The results were impressive, but what stood out most was everything that happened along the way after a week of adjustments as the Capital City Area Classic was moved from Bill Roberts Golf Course to Centennial Park because of snow and cold weather over the weekend.
There were athletes supporting one another, breakthroughs that had taken months of dedication to achieve, seniors taking some of their final competitive strides, and teammates finding success together. There were individual victories, personal bests, season bests, and countless moments of encouragement shared along the course. Most of all, there were smiles.
This time of year carries a different feeling. Every race matters a little more because everyone knows the season is growing short. For some athletes, the meet represented another step toward the state championships. For others, it was one of the final opportunities to compete in a high school uniform. The emotions that come with those moments are part of what makes October cross country so special.
While the meet was smaller than many the Bengals have raced this season, Helena approached the day with the same mindset that has carried the program throughout the fall. Rather than simply going through the motions, athletes throughout the lineup embraced the opportunity to compete. The result was personal bests, season bests, individual championships, and team victories.
The accomplishments were made even more impressive by the circumstances surrounding them. The varsity girls rolled to the team title despite the absence of freshman Willa Sweeney, who had been Helena’s top finisher in every race this season and will return for next week’s state championships. Freshman McKenlee Young stepped forward to claim her first high school cross country victory, while senior Milo Kauffman successfully defended his Capital City Area Classic title and became a back-to-back champion. Throughout the lineup, Bengals responded to opportunities, delivered breakthrough performances, and helped power the team to one of the most memorable days of the season.
Varsity Girls
The Helena girls delivered a performance that showcased the depth that has made them one of the state’s strongest teams throughout the season. Despite competing without Sweeney, the Bengals captured the team title with just 21 points, placing five runners among the top eight finishers and seven runners among the top ten.
Young delivered one of the most exciting races of the day. Trailing Broadwater senior Kyla Meissner late in the race, the freshman unleashed a blistering 5:35 final mile and surged into the lead during the final quarter mile. Young crossed the finish line first in a personal-best 18:14, earning her first victory in a Bengal uniform.
Fellow freshman Clara Ostby continued her outstanding season by placing third in 18:46, giving Helena two underclassmen among the top three finishers.
Senior leadership proved equally important as Isabel Ward raced to a season-best 18:47 to finish fourth, while Kortney McKay followed in fifth with a season-best 19:14. Junior Izzy Lundstrom rounded out the scoring lineup in eighth place with a time of 19:29.
The Bengals’ depth continued beyond the scoring five. Senior Emmie Bermingham placed ninth in 19:30 with a season-best performance, and sophomore Mary Guzynski recorded a personal best of 19:32 in tenth. Together, Helena occupied seven of the top ten positions.
Perhaps most impressive was the team’s balance. The scoring five were separated by just 1:14 from the first runner to the fifth runner, helping Helena comfortably outdistance runner-up Jefferson, 21-59.
With Young’s breakthrough victory, strong performances by her teammates, and the return of Sweeney on the horizon, the Bengals left the meet with great momentum heading into state.
Varsity Boys
The Helena boys produced one of the most dominant performance possible, posting a perfect team score of 15 points while sweeping the top five positions.
Kauffman led the charge, successfully defending his Capital City Area Classic title by winning in 15:48. The victory set the tone for the Bengals’ impressive afternoon.
Fellow senior Joel Melton followed in second place in 15:58, while sophomores Emory Kreissler and Tristan Hill finished third and fourth in 16:09 and 16:17, respectively. Freshman Derek Bury, who fell early in the race, dusted himself off and completed the sweep with a fifth-place finish in 16:29.
The Bengals were not finished there. Junior Foster Warner added an eighth-place finish in a personal-best 16:54, and freshman Hank Coburn placed 14th in 17:50 despite a painful fall at the start as Helena put seven runners among the top 14 finishers.
The team’s scoring spread was an exceptional 41 seconds from first runner to fifth runner.
What made the performance especially impressive was the balance across the lineup. Seniors led from the front, sophomores provided strength in the middle of the race, and freshmen continued to emerge as important contributors.
The result was a perfect score, a top-five sweep, a repeat individual champion, and a confident statement one week before the state championships.
