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Boys 2nd, Girls 3rd on Spectacular Team Day at State Meet in Missoula

Kauffman, Hill, Hinderman, McKay, Ward All-State; First Time Both Teams Reach Podium in 40 Years

Complete Results

Photo Gallery

Vincent Van Gogh once said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” Saturday was a great day for Helena High cross country, and true to Van Gogh’s quote, that greatness was the result of many small steps along the way and many small things coming together at exactly the right time.

The Bengals’ double podium at the 2025 state meet in Missoula was the result of showing up with consistency since the start of summer training in June, running mile after mile and rep after rep with intention, committing to daily strength and mobility work, approaching competition with curiosity, and then, of course, culminating with the magic of seven runners in each race performing with poise and composure on the day it mattered most.

Helena’s boys collected second place for the second year in a row with three runners earning All-State medals and the girls returned to the podium for the first time since 2020 with a third-place finish and two runners claiming All-State honors. While the All-State finishers may get the headlines, the trophies were clearly the result of two complete teams of seven runners rising to the occasion on a beautiful autumn afternoon at the University of Montana Golf Course.

The double podium was Helena’s first since both teams claimed hardware in 1985. The boys were second and girls were third that year, as well.

Heading into the 2025 state meet, Helena’s boys appeared poised to earn a spot in the top three after a strong finish to the regular season, but with the nationally-ranked Bozeman Hawks as the clear favorite, it was unclear whether they would have an opportunity to tussle for the top spot, battle it out with Hellgate for second, or potentially fend off a challenge from Glacier for third.

As it turned out, Bozeman put things out of reach for the win early in the race and finished with 41 points, while Helena and Hellgate both left it all out on the course in a fierce battle for second.

The Bengals emerged as runners up with 85 points, thanks in large part to junior Milo Kauffman’s strong third-place finish in 15:54 behind Bozeman’s Miles Halvorsen and Taylor Neil, who crossed the finish line in 15:34 and 15:42. It was the third consecutive all-state finish for Kuaffman who was 10th in 2023 and fourth in 2024.

Commanding finishes by seniors Dylan Hill (16:21), Garrett Hinderman (16:22), and Ed Coleman (16:42, personal best) in 13th, 15th, and 25th, put the Bengals in strong position to secure second, and Emory Kreissler (16:47) posted the top finish by a freshman in the AA division in 29th to lock up the second step on the podium for Helena. Coleman’s effort was an outlier as he was the only runner in the top 30 with a personal best Saturday. Junior Joel Melton and sophomore Foster Warner were 36th and 56th for the Bengals in 16:54 and 17:25, respectively.

Hellgate posted 101 points in third, Glacier placed fourth with 143, and Flathead was fifth with 147.

The boys trophy was their third in a row after placing third in 2023 and second in 2024. But what made Saturday’s performance so impressive was that the Bengals managed to repeat their runner-up performance from a year ago with four new runners in the lineup after losing standouts Elliot Stimpson, Henry Sund, Eli Highness, and Jake Matthews to graduation.

The Bengal girls left the start with a focus on positioning themselves in a way that allowed them to be competitive with the top teams when the racing amped up in the second half of the race.

Early in the race, the Bengals intentions were clear as they positioned themselves well in the field of 110 AA runners, and they needed a big day to earn a spot among the state’s best teams. Bozeman entered the meet as a big favorite to win and many expected defending champion Gallatin be in strong position to claim second, while Helena, Glacier, and Billings West all had eyes fixed on third.

Bozeman won with 49 points and Gallatin raced to a confident second place finish with 63 points, the battle for third was fierce throughout between the Helena (88) and Glacier (99), and West placed fifth with 149.

Junior Kortney McKay, junior Isabel Ward, senior Kate Lee, and senior Cooper Judd set the pace for Helena in the early part of the race in 12th, 13th, 14th and, 19th after the first mile, while junior Mary Clement was 32nd, giving Helena 90 points in fourth place at that stage. Glacier had 85 in third – thanks in large part to the Wolfpack’s dominant 1-2 duo of Ada Thiel and Lauren Bissen toying with the top 5 runners in the field.

At two miles Glacier (84) widened its lead over Helena (92) to eight points as the Bengals’ top five remained in the same order in 11th, 14th, 18th, 20th, and 29th.

As the race continued, things appeared dire for Helena as Thiel and Bissen dominated the final mile and crossed the finish line first and second in 18:21 and 18:22 to give the Wolfpack a massive advantage, but McKay (19:16) and Ward (19:25) secured All-State finishes in 9th and 13th to give the Bengals a strong 1-2 punch, as well.

The battle for third, however, came down to the Bengals’ depth, which has been a strength all season. Judd moved up three places in the final mile to finish 17th in 19:46, Lee was 22nd in 19:57, and Clement, a consistent force for the Bengals all season, placed 29th in 20:04, which gave Helena 88 points and placed Helena’s top five runner’s ahead of Glacier’s third runner. That strength in depth locked up third place for the Bengals as the Wolfpack finished with 99 points.

Had anyone faltered among Helena’s top five runners, junior Emmie Bermingham and Wynona Schmidt provided even more depth in 34th and 37th place with times of 20:15 and 20:16, respectively. That meant all seven of Helena’s runners placed among the top third of the field, something only one other team – Gallatin – accomplished Saturday.

It was an exceptional race for the girls, who have move up the standings each of the past four years – 2022 (10th), 2023 (6th), 2024 (5th), 2025 (3rd). Demonstrating how well the girls raced, each runner improved upon their time from the same course they contested Sept. 20 at the Mountain West Classic. Collectively, the Bengals’ seven runners were 3 minutes, 35 seconds faster. Here’s a breakdown of how their state times compare to those from Mountain West.

  • McKay -7 seconds
  • Ward -29 seconds
  • Judd -59 seconds
  • Lee -30 seconds
  • Clement -39 seconds
  • Bermingham -43 seconds
  • Schmidt -26 seconds

That brings an end to the official season for Helena, but 56 of the Bengal runners will now turn their attention to the Nike Cross Regionals meet on Nov. 15 in Spokane, where they will go up against the top teams from seven states – Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Bengals Roll at Crosstown and Gather Momentum for State Meet on Oct. 25

Helena Varsity, Junior Varsity Sweep Team Titles

Complete Results

Photo Gallery

While it wasn’t the exact Crosstown cross country meet we all expected, the Helena Bengals adapted with calm and focus to set the stage for the state meet and close out the season for junior varsity runners Wednesday at Centannial Park.

After runners enjoyed sunny skies and green grass a week ago at Bill Roberts Golf Course, Mother Nature decided it was time for a “winterruption.” Much of Helena received between 4 and 5 inches of snow Sunday and Monday, which forced the Crosstown meet to move to the paved paths at Centennial.

And in fact, it was Crosstown+ this time around as Broadwater and Jefferson were invited to join the 5 kilometers of fun in the Capital City.

Helena swept the team titles in varsity and JV, while Helena junior Milo Kauffman captured the win in boys varsity competition, and sophomore Ander Svingen and freshman Ivy Kyle collected the boys and girls JV titles.

