times for the Lady Badgers since 2007, when Melody Braden ran a 19:51. Both were also personal best times for the duo. Ada Bonnell finished third for Bonners Ferry with a personal best time of 22:49. Lauren Stidham finished in 25:39, a season best, followed by Elisabeth Cowley and Rayan Naylor who finished in 26:45 and 26:51 respectively, personal bests for both ladies. Finishing out the day for Bonners Ferry was the boys varsity team. Abigail’s brother Sam Gorton posted Bonners Ferry’s fastest time of the day, a personal best of 18:24. Late in the 18th minute of the race came a pack of three Badgers, led by senior Eric Ellis at 18:58, followed by Dawson Thomas at 18:59, and Austin Donn at 19:00. “That was probably the most fun part of the race to watch for us,” said Warner. “Watching three of our guys battling down the finishing stretch with each other and using that to blow past everyone in their way was awesome.” Ryne Rae crossed the line next in a career best 19:55, followed by Nick Magdaleno’s season best 20:15. Senior Alex Urbaniak posted a career best 23:06 to round out Badger runners. Out of 17 Badgers competing on Saturday 13 posted either a season best or personal best time at Travers Park. Bonners Ferry will next race at Kellogg on Thursday, October 13, at Pinehurst Golf Course. Races start at 3 p.m.