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Bengals Break Out at 7 vs. 7 as Boys Win, Girls Place 4th and JV Shines

Helena High’s junior varsity girls set an incredible tone to start the 7 vs. 7 Classic on an overcast and sometimes sunny Thursday at Bill Roberts Golf Course, the JV boys followed suit with yet another impressive run, and the good vibes continued to reverberate throughout the afternoon as Helena’s varsity squads put on a show on their home course.

The unique 7 vs. 7 format matches runners from each school in descending order, meaning the No. 7 runners from each school compete first, followed by the No. 6 runners, then the No. 5 runners and so on.

Helena’s boys got off to a near-perfect start en route to victory as junior Garrett Hinderman won the No. 7 race in 17:16, then senior Eli Highness was runner-up in the No.6 race in 16:46, and senior Jake Matthews posted a second-place finish in the No. 5 race in 16:58. With Bozeman being their nearest competitor, that gave the Bengals a 5-8 lead against the reigning state champions.

Junior Dylan Hill then stepped up with arguably the race of the day for the Helena boys with a commanding victory in a personal best 16:14 – running at the front wire-to-wire and winning by a margin of 25 seconds to extend the lead to 6-10.

That left the final three races, which are incredibly competitive as they often each feature multiple runners from all classifications who will be vying for all-state finishes two weeks from now.

Senior Henry Sund seemed unfazed by the runners around him, stormed to an early lead and never looked back, winning the No. 3 race in 16:02 – expanding the Bengals lead to a commanding 7-15 and releasing some of the pressure teammates Milo Kauffman, a sophomore, and Elliot Stimpson, a senior, might have been feeling as they were queued up for the No. 2 and No. 1 races.

Kauffman appeared calm and composed as he went to work on a runner-up finish in 16:07 behind Bozeman’s Christian Landers, and Stimpson followed that up in a business-like fourth-place finish in the final race of the day with a time of 15:48 to lock up the victory for the Bengals – their first in more than a decade at the event.

In the end, Helena finished with 13 points to Bozeman’s 21, and Billings West was third with 43.

On the girls side, the Bengals entered the meet with reason to hope for a spot in the top 6 with a tightly contested field featuring frontrunners Gallatin, Bozeman, reigning Class A state champion Hardin, and reigning Class AA champion Hellgate, while the Bengals, Glacier, Flathead and Skyview have regularly competed in close quarters behind that pack.

The Bengals did their part with a solid all-around effort and appeared poised to finish fifth, but both Gallatin’s and Hellgate’s top runners didn’t finish the No. 1 race, meaning each team was scored at 27 points in those races. That moved the Bengals ahead of Hellgate, which was third going into the race, and Helena (44 points) finished fourth, just two points behind fourth-place Gallatin (42) and five points behind third-place Hardin (39). Bozeman won the meet going away with 19 points, and Flathead and Hellgate both finished with 59.

Sophomore Emmie Bermingham got the Bengals off to a strong start as she placed second in the No. 7 race with a 24-second personal best of 20:44. She was followed in the No. 6 race by Ella Irey’s effort, which proved to be a massive breakthrough for the senior who clocked the Bengals’ second-fastest time of the day, running a nearly 30-second PR of 20:28 in fourth place.

In the No. 5 race, senior Solveig Mohr posted a season best of 20:44 to finish third, and freshman Lily Combs stepped up with a 17-second lifetime best of 20:42 to finish seventh in the No. 4 race.

Much like the boys races, the No. 3, No. 2, and No. 1 races are often incredibly close and hotly contested for obvious reasons, and Helena’s competitors held their own.

Senior Hadyn Garza just missed her season best in the No. 3 race, running 20:46 in ninth place, while sophomore Isabel Ward duked it out with a large group of runners and finished 11th in the No. 2 race in a season best of 20:31 – just nine seconds shy of 7th place.

Next, up stepped junior Kate Lee in the No. 1 race for Helena and step up she did. She entered the race with the 14th-fastest time and placed eighth with a 10-second personal best of 19:51 with a smile on her face for nearly all 3.1 miles.

JV Shines Brightly Yet Again

“Look at Helena!” was a phrase stuck on repeat among fans and supporters as the junior varsity girls race took shape after runners swept past the half-mile mark. It was clear the Bengals were on the march toward a special performance and everyone could see it coming.

At the halfway point, a pack of five comprised of sophomores Mary Clement and Ellie Coburn, junior Cooper Judd, and seniors Caoimhe Gallagher and Margot Muszkiewicz crested the hill at the halfway point occupying places 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, and just a few strides further back was junior Emily Davidson in 10th.

There was an energy in the pack that drove them across the rolling hills and helped establish an unbeatable rhythm through the second lap before things got a little more strung out.

Clement pulled away to place third in a personal best 20:56, but Gallagher reduced a lead that had grown to about 8 seconds down to 4 at the finish line to place fourth in a personal best of 21:00. Judd followed closely in fourth with a massive PR of 21:03, Coburn was fifth in a big PR of 21:07, and Davidson finished ninth in a PR of 21:13. Helena’s sixth and seventh runners across the line were Muszkiewicz 18th in a season-best 21:59 and senior Ryah O’Dell 29th in a season-best 22:47.

Helena finished with 18 points with the first through fifth runners being separated by only 17 seconds, while Hellgate was second with 86 and Billings West third with 131.

The girls had an additional season best and 10 more personal bests in the JV race, and senior Margaret McDonald (41st) and sophomore Kumari Leland (49th) joined their front-running teammates in the top 50.

On the boys side, senior Chris Jenemann posted the highest overall JV finish in second place and ran a strong season best of 17:15 to do it, which helped guide the Bengals to second place with 63 points, just 15 points behind Hellgate in first.

Junior Ed Coleman ran a personal best of 17:30 to place third, junior Henry Sweeney continued his recent momentum with a PR of 17:59 in 16th, freshman Ander Svingen posted a PR of 18:02 in 17th, and sophomore Daniel Williams ran to 25th place in a PR of 18:24. Freshman Foster Warner was Helena’s sixth runner in 26th with a PR 18:27 and senior Sam Fitterer celebrated his 18th birthday with a PR of 18:31 in 30th place to lock down Helena’s seventh position.

Like the girls, the boys collectively had a great day with an additional three season bests and nine personal bests in JV competition, and freshman Ravin Bury joined his teammates in the top 50 in 38th with a time of 18:37.

Next Up

The Bengals next turn their attention to Crosstown at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16 at Bill Roberts Golf Course. That race will be preceded by the middle school race featuring future Bengals and Bruins from Helena Middle School and CR Anderson. The Bengals and Bruins will also honor their seniors after the crosstown competition. Please consider coming out to celebrate Helena’s 15 seniors are listed below and send the Bengals off to state with a big crowd.