In boys competition, Kauffman guided Helena to a perfect score of 15 with a personal best of 15:18 as the Bengals finished 1-2-3-4-5. Next across the line for Helena were senior Garrett Hinderman (PR 15:59), junior Dylan Hill (season record 16:19), freshman Emory Kreissler (PR 16:30), and junior Joel Melton (PR 16:35). Senior Ed Coleman (17:08) and sophomore Foster Warner (PR 17:08) were Helena’s No. 6 and 7 runners in 8th and 9th. Those seven runners will represent the Bengals at the state meet.

Capital placed second with 55 points, while Broadwater (86) edged Jefferson (87) in a close battle for third.

In JV competition, Svingen completed the course in a PR 17:09 to win, while junior Titus Wetzel and senior Henry Sweeney finished second and third – both with PRs of 17:43. Svingen and Sweeney will travel to state as Helena’s alternates.

Also scoring in the JV race for the Helena boys were junior Dan Williams in fifth (PR 18:04) and sophomore Ravin Bury in sixth (PR 18:14), while sophomore Graham Coleman (PR 18:18) and freshman Milo Sealey (PR 18:21) were 7th and 8th.

Beyond those seven JV runners, another 18 Helena boys ran personal bests and four posted season records.

Helena’s JV boys won with 17 points and were followed by Capital (46), Jefferson (91), and Broadwater (103).

In girls competition, Townsend junior Kyla Meissner ran to a strong victory in 18:18, while Helena juniors Kortney McKay and Isabel Ward ran in lockstep throughout the race to finish second and third in personal bests of 18:55 and 18:58, respectively. Jefferson’s Piper Dawson broke up the Bengals’ top five by finishing fourth, but reaching the finish line in succession after her were senior Cooper Judd (5th, PR 19:25), senior Kate Lee (6th, PR 19:37), and junior Mary Clement (7th, PR 19:45). And fans didn’t have to wait long for Helena’s final two varsity runners to reach the line as junior Emmie Bermingham and freshman Wynona Schmidt closed the race in a kick to place 9th and 10th in PRs of 19:59 and 20:00, respectively.

The Bengals finished with 23 points, Capital was second with 62, Jefferson placed third with 79, and Broadwater was fourth with 81.

In JV girls competition, the Bengals were the only team with five scoring runners, as Helena finished 1-7. Freshman Ivy Kyle led the squad for the second consecutive race, this time with a personal best of 20:01, and she was followed closely by junior Ellie Coburn in second with a personal best of 20:03. Those two will represent the Bengals at the state meet as alternates.

Following Kyle and Coburn across the line were senior Emily Davidson in third (PR 20:18), sophomore Harper Johnson fourth (PR 20:57), freshman Mary Guzynski fifth (PR 21:05), sophomore Alexa Pipinich sixth (PR 21:08), and freshman Sadie Murray seventh (PR 21:27).

Like the boys, Helena’s girls witnessed a flood of PRs as another 13 Bengals PRed and six ran season bests.

The Bengals return to action with the state meet on Saturday, Oct. 25 at UM Golf Course in Missoula.

Boys Win 7 of 7; Girls 4th with Team’s 2nd Best Score in Team History

Ivy Kyle Claims Title to Guide JV Girls to 2nd; JV Boys 3rd

Complete Results

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Most of the top cross country runners in Montana convened at Helena’s Bill Roberts Golf Course on Thursday for the 20th Capital City 7 of 7, and the Helena High Bengals took advantage of running on their home course for the first time this season with some memorable efforts.

The meet uses a unique format, where seven competitors from each school are broken down based on how they rank on their respective teams – No. 1s vs. No. 1s and so on – and all seven runners count toward the team score with a perfect score (seven victories) adding up to a total of seven.

The Helena varsity boys defended their title and home turf in a team battle that came down to the final race, and after sophomore Foster Warner opened the upset bid with a win in the No. 7 race, junior Milo Kauffman sealed the victory with a strong second-place finish in the No. 1 race. All seven boys placed 3rd or better in their respective races.

In varsity girls competition, despite posting their second-lowest score in meet history, the Bengals finished fourth (29 points), just 6 points out of second in a tightly packed competition that saw Bozeman (19), Gallatin (23), and Glacier (25) claim the top three spots. Helena’s girls raced strong in all seven races with every runner finishing 6th or better. The only time the Bengals scored fewer than 29 points was the 18 they chalked up in 2020 when the race featured just 8 teams because of COVID. This year, the race featured 49 teams.

More on the varsity races later.

Standard scoring is used in JV competition, and the Helena girls got a huge lift from freshman Ivy Kyle who steadily moved to the front of the field and collected the victory in the de facto JV state meet as all 16 AA schools were present for the final time this season. Not only that, but Kyle shaved a whopping 28 seconds off her prior best to finish in 20:24 – six seconds clear of runner-up Colette Bucklin from North Toole County.

Kyle’s effort set the pace for a runner-up finish for the Bengals, who posted 53 points, just 16 behind winner Bozeman. Helena also had junior Elizabeth Coburn and freshman Mary Guzynski run personal bests in 6th and 8th place with times of 20:55 and 21:23, respectively. Sophomore Harper Johnson placed 17th in 22:01 and sophomore Alexa Pipinich was 27th in 22:13 to round out the team’s scoring. Freshman Sadie Murray ran a PR in 37th (22:45) and junior Aven Baker placed 61st (23:35) as Helena’s 6th and 7th runners.

There were many more highlights for the JV girls, including a bunch more personal and season records: sophomore Myle Dahlke (PR 23:46), junior Kumari Leland (SR 23:48), senior Emma Flinders (PR 24:00), sophomore Evelyn Harris (PR 25:25), freshman Iris McClain (PR 26:23), junior Kelia Gomes (SR 26:24), freshman Ellie Runnion (PR 27:35), junior Astoria Holzer (PR 27:40), and senior Anyah Douglas (SR 29:44). Junior Elsie Munson (29:11) and sophomore Jillian Oliver (29:40), meanwhile, completed their first races for the Bengals.

In JV boys competition, sophomore Ander Svingen led the way in 10th place with a time of 17:44 as the Bengals ran to third in the team standings with 116 points – trailing Bozeman (34) and Hellgate (105).

Also showing up in the Bengals scoring were senior Henry Sweeney (16th, SR 18:06), freshman Milo Sealey (27th, PR 18:35), sophomore Graham Coleman (30th, PR 18:39), and sophomore Apollo Althoff (33rd, PR 18:45). Running in the No. 6 and 7 spots for Helena were sophomore Ravin Bury (55th, 19:10) and junior Cole Harris (82nd, 19:38).

Like the girls, Helena’s JV boys had several additional athletes run season or personal records: freshman Trystan Hill (PR 19:42), sophomore Grayson Trum (PR 20:45), freshman Reiter McVie (PR 21:35), sophomore Kingston Downing (SR 22:19), sophomore Spruce Bacon (PR 22:22), junior Henry Coy (SR 22:30), junior Micah Langdji (PR 22:31), freshman Ben Cupino (PR 22:54), sophomore  Emmett Morrison (PR 23:30), freshman Gabriel Waits (PR 24:12), and freshman Tim Wilkins (PR 25:00).