JV Girls
The Helena JV girls matched the varsity boys by posting a perfect score of 15 points while sweeping the first five finish positions.
Junior Harper Johnson led the way with a personal-best 19:40 to claim the individual title. Senior Mary Clement returned from illness and followed in second with a season-best 19:54, while senior Elisabeth Coburn finished third in a big season-best of 20:15. Freshman Haddie Dailey raced to a personal-best 20:16 for fourth place, and sophomore Ivy Kyle completed the perfect score by placing fifth in a season-best 20:53.
If the front of the race was impressive, the depth behind it was even more remarkable.
After sweeping the first five spots, Helena runners also occupied sixth through eleventh. Sophomore Wynona Schmidt finished sixth in 21:02, junior Alexa Pipinich placed seventh in a season-best 21:13, senior Aven Baker was eighth in a personal-best 21:53, freshman Mara Wirth finished ninth in a personal-best 21:56, sophomore Iris McClain ran a personal-best 21:57 for tenth, and junior Kenley Higgins added an 11th-place personal-best performance in 21:58.
The race featured a wave of personal-best and season-best performances throughout the lineup, highlighting the steady development occurring across the roster.
With eleven runners occupying the first eleven finishing positions and a scoring spread of just 1:13 from first to fifth runner, and 17 personal bests and 10 additional season bests by the Bengals, the JV girls delivered one of the day’s most dominant performances.
JV Boys
The Helena JV boys completed the Bengal sweep of team titles by capturing a convincing team victory with 23 points.
Junior Ander Svingen won the race in a season-best 17:10, while senior Dan Williams followed closely in second with a personal-best 17:14. Sophomore Milo Sealey finished fifth in a personal-best 17:43, senior Titus Wetzel added a season-best 17:47 for sixth place, and junior Graham Coleman completed the scoring lineup in ninth with a season-best 18:08.
The Bengals maintained a tight 58-second spread between their first and fifth runners, reflecting the same team-first mentality displayed throughout the program all season.
Helena’s depth was evident throughout the race. Junior Ben Blanksma finished 10th in 18:12, freshman Abraham Loveland ran a personal-best 18:13 for 11th, junior Reid Hayes recorded a personal-best 18:26 for 14th, freshman Grey Haladay added a personal-best 18:45 in 18th, junior Miles Seyler ran a personal-best 18:50 in 19th, freshman Drake Nelson finished 21st in 18:51, and junior Noah Flynn posted a personal-best 18:56 in 22nd as the Bengals continued to fill the results with strong performances.
The JV boys combined for a whopping 28 personal bests and an additional seven season bests.
Looking Back and Looking Ahead
The Capital City Area Classic was ultimately about much more than team scores and race victories. It was about freshmen discovering what they are capable of, seniors making the most of opportunities that are becoming increasingly precious, teammates pulling one another through difficult stretches of the course, and an entire program celebrating one another’s successes and contributions.
Perhaps the most enduring image from the day was the one that greeted runners all afternoon: teammates cheering loudly, athletes celebrating each other’s accomplishments, and big smiles waiting at the finish line.
Following the meet, the Bengals recognized the program’s 28 seniors, celebrating the contributions they have made to the program’s growth and success over the past four years.
As the Bengals turn their attention toward the state championships on Oct. 24 at Amend Park in Billings, the Capital City Area Classic served as a reminder of what has made this season special. Not simply the results, but the growth behind them. Not simply the victories, but the way they were earned.
State Team Selections
The following athletes have been selected to represent Helena at the MHSA State Cross Country Championships and will look to build upon a memorable season.
Girls
- Willa Sweeney
- McKenlee Young
- Clara Ostby
- Isabel Ward
- Kortney McKay
- Izzy Lundstrom
- Emmie Bermingham
- Mary Guzynski (alternate)
- Harper Johnson (alternate)
Boys
- Milo Kauffman
- Joel Melton
- Emory Kreissler
- Tristan Hill
- Derek Bury
- Foster Warner
- Ander Svingen
- Hank Coburn (alternate)
- Daniel Williams (alternate)