BOYS

Sam Fitterer

Eli Highness

Chris Jenemann

Jake Matthews

Elliot Stimpson

Henry Sund

Luke Wilkins

GIRLS

Gillian Bovingdon

Caoimhe Gallagher

Hadyn Garza

Ella Irey

Margaret McDonald

Solveig Mohr

Margot Muszkiewicz

Ryah O’Dell

Great Falls Delivers a Big Test for Bengals Leading into 7 vs. 7

Photo Gallery

Complete Results

Helena runners – and others, of course – brought the hills to life in Great Falls on Friday with a strong effort at a windy and warm Anaconda Hills Golf Course.

The strong showing on the hills sets the Bengals up well for the challenge that awaits when they compete at home for the first time on Thursday, Oct. 10 at the Capital City 7 vs. 7 at a rolling Bill Roberts Golf Course.

Helena’s JV got the action started in Great Falls with the girls and boys both striding away with victories.

Freshman Lily Combs (22:15), sophomore Emmie Bermingham (23:03), and junior Cooper Judd (23:38) led the way for the girls with a 1-3-4 finish, but they had massive support with the Bengals occupying nine of the top 12 spots and 13 of the top 25.

As the Bengals moved through the various ascents, descents, and countless turns up and down the fairways, they seemingly formed a wall of cardinal and grey en route to a commanding performance. Following the first three Bengals were seniors Margot Muzskiewicz (23:45) and Caoimhe Gallagher (23:50) in 6th and 7th, sophomores Mary Clement (23:52) and Ellie Coburn (23:57) in 8th and 9th, and juniors Gabbi LaVoie (24:45) and Emily Davidson (24:45) in 11th and 12th. Another trio – junior Wren Clum (26:00), freshman Harper Johnson (26:02), and sophomore Kumari Leland (26:14) – placed 18th-20th, and freshman Alexa Pipinich (26:23) was 23rd as Helena’s 13th finisher in the top 25.

The dominant showing resulted in 17 points for the Bengals, well ahead of Skyview with 57 and third-place Senior with 92.

In the boys JV race, the Bengals were nearly as commanding up front with senior Chris Jenemann (18:36) placing 3rd, junior Ed Coleman (19:07) in 5th, and freshman Ander Svingen (19:12) finishing 7th. Like the girls, the leading trio had impressive backing with six of the top 15 finishers.

Also placing in the top 15 were freshman Foster Warner (19:41) in 11th, senior Sam Fitterer (19:44) in 12th and sophomore Dan Williams (19:54) in 15th, and freshman Ravin Bury (20:30) was Helena’s seventh finisher in 23rd.

The Bengals claimed the JV crown with 34 points, while Skyview was second with 64 and Senior placed third with 126.

Varsity Boys Win, Girls Second in Unique Format

While the JV competitors competed in single races against all other teams at the meet, the varsity races were set up in pods of 3-4 teams.

The Helena girls stepped to the line first and faced Skyview and C.M. Russell. Rustlers freshman Stella Damyanovich stormed to the lead and never looked back, while the Bengals locked horns with Skyview in a chase for the team win.

While Helena had an early lead in the points race, the Falcons settled into a strong effort in the second mile to move into competitive positions midway through the race, then built leads that proved to be too much for the Bengals to overcome in the late stages. Skyview posted 33 points to Helena’s 36, and CMR placed third with 54.

While Skyview’s Ava Greenwell and Aaliyah Stennerson occupied the other two positions in the top 3, Helena junior Kate Lee (21:40) led the Bengals in 4th and was followed by senior Hadyn Garza (21:55) in 5th and sophomore Isabel Ward (22:00) who finished with a big kick to edge Skyview’s Gracyn Rock for 6th. Seniors Solveig Mohr (22:24) and Ella Irey (22:36) placed 10th and 11th for Helena, which only ran with five varsity runners in an effort to solidify the 6th and 7th varsity positions for the upcoming 7 vs. 7.

On the boys side, the Bengals continued their dominant form with a 1-2-3-4 finish by senior Elliot Stimpson (16:37), sophomore Milo Kauffman (17:03), senior Henry Sund (17:05) and junior Dylan Hill (17:15).

It was an especially strong performance by Hill, who looked solid throughout and closed the gap to his leading teammates compared to recent races, leaving his with some good vibes going into the always exciting 7 vs. 7.

Junior Garrett Hinderman (18:00) was Helena’s fifth runner in 9th – scoring for the Bengals for the first time this season, senior Eli Highness (18:04) was 11th and senior Jake Matthews (18:44) was Helena’s seventh runner in 19th.

The Bengals finished with 19 points to win the four-way battle with Skyview (54), Great Falls (66) and Sentinel (91).

Bengal Boys Claim Mtn. West Crown

Girls Varsity 8th; Girls JV Wins Championship, Boys 2nd

Complete Results

Meet Photos

Senior Elliot Stimpson roared to a runner-up finish to spearhead a nail-biting victory for the Helena Bengals as they held off a hard charging Lewis and Clark squad from Spokane, Wash. at the 2024 Mountain West Classic at UM Golf Course in Missoula on Saturday.

The runner-up finish for Stimpson in 15:50 was the best for a Bengal at Mountain West since Kylie Hartnett won the girls division in 2019, and it was the top finish by a Helena boy since Aidan Reed was runner-up a decade ago in 2014. Stimpson finished just 9 seconds back of champion Owen Thiel, of Glacier, on Saturday.

As you might expect, Stimpson got a lot of help from his Bengal teammates as sophomore Milo Kauffman placed ninth in 16:02 and senior Henry Sund crossed the line 15th in 16:10. And coming up big for the Bengals in a season best of 16:31 in 30th was Dylan Hill, who was followed across the line by Jake Matthews in 47th with a time of 16:49.

Lewis and Clark meanwhile, placed all five of its scoring runners in the top 40, but with Stimpson and Kauffman tallying just 11 combined points, it made the difference as the Bengals finished with 99 points to Lewis and Clark’s 107.

Running sixth for the Bengals was junior Garrett Hinderman, who posted a personal best for the third consecutive week as he placed 63rd in 17:03. And senior Eli Highness remained as reliable as ever in 70th with a time of 17:10.

On the girls side, the Bengals continue to demonstrate growth led by a breakout performance by junior Kate Lee and a return to form by sophomore Isabel Ward, who was unable to compete in Helena’s first two meets.

Lee shaved 24 seconds off her lifetime best and placed 30th with a time of 20:01 to lead the Bengals, running a courageous race reminiscent of her 7th-place performance in the AA 3200 final at the state track and field meet in May. Ward, who opened the season last week for the Bengals, improved on that time by more than a minute for a season best of 20:35 in 57th.