Back to the varsity races.

As noted earlier, Warner got the Bengals off to the perfect start with a personal best of 17:11 to win the No. 7 race, which allowed them to take advantage of anything less than the best from their competition. While Bozeman was dominant in the No. 1-6 races, they finished 16th in the No. 7 race, which both Helena and Hellgate (3rd in the No. 7 race) took advantage of.

In the No. 6 race, Helena junior Joel Melton placed third in 17:18 behind runners from Bozeman and Hellgate in that order. In the No. 5 race, it again went Bozeman-Hellgate-Helena with Bengal senior Ed Coleman running 17:21 in third. Next up were the teams’ No. 4 runners, and this time, freshman Emory Kreissler placed second for the Bengals behind a Bozeman runner, and Hellgate’s harrier was fourth. The three teams returned to a familiar Bozeman-Hellgate-Helena routine in the No. 3 race with senior Dylan Hill running a season best 16:34 in third. And in the No. 2 race, it was again Bozeman-Hellgate-Helena with senior Garrett Hinderman this time placing third in 16:16.

What did that all mean with one final race remaining to settle the score? Helena and Hellgate entered the final race tied at 15 points, and Bozeman – the prerace favorite – trailed in third with 21. That meant Kauffman needed to beat Hellgate’s runner and finish within six places of Bozeman’s runner.

A confident Kauffman left no doubt and ran to second place in 15:39 to seal the victory for the Bengals, putting a stamp on an impressive day for the boys.

In girls action, the Bengals entered the meet knowing Bozeman was the favorite to win and that it would be a close competition with their rivals from Gallatin and Glacier – with those three teams separated by an estimated nine points on paper. And when the final scores were tallied, it finished even closer – six points separating second through fourth and just 10 separating the top four teams.

Senior Emily Davidson earned a shot in the No. 7 race after an impressive showing in Great Falls a week prior, and she didn’t disappoint with a gutsy performance from start to finish as she placed fourth in a season best of 21:03 – just 4 seconds off her PR. Senior Cooper Judd, might have pulled the biggest surprise with a massive effort in the No. 6 race, placing third by shaving 29 seconds off her lifetime best. Next up was junior Emmie Bermingham in the No. 5 race, and she too placed third and ran a personal best (20:41) to help build some space between the Bengals and the Glacier Wolfpack, which was needed knowing the team from up north had two of the state’s top three runners lining up in the top two races.

Junior Mary Clement was next up for the Bengals and like her teammates ran an exceptional race as the No. 4 runner, finishing just a tenth of a second shy of her personal best in sixth with a time of 20:29. In the No. 3 competition, senior Kate Lee moved up several places late in the race to finish third in 19:54 and edge Glacier’s Dacia Benkleman.

Going into the final two races, the scores were Gallatin 6, Bozeman 15, Helena 18, and Glacier 21.

The No. 2 race witnessed Glacier freshman Ada Thiel hold court with the victory, while Bozeman’s Kylie Neil placed second, Helena junior Isabel Ward finished fifth with a big final kick to get two late passes and earn a time of 20:00, and Gallatin’s Finley Samuels placed 12th. 

With one race left, Bozeman led with 17, Gallatin slipped to second with 18, Glacier moved up to third with 22, and Helena was fourth with 23.

And despite a valiant effort from Helena junior Kortney McKay who ran an excellent second half of the race to pick off competitors to her left and right, she finished an impressive sixth place as the Bengals finished fourth with 29 points. McKay crossed the line in 19:18 to post the top time for the Bengals.

Billings Central freshman Addie Kegel continued her season-long dominance with the win in 17:17, Bozeman’s Phoebe Maixner was second to lock up the victory for Bozeman (19), Glacier’s Lauren Bisson placed third to secure third for the Wolfpack (25), and Gallatin’s Lila Pritham finished fifth to help her team claim second with 23 points.

Next up for Helena is a return to Bill Roberts Golf Course on Wednesday, Oct. 15 in a Crosstown meet that will also feature competitors from Jefferson and Townsend.

Bengals Topple Records in Great Falls

Varsity Sweeps; JV Boys Win and Girls Place Third

Photo Gallery

Meet Results

The 5K at Anaconda Hills Golf Course in Great Falls is among the most challenging cross country courses in Montana, challenging runners with nonstop elevation change and 13 hairpin turns. The Helena Bengals, however, quieted the noise about difficulty and delivered an breathtaking performance Friday.

Junior Milo Kauffman set a course record to lead the Helena boys to a dominant victory and junior Kortney McKay posted the fastest time ever by a Bengal at Anaconda Hills to guide the girls to victory, despite the team toeing the line without three of its regular top 7 runners.

Kauffman seemingly accelerated with each turn and maintained his rhythm up and down the hills to steadily increase his advantage throughout the race, finishing in 16:08. That time eclipsed the previous record of 16:15 set in 2023 by former Great Falls Bison and current MSU Bobcat Ryan Harrington.

Anaconda Hills 5K Top 10 Boys
Milo Kauffman, Helena, 16:08 (2025)
R. Harrington, Gt. Falls, 16:15 (2023)
John Spinti, Great Falls, 16:18 (2023)
C. Steckelberg, Gallatin, 16:29 (2022)
Elliot Stimpson, Helena, 16:37 (2024)
Caleb Tomac, Havre, 16:37 (2023)
D. Hamilton, Bozeman, 16:41 (2017)
Chase Green, Sentinel, 16:48 (2021)
Henry Sund, Helena, 16:51 (2023)
Emerson Hamma, CMR, 16:52 (2025)		Anaconda Hills 5K Top 10 Girls
Camila Noe, Bozeman, 18:43 (2017)
Tiahna Vladic, Senior, 18:54 (2017)
E. DeGrandpre, Hellgate, 19:15 (2017)
Alex Moore, Bozeman, 19:35 (2017)
Terra Trom, Bozeman, 19:19 (2018)
Lindsey Paulson, Belt, 19:31 (2021)
Kortney McKay, Helena, 19:41 (2025)
Nat. Nicholas, Bozeman 19:50 (2020)
S. Damyanovich, CMR 19:57 (2025)
Malia Bradford, Sentinel 19:57 (2022)
* Since 2017 – Switched from 3M to 5K.

That wasn’t the only highlight for the Helena boys, whose five scoring runners placed 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 8th to finish with 21 points in their three-team grouping with Billings West (48 points) and Billings Skyview (61).

While Kauffman ran away with the victory, seniors Garrett Hinderman and Ed Colemen, and freshman Emory Kreissler did yeoman’s work in third, fourth and fifth, respectively, with times of 17:07, 17:11, and 19:19. And senior Dylan Hill, showing good progress on his way back from an injury interruption, was 8th in 17:36. Hinderman, Coleman, and Kreissler posted the 4th, 5th, and 7th fastest times ever by Bengals on the course.

Also running varsity for the Helena boys were junior Joel Melton (10th, 17:46), sophomore Foster Warner (13th, 18:02), junior Titus Wetzel (18th, 18:44), and sophomore Ander Svingen (19th, 18:44).