With those two leading the way, the Bengals finished 8th in a field that featured more than 400 runners from more than 100 schools, including 52 complete teams. Glacier sophomore Lauren Bissen collected the individual crown in a blistering 18:22, and Bozeman won the team crown with 96 points as Gallatin placed second with 130.

While Lee and Ward led the way for the Bengals, senior Hadyn Garza continued to be a reliable No. 3 runner as she was 85th in 21:10. Senior Solveig Mohr 91st in 21:13, Ella Irey 92nd in a season best 21:15, senior Caoimhe Gallagher 109th in 21:25, and freshman Lily Combs 123rd in 21:33 followed Helena’s top three runners across the finish line.

It was a strong move up the standings for the Bengals, who advanced five places for the second year in a row. In 2022, the Bengals placed 18th, and in 2023 they finished 13th.

JV Girls and Boys Deliver on the Big Stage

It’s difficult to find the words to describe the girls performance in the junior varsity race, but it was nothing short of dominant with four runners in the top 10 and all five scoring runners in the top 20.

It all started with a make-shift dance party sparked by Cooper Judd and her mini speaker as she rallied the Bengals prior to the start. That helped settle some nerves and get the energy moving in a positive direction. When the gun sounded, the Bengals got out aggressively and never looked back.

Sophomores Emmie Bermingham and Mary Clement each made a statement of intent with fourth- and fifth-place finishes in PRs of 21:08 and 21:12, respectively, and junior Emily Davidson was just 6 seconds farther back in a PR 21:18 in eighth place. Another sophomore, Ellie Coburn, was Helena’s fourth top-10 finisher as she posted a season best of 21:36 in 10th and senior Margot Muszkiewicz completed the scoring for Helena in 17th place with a season-best 22:10.

The Bengals finished with 38 points, Hellgate was second with 73, and Gallatin finished third with 90 in a race that featured 30 complete teams and 379 runners.

While Helena’s scoring five had a strong day, they weren’t alone as Gabbi Lavoie (25th, 22:23), senior Ryah O’Dell (35th, 22:57), and senior Margaret McDonald (44th, 23:08) all finished in the top 50 with season bests. The big performances flowed freely as the Bengals posted an additional 11 PRs and three more season bests in Missoula.

On the boys side, Helena ran to second place as sophomore Joel Melton, junior Ed Coleman, and senior Chris Jenemann went 3-4-5 to lead five Bengals in the top 25.

Lewis and Clark (Spokane, Wash.) led the way with 34 points, the Bengals posted 48th, and Hellgate was third with 109.

Melton again ran a strong race near the front and finished in a PR of 17:27, while Coleman made a late charge to finish in a PR of 17:31. Jenemann finished in a season-best 17:33.

Helena’s other two top-25 finishers were freshman Ander Svingen 20th in a PR 18:07 and Henry Sweeney 22nd in a PR 18:15. The boys put four additional runners in the top 50 with freshman Ravin Bury 29th in a PR 18:32, sophomore Dan Williams 31st in a PR 18:36, freshman Foster Warner 40th in a PR 18:45, and senior Sam Fitterer 44th in 18:52.

The boys posted an additional eight personal bests and two more season bests.

While the personal bests and season bests provide the Bengals with an outcome to reflect on, they are a byproduct of continued commitment, consistency, and vibe this team continues to produce.

What’s Next?

The Bengals will be back in action Friday, Oct. 4 at the Great Falls Invitational, then return home for the 7 vs. 7 and crosstown meets on Oct. 10 and 16, respectively, at Bill Roberts Golf Course.

Bengals Bold and Brave in Butte Wind

Complete Results

Team Photos

With a new 1-2 punch and a couple student-athletes running standout races in the absence of sophomore Milo Kauffman, the Helena High varsity boys eked out a victory at the Butte Invitational on Friday at wind-blown Highland View Golf Course.

That winning finish was matched by the JV girls and JV boys, while the varsity girls won a tiebreaker for third place despite missing senior Solveig Mohr.

A week after Kauffman and senior Elliot Stimpson finished first and second at the Bozeman Invitational, Stimpson and senior Henry Sund finished 2nd and 4th in Butte to spearhead the Bengals’ victory, which was buoyed by senior Eli Highness and junior Garrett Hinderman as the Bengals’ 4th and 5th runners finished in 20th and 24th. Junior Dylan Hill continued to lock down the team’s third spot in 19th. That all added up to 65 points, which was 13 better than runner-up Billings West (78). Flathead was third with 98 points in a meet that featured runners from 27 teams.

A strong wind from the west ensured fast 5K times would be hard to come by, but still, Highness managed to run within 1 second of his personal best in 17:01 and Hinderman bettered his PR by 2 seconds in 17:08, demonstrating how strongly the two Bengals competed.

Glacier junior Owen Thiel captured the win in 15:43, Stimpson crossed the finish line in 15:49, Sentinel senior Tyler Inabnit was third in 15:56, and Sund finished in 16:09. Hill’s time in 19th was 17:01. Also running for the Bengals was senior Jake Matthews in 44th with a time of 17:44.

In the girls varsity competition, junior Kate Lee ran fiercely from start to finish and locked down a ninth-place finish in a season best of 20:28, but senior Hadyn Garza wasn’t to far off that mark and put together an exceptional performance with a season best of 20:45 in 17th.

Those top-20 finishes helped propel the Bengals to 122 points, which matched Skyview, but sixth runner Emmie Bermingham’s 41st-place finish broke the tie as Skyview’s sixth runner was 64th.

Also running strong for the Bengals were seniors Ella Irey and Caoimhe Gallagher in 32nd (21:20) and 33rd (21:23), respectively, and freshman Lily Combs in 37th (21:29).

Mohr and Kauffman are both expected to give the Bengals a boost when they return to action next week at the Mountain West Classic in Missoula, which also serves as a preview of the state meet course.

On the junior varsity front, the Bengals were an unstoppable force Friday and continued their strong start to the season.

Helena’s girls got it started as sophomore Isabel Ward opened her season at the lead and guided teammates Emily Davidson, a junior, and Mary Clement, a sophomore, to a 2-3-4 finish. Ward finished in 21:41, Davidson ran a personal best 21:43 and Clement posted a season best of 22:06. Finishing in the fourth and fifth scoring spots for the Bengals were senior Margot Muszkiewicz 12th in 22:34 and sophomore Ellie Coburn 14th in a season best of 22:48.

The JV girls finished with 35 points, well ahead of runner-up Hellgate with 79 and third-place Billings West with 122, demonstrating the team’s overall depth this season.

Helena also had three additional runners in the top 25 – senior Ryah O’Dell (19th, 23:12), junior Wren Clum (21st, 23:14), and junior Gabbi Lavoie (23rd, 23:15) – and two more in the top 50 – freshmen Harper Johnson (35th, 23:58, PR) and Alexa Pipinich (49th, 24:37, PR).

On the boys side, the performance was nearly as dominant as the Bengals finished first with 43 points, Billings West second with 82, and Hellgate third with 96.

Leading the way was sophomore Joel Melton, who survived a collision at the finish to edge Skyview’s Mekhi Ladson for second place by a tenth of a second in 17:32. Junior Ed Coleman was next in fourth (17:56, PR) and senior Chris Jenemann in sixth (18:11). Freshman Ander Svingen stepped up to finish as Helena’s fourth runner in 13th (18:32, PR) and junior Henry Sweeney capped the scoring in 18th (18:49, PR).

Four more Bengals placed among the top 50 – sophomore Dan Williams (29th, 19:09), senior Sam Fitterer (31st, 19:10), freshman Foster Warner (32nd, 19:12), and freshman Ravin Bury (46th, 19:27).

Six Bengals – Ward, Eisley Bushilla, Emma Flinders, Margaret McDonald, Astoria Holzer, and Enoch Johnson – ran their first races Saturday, which means 69 Bengals have raced in the cardinal and white this season.

Helena can leave Butte feeling proud but wanting more as the Bengals head into the biggest meet of the season next weekend in Missoula. The Mountain West Classic will play host to runners from three states and 103 teams at UM Golf Course on Saturday, Sept. 28.

Kauffman, Stimpson Finish 1-2 to Propel Bengals to 2nd in Bozeman

Varsity Girls Place 7th; Judd’s Championship Guides JV Girls to Win; JV Boys Finish Runner-Up

Complete Results

Meet Photos

Sophomore Milo Kauffman and senior Elliot Stimpson charged down the homestretch and caught frontrunner and sophomore Owen Thiel, of Glacier, in a mad dash to the finish line at the Bozeman Invitational to claim the top two places and close out an exceptional day for the Bengals at Bridger Creek Golf Course.

The 1-2 finish propelled Helena to a close runner-up finish in the varsity race behind Bozeman at a meet the featured more than 40 teams, including competitors from neighboring Wyoming. Helena’s varsity girls claimed 7th overall and 4th among all 16 Class AA high schools. And in the JV races, the Bengal girls cruised to the victory and the boys placed runner-up to Sheridan, Wyo.

As the sun drifted below the tree line and the clouds rolled in offering a relief from the heat, the crack of starter’s pistol signaled the start of the boys’ race, and the cooler temperatures allowed the competitors the opportunity to test their fitness in ideal conditions.

Helena’s top three boys – Kauffman, Stimpson, and senior Henry Sund – settled into the pack and remained connected to the front-runners through the first two miles, but Thiel injected a late surge and looked to be in strong position for the win late in the race. With about 300 meters to go, Kauffman and Stimpson appeared to be in a fight to hold of other competitors in a fierce fight for places 2-5, but Kauffman never relented and charged for Thiel with Stimpson in tow. The two Bengals crossed the finish line in personal bests of 15:38 and 15:39, and were followed closely in third by Sentinel senior Tyler Inabnit. The top five finished within 4 seconds of each other.

Sund was Helena’s third runner across the finish line in 13th with a time of 16:02, and junior Dylan Hill and senior Jake Matthews completed the scoring five for the Bengals in 29th (16:37) and 36th (16:44), respectively.

Also running in the varsity race were senior Eli Highness in 44th with a personal best 17:00, Garrett Hinderman in 53rd with a personal best 17:10, sophomore Joel Melton 96th in 17:54 and senior Chris Jenemann 104th in 18:04.

Bozeman claimed the boys title with 73 points, while Helena posted 80 in second and Billings West was third with 147.

Junior Kate Lee was again at the lead for Helena’s girls and spearheaded their 7th-place finish in 26th with a time of 20:38, while senior Hadyn Garza and freshman Lily Combs placed 38th and 41st in times of 20:57 and 20:59, respectively. Combs’ time was a personal best. Playing a role in the scoring for the Bengals were senior Solveig Mohr in 48th with a time of 21:05 and senior Ella Irey in 55th at 21:17.

Also running in the varsity race for Helena were sophomore Emmie Bermingham in 64th (21:27), senior Caoimhe Gallagher in 72nd (21:39), junior Emily Davidson in 85th (21:56), and senior Margot Muszkiewicz in 130th (22:53).

Bozeman won the girls varsity competition with 91 points and was trailed by Gallatin (125), Powell, Wyo. (160), reigning Class A champion Hardin (163), reigning AA champion Hellgate (168), Natrona County, Wyo. (195), and Helena (198).

In the girls JV race, junior Cooper Judd ran a composed first half, exhibiting patience after a fast start by the frontrunners, then made a push to the front midway through the race and never relinquished the lead. She finished in a personal best of 21:44.

While Judd was working hard in the lead, not to far back was sophomore Mary Clement, who constructed her own exceptional race, briefly moving into second before a late move by Bozeman’s Adele Kozicki meant Clement would finish an impressive third place in 22:07. Next across the finish for the victorious Bengals were sophomore Ellie Coburn 11th in 23:00, senior Ryah O’Dell 22nd in 23:46, and freshman Harper Johnson in 34th in a personal best of 24:10 – Johnson’s first time contributing to the team score as a top-five runner for Helena. The Bengals sixth and seventh finishers were junior Wren Clum 39th in 24:20 and sophomore Aven Baker 44th in 24:30.

The girls posted a winning total of 70 points, while Billings Senior was second with 105 and Hellgate placed third with 118.

On the boys’ side, the Bengals were the top Montana team with 81 points, but Wyoming’s Sheridan High collected the overall victory with 48.

Leading the way for Helena was junior Ed Coleman in a strong third-place finish, crossing the line in a personal best 17:58. Senior Sam Fitterer backed up that performance with a strong run of his own in 10th (18:35, PR), sophomore Dan Williams placed 19th (18:53), freshman Ravin Bury ran to 21st (18:54, PR), and freshman Foster Warner capped the scoring in 28th (19:08, PR). Also claiming spots in the top seven for the Bengals were Henry Sweeney (39th, 19:27) and Will Kreissler (45th, 19:32).

The meet capped a week that started with some adversity as the Bengals were pushed indoors because of smokey air, forcing them to adapt to some adjustments in the training schedule. But they responded with a positive attitude, exceptional effort, and continued commitment to string together four solid days of training and an impressive effort at a highly competitive meet.

While some of the Bengals left the meet expressing they wanted more from themselves in the competition, the coaching staff was most impressed by the collective effort and continued positive vibe the team exhibits day in and day out.