While KcKay spearheaded Helena’s effort on the girls side in a winning time of 19:41 – 7th all-time on the course, her supporting cast ran impressively in a competitive grouping featuring a strong and deep team from Billings West. The Bengals finished with 31 points, West was second with 39, CM Russell claimed third with 75, and Belgrade posted 98.

McKay was pushed to a big performance as she was trailed throughout the race by resilient CMR sophomore Stella Damyanovich, who finished second in 19:57.

Senior Kate Lee ran a patient race, working her way through the traffic and finishing fourth in 20:50, which ranks third all-time for Helena on the course. Next for the Bengals was junior Emmie Bermingham, who used a furious kick in the final downhill sprint to the finish to move into 8th place in 21:10. Bermingham ran much of the race alongside teammate and senior Cooper Judd, who finished 11th in 20:14, and senior Emily Davidson completed Helena’s scoring in 14th with a time of 21:28. Bermingham, Judd and Davidson posted the 5th, 8th, and 11th fastest times ever by Bengals on the course.

The team’s depth was present, too, as Helena’s next four runners crossed the finish line soon after Davidson with freshman Ivy Kyle 15th (21:30), freshman Mary Guzynski 17th (21:50), junior Ellie Coburn 19th (22:01), and sophomore Alexa Pipinich 21st (22:05, personal record).

Worth noting, both Helena teams came out on top in the combined scoring (all groups compiled), as well.

Anaconda Hills 5K HHS Top 10 Boys
Milo Kauffman, 16:08 (2025)
Elliot Stimpson, 16:37 (2024)
Henry Sund, 16:51 (2023)
Garrett Hinderman, 17:07 (2025)
Ed Coleman, 17:11 (2025)
Dylan Hill, 17:15 (2024)
Emory Kreissler, 17:19 (2025)
Jake Matthews, 17:29 (2023)
Henry Ballinger, 17:32 (2022)
Jonah Fisher, 17:42 (2018)		Anaconda Hills 5K HHS Top 10 Girls
Kortney McKay, 19:41 (2025)
Kylie Hartnett, 20:23 (2018)
Kate Lee, 20:50 (2025)
Bria Plant, 21:07 (2023)
Emmie Bermingham, 21:10 (2025)
Katelyn McKay, 21:12 (2017)
Claudia Downing, 21:12 (2017)
Cooper Judd, 21:14 (2025)
Katlyn McKay, 21:16 (2018)
Alyssa Plant, 21:22 (2017)
* Since 2017 – Switched from 3M to 5K.

In JV competition, the Helena boys won a close race with 46 points, edging Capital (53), which lined up with the bulk of its varsity team – highlighting how strong the Bengals raced.

Senior Henry Sweeney led the way for Helena in 4th place with a time of 18:40, while junior Dan Williams (7th, 19:06), sophomore Graham Coleman (10th, 19:19), sophomore Apollo Althoff (12th, 19:26), and sophomore Ravin Bury (13th, 19:26) placed the Bengals five scoring runners in the top 15.

Four additional Bengals earned a place in the top 50 – junior Cole Harris in 33rd, freshman Tristan Hill in 40th, senior Enoch Johnson in 43rd, and sophomore Sean Carney in 47th – and junior Micah Langdji (23:47) and freshman Gabriel Waits (24:53) posted personal bests.

On the girls side, freshman Sadie Murray had the task of leading the team for the first time and did it with aplomb, running to fifth place in 23:30. Her consistent and determined effort guided the Bengals (77 points) to third place behind varsity groups from Capital (42) and Harlem (44).

Also scoring for Helena were junior Aven Baker 12th in 24:03, junior Kumari Leland 15th in 24:15, senior Emma Flinders 24th in 24:53 and senior Wren Clum 26th in 25:03. Also placing among the top 50 were junior Ellie Zipfel in 37th, sophomore Myla Dahlke in 44th, and sophomore Evelyn Harris in 50th, while freshman Iris McClain posted a personal best of 26:43 and junior Kelia Gomes ran a season best of 26:44.

Helena returns to action Thursday, Oct. 9 with its first home meet, hosting the Capital City 7 of 7 at Bill Roberts Golf Course. The meet features a unique format for varsity, with each team’s top seven runners facing off in seven separate races. JV competition starts the meet at noon. Click here for more information.

Bengals Place Among Top 2 in All Four Races at Butte Invitational

Kauffman Collects Win to Guide Boys to Victory; Junior Varsity Girls Flirt With Perfect Score

Complete Results

Photo Gallery

Just five days after turning in a strong performance at the Mountain West Classic, Helena High was back to racing just five days later at the Butte Invitational and put together a string of stellar results on tired legs and in hot fall weather made more intense by sunny skies in Mining City’s elevated location.

The schedule opened with the junior varsity girls competition and the Bengals worked their way to the front of the pack early in the race before finishing first, second, third, fifth, and sixth to post a score of 17 points, just two shy of perfection. Hellgate was second with 82 and Gallatin finished third with 87.

Junior Emmie Bermingham, freshman Ivy Kyle, and junior Ellie Bermingham led through the midway point in the race and held off the competition to finish in that order atop the standings, separated by just 11 seconds. Bermingham won in 21:00, Kyle was second in 21:03, and Coburn was third in 21:11.

Meanwhile, senior Emily Davidson ran to fifth place with a time of 21:31 and freshman Mary Guzynski continued her impressive rookie campaign with the Bengals by moving past multiple runners in the final mile to place sixth in 21:45. Helena’s spread was just 45 seconds from its first through fifth runners.

Sophomores Harper Johnson and Alexa Pipinich were next across the line to put Helena’s top 7 in the top 15 overall as they placed 14th in 22:14 and 15th in 22:18, respectively. Freshman Sadie Murray (33rd, 23:12) also garnered a spot in the top 50.

Helena’s junior varsity boys toed the line next and sophomore Foster Warner led the charge with a personal best run of 17:48 to guide the team to second with 50 points, just 11 behind Glacier’s 39.

Junior Titus Wetzel ran another strong race from start to finish to place sixth in 18:24, senior Henry Sweeney ran strong in eighth place with a time of 18:26, and sophomore Dan Williams crossed the finish in 18:33 to place 11th, giving the Bengals four runners in the top 15. The trio of freshman Milo Sealey (24th, 18:55), sophomore Graham Coleman (25th, 18:56), and sophomore Apollo Althoff (26th, 18:56) were Helena’s 5-7 runners and worked together to help one-another work their way up the standings throughout the race. Sophomore Ravin Bury (29th, 19:12) also claimed a spot in the top 50.

After the junior varsity teams set the tone, Helena’s varsity squads kept the good vibes rolling as the girls placed second, just six points behind defending state runner-up Gallatin, and the boys finished first.

The girls were led by the reliable trio of junior Kortney McKay, senior Kate Lee, and junior Isabel Ward, who showed great grit and resolve near the front of the pack.

McKay, who has led the Bengals in their first four meets this season, ran a strong final mile and pushed hard to the finish to place fourth in 19:12 behind Glacier freshman Ada Thiel (18:51), Bozeman junior Tula Higman (18:54), and Flathead sophomore Everett Holland (19:12). Just a little further up the field, Kate Lee (19:51) and Isabel Ward (19:52) placed 11th and 12th to put three Bengals in the top 15. For Lee, her time was a 10th of a second off her PR.

Junior Mary Clement, meanwhile, again demonstrated awesome growth as a competitor as she moved up four spots in the second half of the race, running her second fastest career time of 20:29.6 – just 0.7 seconds shy of a PR – to finish 18th as Helena’s fourth runner for the third time in 2025. Freshman Wynona Schmidt, meanwhile, continued her patient rise and ran a personal best of 20:37 in 21st, while senior Cooper Judd reeled in three competitors in the second half of the race to finish 23rd in a personal best of 20:43.

The Bengals finished with 65 points, trailing only Gallatin’s 59 and ahead of West’s 106.

The day finished with a double win for the Bengals as junior Milo Kauffman threw down an aggressive charge through the second mile to break open a close race with Billings West senior Kye McAbee. Kuaffman ran away with the individual victory in 15:41 – more than 30 seconds ahead of second place.

That effort gave the Bengals the low stick it needed as freshman Emory Kreissler again backed Kauffman’s finish with a stellar eighth place in a personal best of 16:30, senior Garrett Hinderman coming back from illness battled to 14th place finish in 16:47, senior Ed Coleman placed 23rd in 17:07, and junior Dylan Hill debuted after overcoming injury with a time of 17:12 in 26th.

That group of five Bengals scored 70, leading Hellgate’s 93 and Flathead’s 119 in second and third.

Helena’s sixth and seventh runners also placed in the top 50 with junior Joel Melton 41st in 17:33 and sophomore Ander Svingen 48th in 17:44.

Additional Highlights

While the focus for the team is pursuing excellence by giving one’s best, exercising curiosity by taking calculated risks and exhibiting bravery, and demonstrating love and unity, the byproduct of doing that consistently is often a personal or season best, and the Bengals experienced several of those Saturday.  A whopping 13 additional boys ran personal bests in Butte to match the feats of Warner and Kreissler. Other personal bests Thursday included efforts by freshman Tristan Hill (19:56), sophomore Sean Carney (20:00), freshman Zephyr Gomes (20:26), freshman Levi Johnson (21:26), freshman Tre Phipps (21:39), freshman Reiter McVie (22:46), freshman Ben Cupino (23:05), junior Micah Langdji (23:49), freshman Emmett Morrison (23:55), freshman Gabriel Waits (25:07), freshman Tim Wilkins (25:33), and sophomore Santiago Arguelles (28:57). Helena juniors Asher Hazen (20:45) and Dane Moser (20:58) ran season bests. In addition to Schmidt and Judd posting PRs for the girls, sophomore Alexa Pipinich (22:18) and junior Quincey Higgins (26:57) also raised the bar. Running season bests for the Bengal girls in addition to Lee and Clement were juniors Esme Soller (26:02) and Kelia Gomes (27:00).

Next Up

While the Bengals had a quick turnaround this past week with just five days between meets, they get eight days to recharge and prepare for the next opportunity on their schedule – the Great Falls Invitational on Friday, Oct. 3 at Anaconda Hills Golf Course.

Girls Varsity and JV 3rd at Mountain West Classic; Kauffman leads boys

Complete Meet Results
Photo Gallery

Helena’s varsity and junior varsity girls finished third, junior Milo Kauffman posted a top-5 finish, and junior Kortney McKay placed herself in the top 15 in the largest Mountain West Classic field in history Saturday in Missoula under sunny blue skies.

Kauffman employed more conservative tactics than usual early in the varsity boys competition and the adjustment paid off in a race that featured 590 finishers. He moved up the field throughout the 15 minutes, 40.51 seconds it took him to navigate 5 kilometers, and he was less than 2 seconds out of third place at the finish.

The boys were without three of their top 7 runners but still managed to place 15th out of 79 complete teams. Freshman Emory Kreissler ran a stellar race in his first Mountain West appearance, placing 49th in 16:45, junior Joel Melton was the Bengals’ No. 3 finisher in 113th with a time of 17:23, sophomore Ander Svingen was 151st in 17:43, and sophomore Foster Warner placed 199th in 18:10.

Mead of Spokane won the meet with 110 points, followed by Bozeman (111) and Cheney, another Washington team, placed third (272). The Bengals finished with 493 points.

While Kauffman posted the top individual performance for the Bengals, Helena’s girls ran strong collectively at both competitive levels to finish among the top 3.

McKay led the varsity squad to third by steadily moving through the pack to finish 13th in 19:23. She was 26th after 1 mile and 19th after 2 miles, demonstrating good patience and resolve in a field that featured 486 finishers.

Junior Isa Ward ran another strong race start-to-finish, positioning herself well in the early stages, then picking up a few spots to come home in 34th – 23 positions higher than a year ago – in a time of 19:54. Behind her was senior Kate Lee in 20:27, while freshman Wynona Schmidt and Mary Clement were the other big movers for the Bengals in 66th and 67th place, respectively.

After 1 mile, Schmidt was 106th and Clement found herself in 87th. A mile later, Schmidt found her teammate in the herd of runners and led them through the 2-mile mark in 78th and 79th place, before the duo each chipped away 12 more places before they crossed the finish line in 20:42 – a personal record for Schmidt – and 20:43.

Junior Emmie Bermingham finished next for the Bengals in 91st place (20:58) and junior Ellie Coburn was the seventh runner in 136th (21:33).

Bozeman claimed the top team spot with 67 points, followed by Gallatin with 163 and Helena with 220 – 16 points ahead of Mead and a big leap forward a year after the Bengals finished eighth at the meet. Montana teams flexed their muscles at Mountain West as West and Glacier finished fifth and sixth to put five teams in the top 6.

In JV competition, the Helena girls again demonstrated the team’s depth, as the Bengals placed third – just 4 points out of second, despite competing without three regular top 7 runners.

Senior Cooper Judd was the tip of the spear in 6th place with a personal best of 20:45, and freshman up-and-comer Ivy Kyle wasn’t too far back in 8th place with a personal best of 20:52.

Reliable senior Emily Davidson, meanwhile, crossed the finish line in 12th place (21:18), sophomore Harper Johnson scored for the third time in three meets in 24th (21:54), and junior Aven Baker was among the five scoring runners for the first time in her Bengal career in 91st with a season best of 23:35. Juniors Kumari Leland (112th, 23:57) and Ellie Zipfel (113th, 24:00) were Helena’s sixth and seventh finishers, both running season bests.

Freshman Iris McClain, however, had the most notable day as she was taken off her feet by a panicked deer on the course a little past 1 mile into the race, but she brushed it off and quickly got back to her feet, and still ran a personal best time of 27:03.

The girls notably placed 10 runners in the top third of the 478-runner field.

Back to the boys action, Helena’s JV contingent placed fifth and were guided in their quest by senior Henry Sweeney who chalked up a season best of 18:14 in 22nd place, while first-year runner and junior Titus Wetzel continued his strong start in 26th with a time of 18:24.