A good quote to leave the week comes from Olympian Alexi Pappas, who wrote, “You can be proud of yourself and want more from yourself at the same time.” The Bengals can certainly leave Bozeman feeling proud and wanting more is a healthy response to the lessons they learned in Bozeman. They will try to put those lessons to good use when they return to action Friday, Sept. 20 at the Butte Invitational.

Bengals Open 2024 Season Strong at Flathead Invitational

Complete Results

Meet Photos

The Bengals were issued a challenge to put forth a personal best in effort and attitude Friday at the Flathead Invitational at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell and delivered with four top-two team performances to open the season.

Blue skies and sun made for a beautiful late morning and early afternoon, but as the hours wore on and the sun continued to rise, the temp rose into the 80s and it certainly affected all of the runners who traveled to the event. But the Bengals focused on things within their control and put together a performance to remember.

Freshman Spruce Bacon, who opened his Bengal career with a 5K time of 24:05 in the JV race, summed up the exceptional effort and vibe after the race: “It hurt so bad, but it’s the best kind of pain.”

The varsity girls and boys both finished second to Bozeman at a meet that featured 18 complete girls varsity teams and 24 complete boys varsity teams. In JV competition, the Helena High girls delivered a victory and the boys finished runners-up to Hellgate.

Competition began with the varsity girls race, which Bozeman controlled from the front with their top five runners in the top 15 positions to post 46 points. But the Bengals were a strong runner-up, led by junior Kate Lee in 14th place with a time of 20:33 to guide the team to 112 points, ahead of Hellgate’s 126.

Senior Solveig Mohr ran a gritty race from start to finish to place 18th in 20:54, and senior Hadyn Garza and freshman Lily Combs crossed the finish line in 21st and 22nd with matching times of 21:13 – a personal best for Combs in her first varsity competition. Helena’s fifth runner and final scorer was junior Emily Davidson in 37th place with a personal best of 21:46, while seniors Caoimhe Gallagher and Margot Muszkiewicz opened with strong races in 38th and 48th in times of 21:50 and 22:20.

On the boys side, Bozeman collected the win with 53 points led by five runners in the top 25, but the Bengals weren’t too far behind with 79 points and also placed five in the top 25, led by senior Henry Sund in fifth with a personal best of 15:53.

Fellow senior Elliot Stimpson placed 11th in 16:10, junior Dylan Hill was 15th in 16:33, senior Jake Matthews crossed the finish line 23rd in 16:49, and sophomore Milo Kauffman was Helena’s fifth and final scorer in 25th with a time of 16:53. Senior Eli Highness placed 39th with a time of 17:19 and sophomore Joel Melton was 46th in his first varsity race with a personal best time of 17:32.

In JV competition, the boys went first and Bengals Chris Jenemann, a senior, and Garrett Hinderman, a junior, showed some courage early by heading directly to the lead pack. Both put forward strong efforts on the grass with Hinderman leading the Bengals across the finish line in fifth with a time of 17:41, while Jenemann was seventh in 18:02. They were joined in the top 15 by junior Ed Coleman, who placed 11th in 18:25. And the Bengals’ No. 4 and No. 5 runners joined that trio in the top 25 with sophomore Dan Williams 18th in 18:43 and freshman Ander Svingen 21st in 19:04.

That group of five scored 62 points, just seven shy of first-place Bozeman’s total of 55 and less than half the total of third place Sentinel.

Helena also placed its sixth runner in the top 25 with freshman Foster Warner 24th in 19:18, and No. 7 runner and junior Henry Sweeney was 30th in 19:23.

On the girls side, Bozeman took the top four spots, but didn’t have a fifth runner in the race, opening the door for the Bengals to run away with the victory as they posted 46 points to runner-up Hellgate’s 73.

Senior Ella Irey led the Bengals in that charge with a fifth-place finish in 22:02. She was followed closely by sophomore newcomer Emmie Bermingham sixth in 22:19, junior Cooper Judd eighth in a personal best 22:30, and sophomore Mary Clement 10th in 22:39. And completing the scoring for Helena was senior Ryah O’Dell with a stellar effort in 17th with a time of 23:47.

The Bengals’ sixth and seventh runners were junior Gabbi Lavoie 19th in 24:14 and freshman Harper Johnson 27th in 24:52.

Beyond the top seven for both junior varsity teams, the Bengals ran aggressively, and with curiosity and courage.

Sixty Bengals – 33 boys and 27 girls – toed the starting line, and 11 boys and 10 girls ran their first 5K race.

Helena returns to competition at the Bozeman Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Bridger Creek Golf Course. There, the Bengals will get their first look at runners from the east, including CMR, Great Falls, Billings Senior, Billings Skyview, Billings West, Belgrade and Gallatin.

Rising to the Occassion: Boys 3rd, Girls 6th at State Meet

Helena freshman Milo Kauffman posted the top finish by a Bengal at the state meet in 10th place for the boys, who collected the third-place trophy. Helena’s girls finished sixth, just shy of fifth.
For more photos from the state meet, please click on the gallery link below.

Results

Photo Gallery

Freshman Milo Kauffman went directly to the front of the lead pack and set the tone for Helena High at the state cross country meet Saturday in Kalispell as the boys emerged with a podium finish and the girls claimed sixth, just 15 points shy of fourth.

Helena’s coaches agreed it was the best collective boys and girls team performance in recent memory, as the Bengals exhibited a rare level of effort, poise, courage, and unity.

Kauffman rounded the first lap of the 5-kilometer course at Rebecca Farm in fifth place and pushed through the finish to claim 10th, just ahead of junior teammate Elliot Stimpson in 11th, as the duo registered all-state finishes to spearhead the Bengals’ assault.

Great Falls claimed the boys team title with 68 points, followed by Bozeman’s 71, and Helena’s 96, as Billings West was 22 points farther back in fourth.

Both Kauffman and Stimpson ran personal bests to claim their first all-state finishes (top 15) in 15:54 and 15:58 – their first time under 16 minutes. Junior Henry Sund nearly ran a personal best in 19th place with a time of 16:06, sophomore Dylan Hill ran a personal best of 16:21 in 25th place, and junior Jake Matthews established a lifetime best of 16:30 in 31st place to complete the Bengals’ scoring.

Senior Trey Schlepp added some insurance with a massive 33-second improvement on his personal best in his final race with the Bengals, finishing 34th in 16:37. Sophomore Garrett Hinderman nearly equaled his best in 66th with a time of 17:18.

It was the Bengals’ best effort this season at exactly the right time, as they moved past a West team that entered the state meet favored for the third podium spot on paper, based on season bests and prior performances.

Bozeman senior Nathan Neil claimed the state individual crown in a dominant performance and state record of 14:45.

On the girls side, the Bengals entered state predicted to finish sixth based on season bests and prior team places at invitationals. They were aiming for a top-five finish in Kalispell and nearly slipped ahead of Glacier, which had the runner-up individual, making the task much more difficult.

But because of a stellar collective push behind 17th-place finisher and senior Bria Plant, the Bengals wound up just two points shy of Glacier in fifth and a mere 15 points shy of Flathead in fourth, a massive improvement over their 10th-place finish in 2022. In fact, Helena’s top five finishers placed higher than its top placer in 2022.

Plant and fellow senior Sofia Hinderman capped their Bengal careers in style with their best races. Plant moved from 20th to 17th in the final mile and she was chasing an all-state sopt in the top 15, and finished in a lifetime best of 19:45, a 31-second improvement. Hinderman, meanwhile, placed 28th in a personal best of 20:14, a 14-second improvement.

Next for the Bengals across the line were junior Solveig Mohr and sophomore Kate Lee in 31st and 32nd, both running 20:25 – a personal best for Lee. Helena’s fifth and final scorer was junior Hadyn Garza in 41st with a time of 20:46.

While junior Ella Irey may not have been a scorer for the Bengals, she was a big reason why the Bengals finished so close to Glacier and Flathead, as Helena’s sixth runner helped displace the Wolpack’s and Braves’ fifth runners. Irey placed 53rd in 21:14, while fellow junior Margaret McDonald was 69th in 21:50.

Hellgate won the team championship with 46 points, Gallatin finished second with 54, Bozeman placed third with 80, Flathead was fourth with 134, Gallatin placed fifth with 147, and Helena was sixth with 149 – 79 points clear of the remaining teams in the field.

Gallatin junior Claire Rutherford claimed top individual honors in 18:06, while Glacier freshman Lauren Bissen and Bozeman freshman Kylee Neil were second and third in 18:13.

See you at NXR!

Next up for the Bengals is a trip to Nike Cross Regionals in Boise on Nov. 11. Fifty Helena High runners will compete at the national qualifier under the alias of Helena XC. It will be the largest Helena group to make the trip to NXR, where the runners will face competitors from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Hawaii, and Alaska.

Kauffman, Plant Guide Bengals at Crosstown; JV Caps Strong Season

Top left: Freshman Milo Kauffman (left) and junior Elliot Stimpson emerge from the trees at the front of the boys race. Top center: Junior Eli Highness (left) and senior Ian Rasmann run side-by-side. Top right: Senior Bria Plant (center), senior Sofia Hinderman (right), and junior Hadyn Garza (left) en route to a 1-2-3 finish in the girls race. Bottom: Junior Caoimhe Gallagher (right) and freshman Ellie Coburn spearheaded the girls JV win with first- and second-place finishes.

Results

Photo Gallery

Freshman Milo Kauffman and senior Bria Plant each collected their first Crosstown victories and guided the Bengals to commanding victories Wednesday at Bill Roberts Golf Course.

Kauffman demonstrated no hesitation and no fear as he stormed to the lead and led the race wire to wire, winning in 16 minutes, 20 seconds to lead a 1-7 sweep for the boys and carry some momentum into the state meet next weekend in Kalispell.

Helena finished with 15 points and Capital totaled 50.

Following Kauffman across the finish line were junior Elliot Stimpson (16:45), sophomore Dylan Hill (16:57), senior Ian Rasmann (17:22), junior Henry Sund (17:39), sophomore Garrett Hinderman (17:44), and junior Jake Matthews (17:47).

While Kauffman’s victory and the team score were both noteworthy, it was really Rasmann’s breakthrough race that provided the biggest highlight. Rasmann’s time was a personal best in his final home race.

The perfect score for the boys was the fourth in Crosstown history for Helena (1982, 1983, 1985, 2023) and the fifth overall, as Capital scored 15 points in 1979.

On the girls side, Plant’s victory in 20:34 came a year after she placed second, only this time she had a lot of company from her teammates in the top five with senior teammate Sofia Hinderman nearby throughout the race, and junior Hadyn Garza within striking distance, as well. Hinderman finished second in 20:39 and Garza placed third in 20:48.

With the top three positions locked up, Bengal teammates Solveig Mohr, a junior, and Kate Lee, a sophomore, ensured a perfect score after an impressive and gritty late charge by Capital’s Claire Boutilier. Mohr placed fourth in 20:12, Lee was fifth in 21:21, and Boutilier crossed the line in sixth with a time of 21:28. Helena’s sixth and seventh runners were junior Ella Irey in ninth with a time of 21:53 and senior Alivia Thunstrom 10th in 21:58.

Helena finished with 15 points and Capital registered 44.

The perfect score for the girls was the third in Crosstown history for Helena (1977, 1982, 2023) and the fourth overall, as Capital recorded 15 points in 1995.

JUNIOR VARSITY

In JV competition, the Bengals capped an exceptional season with matching victories, both totaling 15 points like their varsity teammates.

The victory for the Helena girls followed their runner-up finish a week ago at 7 of 7. They competed at a high level throughout the season:

  • Opened with a sweep of the top six places against Great Falls.
  • Won the Flathead Invitational with 83 points to edge Hellgate (96).
  • Won the Bozeman Invitational with 50 points to hold off Bozeman (64) and Hellgate (71).
  • Placed second in the Butte Invite with 41 points, just 13 points behind Bozeman.
  • Finished fourth at Mountain West (29 teams), just 22 points out of first place.
  • Won the Great Falls Invitational with 51 points.
  • Runner-up at 7 of 7 – unofficial JV state meet – with 69 points, trailing only Hellgate (36).

Helping guide the Bengals to second at 7 of 7 were junior Caoimhe Gallagher and freshman Ellie Coburn – 9th and 10th there – and the duo was back at it at Crosstown. Gallagher won the JV crown in 22:01 and Coburn was close behind in second with a time of 22:04. Just a few strides back was junior Margaret McDonald in 22:17, while freshman Mary Clement (22:44), sophomore Gabbi LaVoie (22:45), junior Mia Carrell (22:48, season best), and sophomore Emily Davidson (22:49) finished in a tight group to complete the seven-person scoring and displacing group for Helena.

The Bengals depth was further demonstrated with five additional runners in the top half of the field. Sophomore Cooper Judd capped a strong first season in eighth with a time of 23:04, and junior Margot Muszkiewicz placed ninth in 23:14. Sophomore Wren Clum was next in 11th for the Bengals in 23:48, and freshmen Kelia Gomes and Aven Baker chalked up personal bests of 23:49 and 23:50 in 12th and 13th, respectively. Also running a personal best for Helena was senior Hana Honemann in 27th with a time of 28:16.