Junior Daniel Williams was next across the line for the Bengals in 38th (18:38), freshman Milo Sealey placed 42nd in 18:45, and sophomore Apollo Althoff continued his momentum in the fifth scoring spot with a time of 18:55 in 49th. Helena’s sixth and seventh runners were sophomore Graham Coleman (58th, 19:03) and senior Enoch Johnson (106th, 19:40).

The JV boys placed 11 runners among the top third of the 652-runner field.

Helena has a quick turnaround before its next meet as it heads south Thursday for the Butte Invitational.

McKay, Ward, Lee Guide Helena Girls to Third; Bengal Boys Finish Fifth

JV Girls Claim 2nd and JV Boys Finish 3rd

Complete Results

Meet Photos

Facing 15 of the 16 teams from Class AA, plus an additional 25 teams from Montana and Wyoming, the Bengals built on momentum and had a strong all-around showing in stunning September weather Saturday at the Bozeman XC Invitational.

Helena’s JV girls posted the top team finish in second, the varsity girls placed third in a field that will likely come together to stage a close battle for a place on the podium later this season, the JV boys also collected third, and the varsity boys finished fifth on a speedy day at Bridger Creek Golf Course.

The varsity girls race witnessed the first sub-18 finish since 2018, and it was another runner from the Magic City as Billings Central freshman Addison Kegel stormed to a winning time of 17:31. The last girl to run faster than 18 minutes at the meet was Billings Senior’s Tiahna Vladic in 2018 (17:44).

While Kegel was an outlier Saturday, Glacier packed a strong 1-2 punch with junior Lauren Bissen and freshman Addie Thiel placed second and third in 18:02 and 18:19 – times that would win in most years. Junior Kortney McKay, meanwhile, ran another strong race in her first season of cross country to spearhead the Bengals’ attack with a time of 19:07 in ninth place. That effort, combined with top 25 finishes from junior Isabel Ward (17th, season best 19:45) and senior Kate Lee (25th, season best 23:03), and strong performances by junior Mary Clement (50th, 20:47) and freshman Wynona Schmidt in her varsity debut (63rd, 20:58), propelled the Bengals to third place with 155 points.

Bozeman won going away with 51 points, Gallatin was second with 119, Kelly Walsh (Casper, Wyo.) placed fourth with 168, and Glacier claimed fifth with 171.

Also running strong for Helena’s varsity girls were junior Ellie Coburn (66th, season best 21:00), freshman Ivy Kyle (67th, personal best 21:02), senior Emily Davidson (71st, season best 21:09), and junior Emmie Bermingham (77th, 21:22).

In girls JV action, the Bengals again wowed with a runner-up finish behind a potent scoring five. Senior Cooper Judd hit the gas early and kept up the pressure throughout as she ran a season best 21:20 to place third and lead three Bengals into the top 10.

Not too far behind Judd was freshman Mary Guzynski in a big personal best of 21:41 to place 8th, and sophomore Harper Johnson closed out confidently in a substantial personal best of 21:45 in 9th. Also scoring were sophomore Alexa Pipinich in a personal best of 22:26 in 20th and freshman Sadie Murray in 35th (22:56). Seniors Wren Clum and Emma Flinders were Helena’s sixth and seventh across the line in 42nd (23:22) and 62nd (24:00), respectively.

Bozeman claimed the JV girls title with 31 points, the Bengals posted 61, and Billings Senior was third with 138.

In boys competition, Helena was fifth overall with 177 points, but the Bengals were fourth among Montana AA teams. Bozeman locked down first with an impressive 45 points, Sheridan, Wyo. was second with 109, Hellgate claimed third with 120, and Glacier finished fourth with 168.

Leading the way once again for Helena was junior Milo Kauffman, posting a season best of 15:39 to place 11th. Senior Garrett Hinderman ran his second fastest time (16:16) for the Bengals to earn a spot in the top 25 at 22nd.

Also scoring for the Bengals were freshman Emory Kreissler in 30th (16:38) – holding down the Bengals’ No. 3 position for the second time, senior Ed Coleman placing 45th in a personal best 16:45 in his season opener, and sophomore Ander Svingen running a personal best 17:25 in 81st.

Like the girls, the Helena boys ran nine in varsity competition as the meet allows more than the customary seven, and the remaining Bengals across the line were junior Joel Melton (109th, 17:48), sophomore Foster Warner (114th, 17:54), junior Titus Wetzel (123, 18:02), and junior Daniel Williams (140th, 18:13).

The JV boys, meanwhile, collected their second straight third-place finish, but this time they were led by sophomore Ravin Bury, who posted a big season best to finish 9th in 18:27. Freshman Milo Sealey, again, was the Bengals’ second finisher in JV with a 16th-place finish in 18:48, sophomore Apollo Althoff was 17th in a personal best 18:52, and senior Henry Sweeney was the Bengals’ fourth top-25 finisher in 18:58 – his season-opener. Also scoring for Helena was sophomore Graham Coleman in 19:38.

Helena’s No. 6 and 7 runners across the line were freshman Evan Kaiser in 63rd with a personal best of 20:17 and junior Cole Harris 65th in 20:20.

The Bozeman Invitational was a step up in competition from the season-opener in Kalispell, but next up for the Bengals is the always amazing Mountain West Classic in Missoula, which will also serve as a preview of the state course. More than 120 teams will feature runners in a meet that welcomes programs from Montana, Idaho and Washington.

Racing begins with JV girls at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at UM Golf Course.

Bengals Open Season Strong at Flathead Invitational

STORY AND LINKS TO PHOTOS AND RESULTS BELOW THE GALLERY

Meet Results

Meet Photos

Helena High cross country opened its season in strong form Friday at the Flathead Invitational on the 5K course at Rebecca Farm, led by standout performances in varsity and junior varsity competition.

While Helena’s performances wowed onlookers, it was the team spirit, attitude, and collective effort across the board that made it a day to remember in northwestern Montana. The Bengals have been working hard for several weeks in preparation for the season, and they demonstrated incredible growth, strength, and resolve in their first opportunity to compete.

The varsity boys toed the line first with an 11 a.m. start time, and junior Milo Kauffman went out hard with the leaders while senior teammate Garrett Hinderman opted to bide his time a little further back in the pack. Both Bengals earned top 10 finishes. Kauffman placed sixth in a solid season-opener of 15:46 and Hinderman was eighth with a personal best of 16:01.

Those finishes helped the varsity boys lock up third place with 137 points, trailing Bozeman with 45 and Hellgate with 105. Glacier senior Owen Thiel took home top individual honors in 15:06, and he was followed by Bozeman’s Miles Halvorsen (15:07) and Taylor Neil (15:12) in second and third.

Helena’s third runner across the line was a new face as freshman Emory Kreissler placed 32nd in 16:47. Junior Joel Melton and sophomore Ander Svingen registered scoring finishes for Helena in 43rd and 48th respectively, stopping the clock with PRs of 17:21 and 17:28, respectively. Also running varsity for the Bengals were sophomore Foster Warner (17:53 PR, 62nd) and junior Dan Williams (18:31, 85th).