On the boys side, the Bengals equaled the girls with the top nine finishers, led by junior Eli Highness with a time of 17:56. He was followed by senior Trey Schlepp (18:04), junior Chris Jenemann (18:34), sophomore Ed Coleman (18:36), freshman Joel Melton (18:37), senior Ryan Maus (18:59), junior Sam Fitterer (19:18), sophomore Enoch Johnson (19:30), and sophomore Henry Sweeney (19:31, personal record). Freshman Dan Williams was 11th in 20:02 to join nine of his teammates in the top half of the field.

Also joining Sweeney with personal bests were freshman Henry Coy (27:20) and sophomore Drew Gordon (28:32), while sophomore Gavin Payne ran a season best of 23:54.

Like the girls, the boys also capped a strong 2023 season with the victory:

  • Opened with a 15-49 victory against Great Falls.
  • Second at the Flathead Invitational with 93 points, trailing only Sentinel (66).
  • Second at the Bozeman Invitational with 105 points, trailing West (105).
  • Second at the Butte Invitational with 41 points, just 13 points behind Bozeman.
  • Runner-up at the Mountain West Classic with 75 points, just 24 behind Coeur d’Alene.
  • Won the Great Falls Invitational with 17 points, just two short of a perfect score.
  • Fourth at 7 of 7 with 128 points, despite missing Eli Highness, who was a late call-up to the varsity lineup.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Next up for the Bengals is the state meet in Kalispell on Saturday, Oct. 21. Here’s a look at the state teams.

Boys State Team

  • Henry Sund, junior
  • Milo Kauffman, freshman
  • Elliot Stimpson, junior
  • Dylan Hill, sophomore
  • Jake Matthews, junior
  • Trey Schlepp, senior
  • Ian Rasmann, senior (alternate)
  • Eli Highness, junior (alternate)

Girls State Team

  • Bria Plant, senior
  • Solveig Mohr, junior
  • Sofia Hinderman, senior
  • Kate Lee, sophomore
  • Hadyn Garza, junior
  • Margaret McDonald, junior
  • Ella Irey, junior
  • Alivia Thunstrom, senior (alternate)
  • Caoimhe Gallagher, junior (alternate)

Bengals Cruise at 7 of 7 Behind Collective Effort, Highlighting Depth

Freshman Milo Kauffman posted top placing of the day for the Helena boys, finishing second in the No. 2 race with a personal best of 16:12, helping the Bengals finish second at 7 of 7.

Photo Gallery

Results

On day that left their coaches and supporters gasping for breath as they cheered throughout the day, Helena High’s boys and girls cross country teams got a second wind at the Capital City 7 of 7 on Thursday at Bill Roberts Golf Course.

Helena’s boys finished second in varsity competition and fourth in JV, while the girls rose to sixth in varsity and second in JV. To put those achievements in perspective, all 16 Class AA schools were in a field of competitors that included a total of 52 schools and more than 1,000 finishers – 606 boys and 483 girls in varsity and JV competition combined.

The varsity competition at 7 of 7 features a unique format that pits teams’ No. 1 runners against other teams’ No. 1s, No. 2 runners against other No. 2s, and so on. And the format favors depth, which the Bengals put on full display.

In the boys varsity races, Helena junior Eli Highness, after being elevated from JV as a result of the unfortunate absence of Henry Sund because of illness, got things started with a fifth-place finish in the No. 7 race, clocking in at 17:37. In the No. 6 race, sophomore Garrett Hinderman kept the momentum rolling in fourth place with a time of 17:26, then senior Trey Schlepp (17:17) and junior Jake Matthews (16:52, personal best) did one better in the No. 5 and No. 4 races with third-place finishes. Sophomore Dylan Hill then clocked a 17:05 in the No. 3 race.

After the first five races, the Bengals (19 points) were fourth behind Bozeman (5), Hellgate (16), and Sentinel (17), but freshman Milo Kauffman shifted momentum back to the Bengals and pushed them into second with a runner-up finish in the No. 2 race, posting a personal best of 16:12. Next up for Helena was Elliot Stimpson, standing in for Sund, and the junior rose to the occasion to place 10th, also in a personal best of 16:12 to hold of the West and Sentinel.

Bozeman recorded a perfect score, winning all seven races, while the Bengals posted 21, West finished with 34, Sentinel totaled 39 and Hellgate finished with 49.

Quick side note before we move onto the girls exceptional day, but Stimpson and Kauffman have now finished five of their seven races within 3 seconds of each other.

Sophomore Kate Lee set a personal best in the 5K, but might have established a personal best in smiles as she used support from her teammates to carry her to a runner-up finish in the girls No. 2 race at 7 of 7, helping the Helena girls place sixth in the massive field.

Now, on to the girls, who laid waste to their personal and season bests to post 46 points in sixth place, just three behind Glacier, who benefitted from a third-place finish from their No. 1 runner in the final race of the day. But that did not take the shine of an incredible day for the Helena girls, who competed with focus and courage throughout the day.

Junior Ella Irey opened varsity competition in the No. 7 race with a fifth-place finish in a season best of 21:11. Next, fellow junior Margaret McDonald demolished her lifetime best in the 5K by 34 seconds with a time of 20:42 in fourth place in the No. 6 race.

Sophomore Kate Lee and junior Hadyn Garza took that momentum and rolled with it, posting 33-second personal bests of 20:30 and 20:32 in second place (No. 5) and seventh place (No. 4), respectively. Junior Solveig Mohr then stepped up in the No.3 race with a 13-second lifetime best to place sixth in the No. 3 race with a time of 20:17.

In the penultimate race, senior Sofia Hinderman continued Helena’s strong day, placing eighth in a 17-second personal best of 20:28 to set the stage for Bria Plant, who finished 14th in the No. 1 race with a personal best of 20:16. Plant has led the Bengals in every event this season, an impressive show of consistency and determination.

With finishing times from all 217 varsity girls in the meet combined, the Helena girls all placed among the top 30 percent:  Plant (30th overall, 21st in AA), Mohr (31st overall, 22nd in AA), Hinderman (36th overall, 27th in AA), Lee (40th overall, 30th in AA), Garza (41st overall, 31st in AA), McDonald (50th overall, 34th in AA), and Irey (65th overall, 43rd in AA).

Senior Alivia Thunstrom posted a season best of 21:16 and had the highest JV finish for Helena on Thursday, placing second for the Bengals and helping guide the team to runner-up behind Hellgate.

JUNIOR VARSITY

Perhaps the varsity squad was inspired by their JV teammates, who followed the lead of Alivia Thunstrom.

The senior established herself at the front of the pack and ran a commanding race for a big season best in second place, crossing the finish line in 21:16, just 6 second behind champion Kintla Thomas of Hellgate.