The varsity girls were next up as the temps kept rising, and the Bengals put together an excellent effort to finish second behind reigning state champion Bozeman. The Hawks finished with 47 points, Helena registered 91, and Glacier was third with 114 on its home course.

Junior Kortney McKay, running in her first cross country race for the Bengals, showed great courage in the lead pack and remained focused throughout the race to lock down fifth place in a PR of 19:04 – the fastest time run by a Bengal since 2021. Helena junior Isabel Ward finished 13th for the Bengals in 20:11, senior Kate Lee was 14th in 20:12, and junior Mary Clement gave the Bengals a fourth runner in the top 25 with a finish of 20:42 in 25th.

But that wasn’t it for the Bengals, whose final scoring runner was Ellie Coburn in 34th with a time of 21:17. Behind her were senior Emily Davidson (21:20, 37th) and freshman Ivy Kyle (21:23 PR, 40th).

Helena’s top five runners posted an average finishing time of 20:17, which was 51 seconds faster than the team’s average from 2024 and 1:08 faster than 2023, demonstrating the Bengals’ impressive collective growth over the past two seasons.

Glacier’s Lauren Bissen and Addie Thiel took the top two spots overall in 18:12 and 18:22, while Bozeman’s Kylie Neil guided the Hawks in third with a time of 18:25.

Not to be outdone by their varsity teammates, Helena’s JV girls started at high noon and placed a whopping 5 runners in the top 11 to secure a big win with 34 points. Glacier was second with 61 and Hellgate was third with 73.

Junior Emmie Bermingham ran a signature gutsy and courageous race near the front. For more than ¾ of the race, it appeared as though she and several others were simply battling for second place as Bozeman’s Neva Halverson enjoyed a comfortable lead.

But with about 800 meters remaining, Helena freshman Wynona Schmidt and Bozeman’s Elizabeth Becker moved past Bermingham in hot pursuit of Halverson. As Schmidt continued her pursuit and pulled away from Becker, Bermingham found an even faster gear to chase down all three runners ahead of her to sneak past Halverson and Schmidt at the finish. Bermingham won in 20:48.3, Halverson was second in 20:48.7, and Schmidt placed third in 20:48.9 PR.

Next up for the Bengals were sophomore Harper Johnson (22:08 PR, 9th), freshman Mary Guzynski (22:08 PR, 10th), and senior Cooper Judd (22:11, 11th). Helena’s next three runners all placed in the top 25 – sophomore Alexa Pipinich (22:38 PR, 16th), freshman Sadie Murray (22:52 PR, 17th), and junior Aven Baker (23:37, 25th).

Also finishing for the Bengals in the JV race were senior Wren Clum (24:33), senior Emma Flinders (24:36 PR), sophomore Myla Dahlke (25:06), junior Kumari Leland (25:31), sophomore Evelyn Harris (26:16 PR), junior Esme Soller (27:43), sophomore Eisley Bushilla (27:56), sophomore Mei Boedecker (28:07), freshmen Iris McLain (28:13 PR), freshman Lunabelle Cleveland (28:17 PR), junior Ava Irey (28:47), junior Maren Fox (28:54), junior Astoria Holzer (28:59), sophomore Erin McNeil (29:52 PR), senior Tessa Coil (30:31), senior Anyah Douglas (30:34), freshman Brigitt Bryce (30:51), and junior Katie Hill (31:17).

Hellgate ran away with the win in the boys JV race with 51 points, while Great Falls was second with 90, but Helena posted a solid effort to beat Flathead in a tiebreaker for third place with 117 points each.

Junior Titus Wetzel, who joined the cross country team just recently, led the Bengals in the race in 11th place with a time of 18:34, while freshman Milo Sealey (18:43 PR, 17th), Graham Coleman (18:54 PR, 19th), sophomore Apollo Althoff (19:29, 34th) and junior Will Kreissler (19:31, 37th) rounded out the team’s five scorers. And it was junior Cole Harris in 42nd place with a PR of 19:37 that broke the tie in Helena’s favor.

Also finishing for the Bengals in the JV race were senior Enoch Johnson (20:03), freshman Trystan Hill (20:03 PR), sophomore Ravin Bury (20:28), sophomore Sean Carney (20:30 PR), freshman Evan Kaiser (20:36 PR), sophomore Noah Flynn (21:04 PR), senior Finn Morrison (21:06), sophomore Leslie Carr (21:20), junior Asher Hazen (21:32), freshman Tre Phipps (21:51 PR), junior Dane Moser (21:51), sophomore Grayson Trum (22:17), freshman Levi Johnson (22:17), sophomore Kingston Downing (22:25), junior Henry Coy (23:30), freshman Ben Cupino (25:29 PR), freshman Tim Wilkins (26:23 PR), freshman Gabriel Watts (27:08 PR), freshman Isaac Davant (27:09 PR), junior Eliot Cleary (27:52) and freshman Santi Arguelles (30:37 PR).

The Bengals have another opportunity to pursue excellence, exercise their curiosity, and show love to their teammates when they lace up the spikes Saturday, Sept. 13 at the Bozeman Invitational at Bridger Creek Golf Course.

Boys Claim 2nd With 3 All-State Finishers, Ward Leads Girls to 5th

Photo Gallery (Thank you Emily Davidson and Marie Matthews)

Complete Results

A trio of Helena High boys collected All-State finishes Saturday at the state cross country meet, but a strong meet for the Bengals wasn’t quite enough as Bozeman put together an impressive collective effort of their own to claim the title.

The Hawks finished with 56 points, Helena was second with 71, and Hellgate claimed third with 115.

Sophomore Milo Kauffman charged to the front in a gutsy move with about 1 kilometer remaining in the 5K race at UM Golf Course in Missoula and held on for fourth place in 15:49 as senior teammate Henry Sund charged to the finish line in fifth in 15:55. Senior Elliot Stimpson (16:04) claimed the third all-state finish (top 15) for the Bengals in 10th, an impressive showing considering the Bengal veteran “felt off” early in the race but managed to construct his best showing at the state meet after he placed 11th last fall.

Kauffman has now opened his career with back-to-back All-State finishes after placing 10th in 2023. For Sund, it was a welcome return to the podium. He placed 14th in 2022 and missed out on all-state in 2023 when he finished 19th and the Bengals placed third.

Finishing fourth for Helena on Saturday was junior Dylan Hill who matched his 25th-place finished from a year ago. Junior Garrett Hinderman fought hard on every inch of the demanding course en route to 27th in a lifetime best breakthrough of 16:43. Seniors Eli Highness (41st, 16:55) and Jake Matthews (42nd, 16:57) were Helena’s sixth and seventh finishers, capping off a strong season for the duo.

The top three individual places were occupied by Belgrade junior Wilson Schmidt, who stormed past the leaders in the final stretch to place first in a personal record of 15:38. Bozeman sophomore Taylor Neil was second in a PR of 15:42 and Glacier junior Owen Theil was third in 15:45.

Helena Girls Rise to the Occasion

Sophomore Isabel Ward ran a full minute faster than she’d completed a race this season and bettered her personal best by about 20 seconds in 16th – just one spot off the All-State podium – and guided the Helena girls to fifth place.

It was an exceptional performance for Ward, who suffered an unfortunate injury early this season and was confined to cross-training for three weeks and was forced to miss the first two meets. She remained positive and persevered, then put together her best race of the season when the team needed her most.

Entering the meet, the Bengals were projected to finish sixth based on season bests, but because of a strong collective effort by all seven runners they posted 154 points, just one shy of Glacier in fourth place with 153. Gallatin (52 points) won the state championship over Bozeman (68), and Hellgate (129) finished third.

Helena’s 2, 3, 4, and 5 runners finished in a flurry with only 6 seconds separating the four of them, led by senior Solveig Mohr in a PR of 20:14 for 32nd place. Freshman Lily Combs ran a PR of 20:17 in 34th, senior Ella Irey capped and impressive career that included four trips to the state meet with a PR of 20:18 in 35th, and junior Kate Lee continued an incredibly strong season in 20:20 for 37th place.

Sophomore Emmie Bermingham was Helena’s sixth runner across the line in a PR of 20:42 for 45th place and senior Hadyn Garza completed the Bengals drive to the finish line in 52nd with a time of 20:51.

Bengals On the Up

The meet exhibited the Bengals’ incredible commitment and resolve and marked another step in a positive direction. Helena’s boys placed 13th in 2021, were fifth in 2022, and finished third last season, making the runner-up finish the team’s best since winning the state title in 2003. The girls placed fourth in 2021 and bid farewell to a historic senior class, then finished 10th in 2022, climbed to sixth in 2023, and finished fifth to cap this season with a strong core of hungry Bengals returning next fall.

Next Up

In three weeks, 58 Helena High runners will travel to Boise to compete in the Nike Cross Northwest Regional Championships against the top runners from seven states – Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Wyoming, and Hawaii. The meet will be Saturday, Nov. 16 at Eagle Island State Park.

Crosstown Sends Off Seniors in Style, Sets Stage for Next Week’s State Meet

Photo Gallery

Complete Results

Helena High cross country closed out the regular season portion of its schedule Wednesday afternoon at Bill Roberts Golf Course with another strong all-around showing in the annual Crosstown Meet.

The Bengals ran to victory in all four individual and team competitions and built on some great momentum heading into the state meet next weekend (Saturday, Oct. 26) in Missoula.

After cheering runners from Helena Middle School and CR Anderson, the girls toed the line first with a pack of five Bengals establishing the early lead. By the end of the race, another five joined them at the front as Helena took the top 10 places, guided by junior Kate Lee, who has led Helena across the finish line in every race this season – this time in 20:33. Sophomore Isabel Ward was close behind in 20:35, and the two look to be a strong 1-2 punch heading into state.

On the varsity side, Lee and Ward were joined by junior Cooper Judd in a personal best 20:55, freshman Lily Combs in 20:56, senior Solveig Mohr in 21:03, sophomore Emmie Bermingham in 21:07, and senior Hadyn Garza in 21:08 – producing an exceptional 1-7 spread of just 35 seconds. Sophomore Madi Emmert led Capital across the line in the varsity division in eighth with a time of 21:42.

In junior varsity competition, the Bengals matched their varsity counterparts by taking the top seven positions, led by senior Ella Irey in 21:09 (8th overall). She was followed in places 2-7 by Emily Davidson in 21:38 (9th overall), sophomore Mary Clement in 21:39 (10th overall), senior Caoimhe Gallagher in 21:45 (12th overall), sophomore Ellie Coburn in 21:57 (14th overall), senior Margot Muszkiewicz in a season best of 21:59 (15th overall), and junior Gabbi LaVoie in 22:32 (19th overall).

The Bengals also claimed the next three positions in the JV race and senior Aila Romano led the Bruins in 11th with a time of 23:48.

Helena won both varsity and JV girls team races with 15 points, while Capital posted 50.

Judd was one of two Bengals to post a personal best as senior Gilly Bovingdon improved on her mark with a time of 24:24, and junior Wren Clum (23:07) posted a season best.

It’s been a head-turning season of growth for the Helena High girls who are just one of two teams in Montana – regardless of classification – with nine girls under 21 minutes (Bozeman has 10). That remarkable depth and is unprecedented in team history.

On the boys side Wednesday, the Bengals were without usual No. 4 runner Dylan Hill, but they still managed to claim the top six spots with senior Elliot Stimpson leading the way in 16:02.

On the varsity side, sophomore Milo Kauffman (16:17), senior Henry Sund (16:51), junior Garrett Hinderman (17:16), senior Eli Highness (17:32) and senior Jake Matthews (17:49) followed Stimpson across the finish to post 15 points against Capital’s 45. The Bruins were led in seventh by freshman Cooper Laslovich with a personal best of 17:51.

In junior varsity competition, Helena claimed the top eight positions and again posted a perfect score of 15 points against the Bruins’ 50.

Junior Ed Coleman (17:41, 8th overall) claimed the JV crown and was followed closely in second by Chris Jenemann (17:47, 9th overall). Sophomore Joel Melton returned to action with a strong effort after missing out on 7 vs. 7 and finished third in 17:58, while freshman Ander Svingen (18:12), junior Henry Sweeney (18:17), freshman Foster Warner (18:43), and freshman Ravin Bury (18:51) occupied the remaining scoring positions for Helena. Sophomore Dan Williams (18:56) was eighth for the Bengals, 12 seconds ahead of Capital’s Callahan Jarvais.

The Bengal boys had one runner post a personal best (Apollo Althoff, 19:52) and one runner post a season best (Dane Moser, 22:01).

Following the races, both the Bruins and the Bengals took time to honor their seniors. On the boys side, Helena honored Sam Fitterer, Eli Highness, Chris Jenemann, Jake Matthews, Elliot Stimpson, Henry Sund, and Luke Wilkins. And on the girls side, the Bengals recognized Gilly Bovingdon, Hadyn Garza, Caoimhe Gallagher, Ella Irey, Margaret McDonald, Solveig Mohr, Margot Muszkiewicz, and Ryah O’Dell.

All 15 seniors played a significant role in developing a culture of commitment, love, curiosity, excellence, and inclusiveness, and we thank them for their contributions and incredible legacy. Seven seniors – Highness, Matthews, Stimpson, Sund, Garza, Irey, and Mohr – will compete at the state meet, Jenemann will serve as an alternate, and Gallagher will serve as a manager. Our remaining six seniors will travel with the team to state to provide support and revel in the experience. Below are our complete state teams.

BOYS

Eli Highness, 12

Dylan Hill, 11

Garrett Hinderman, 11

Milo Kauffman, 10

Jake Matthews, 12

Elliot Stimpson, 12

Henry Sund, 12

Alternates

Chris Jenemann, 12

Joel Melton, 10

Manager

Ed Coleman, 11

GIRLS

Emmie Bermingham, 10

Lily Combs, 9

Hady Garza, 12

Ella Irey, 12

Kate Lee, 11

Solveig Mohr, 12

Isabel Ward, 10

Alternates

Mary Clement, 10

Cooper Judd, 11

Managers

Emily Davidson, 11

Caoimhe Gallagher, 12