Junior Caoimhe Gallagher and freshman Ellie Coburn followed in top 10 finishes, with Gallagher running a season best of 20:40 in ninth and Coburn posting a massive personal best of 21:21 – a 1:19 improvement over her prior best.

Junior Margot Muszkiewicz continued her incredible consistency, despite recently recovering from illness, placing 22nd in 22:15. And sophomore Emily Davidson locked up Helena’s fifth and final scoring position with a personal best of 22:23 in 27th place.

Sophomore Gabbi LaVoie was Helena’s sixth runner in 29th and sophomore Cooper Judd had another strong showing with a personal best of 22:32 in 31st place as Helena’s seventh runner.

The Bengals finished with 69 points, trailing only Hellgate (36) and edging Bozeman (82).

While the seven already mentioned accounted for the team’s scoring, the Bengals had numerous other big performances from the girls JV team, including an additional five personal bests from freshmen Kelia Gomes, Aven Baker, Esme Soller, and Evie Zimmerman, sophomore Mattie Cullen, and senior Hana Honemann; and a season best from junior Lane Swift.

On the boys side, the JV team may have been without Highness, but still managed an impressive top-five finish behind seniors Ian Rasmann and Ryan Maus, who both placed in the top 10. Rasmann led the charge in 17:29 to place fifth, while Maus followed in a personal best of 17:46 in ninth place.

Freshman Joel Melton improved on his lifetime best to finish 21st in 18:21, then junior Sam Fitterer bettered his PR to place 37th in 19:02. Sophomore Enoch Johnson was next in 70th place with a personal best of 19:27 to cap the Bengals scoring. Helena’s sixth and seventh runners were freshman Dan Williams in 19:29, good enough for 72nd place, and sophomore Finn Morrison in 83rd with a lifetime best of 19:37.

The Bengals finished with 128 points, behind only Sentinel (69), Hellgate (87), and Billings West (109).

Like the girls, the big moves didn’t stop with the top seven as the full team competed incredibly well. Also registering personal bests were freshmen Dane Moser, Asher Hazen, Will Kreissler, Luke Foster, Cole Harris, Micah Langdji, and Henry Coy, and junior Carson Payne. Junior Luke Wilkins chalked up a season best.

The Bengals have a lot to be excited about as they prepare for crosstown Wednesday at Bill Roberts Golf Course, then the state meet on Oct. 21 in Kalispell.

Helena Finds Success on the Hills at Great Falls Invitational

From left, Hadyn Garza, Sofia Hinderman, Bria Plant, Margaret McDonald, Solveig Mohr, Ella Irey, and Kate Lee keep a close seven-runner pack through the first mile of the girls varsity race.

Complete Results

Photo Gallery

A couple points were all that separated the Bengals from a Great Falls Invitational sweep Friday on the demanding Anaconda Hills Golf Course.

Helena High’s junior varsity girls and boys opened the meet with commanding wins, the varsity girls kept the momentum rolling over the hills with a victory in their challenger race and in the combined team scores (all races), and the varsity boys capped a memorable day with a runner-up finish in their challenger race, losing by only two points to Great Falls in the challenger race and just one point in the combined scores.

While the outcomes were impressive, the Bengals left their coaches, family and friends, and other onlookers impressed as they worked in unison, and demonstrated resilience, focus, grit, and patience from the first race to the last, leaving everything on the course and having fun in the shared experience.

As a program, the Bengals have focused on core values of excellence, curiosity, and unity throughout the year, and they shined brightly in all three areas in the Electric City, setting the stage for the return to Helena for the Capital City 7 vs 7 Classic on Thursday, Oct. 5 and Crosstown on Wednesday, Oct. 11.

Led by senior Bria Plant, who seemingly grew stronger with every stride en route to a runner-up finish, the Helena girls posted 32 points, defeating Belgrade (47) and Skyview (52) in the challenger race. When times from all three of the girls varsity challenger races were combined (10 complete teams), Helena came out on top with 49 points, ahead of Skyview (82), Belgrade (93), Capital (101), and CM Russell (114).

Helena’s seven runners ran the first mile in a tight pack to set the stage, then Plant emerged from a large group of runners and chased down the early front-runners, eventually catching and passing Skyview standout Ava Greenwell in the final 400 meters to secure second place (third composite) behind Havre’s Ashlyn Ford. The Havre freshman finished in 20:41 and was also the overall champion in the combined scoring.

Plant finished in 21:07 and was followed by junior Solveig Mohr in sixth (21:34, 9th combined), junior Hadyn Garza in eighth (21:41, 11th combined), senior Sofia Hinderman in 10th (22:07, 16th combined), junior Margaret McDonald in 11th (22:08, 17th combined), junior Ella Irey in 12th (22:13, 18th combined), and sophomore Kate Lee in 14th (22:22, 21st combined).

The Bengals finished with a 1-minute spread between their first and fifth scoring runners, but the incredible growth from last season was the big takeaway. The composite time for Helena’s top five runners (1:48:40) was more than seven minutes faster than their combined time in 2022.

Junior Elliot Stimpson paced the Helena varsity boys in fourth place with a time of 16:45 in Great Falls.

On the boys side, junior Elliot Stimpson paced the Bengals in fourth place, and Helena nearly beat the Great Falls Bison on their home course after a hard-fought battle throughout the race.

Stimpson finished in an impressive 16:45, just off the heels of third-place finisher Caleb Tomac, of Havre. The Great Falls duo of Ryan Harrington and John Spinti went 1-2 in 16:15 and 16:18, respectively. Helena junior Henry Sund and freshman Milo Kauffman were fifth and sixth in 16:51 and 16:59, Bison Conrad Schruth and Ashtyn Rask placed seventh and eighth, and Sentinel’s Tyler Inabnit was ninth. Those nine places from that challenger race also occupied the top nine spots in the combined results.

Next for Helena were junior Jake Matthews in 10th (17:29, 11th combined), sophomore Dylan Hill in 11th (17:54, 17th combined), senior Trey Schlepp in 12th (17:58, 18th combined), and sophomore Garrett Hinderman in 15th (18:13, 25th combined).

Like the girls, the boys posted a strong 1-5 spread at 1:09, and also improved upon their combined time from a year ago by about 4 minutes.

Junior Chris Jenemann leads senior Ian Rasmann around a bend late in the boys JV race, which the Bengals won.

In JV competition, the boys nearly pulled together a perfect score, finishing with 17 points after junior Eli Highness (18:13), senior Ian Rasmann (18:27), junior Chris Jenemann (18:38), and senior Ryan Maus (18:59) swept the top four spots, and freshman Joel Melton claimed seventh place in 19:21. Finishing sixth and seventh for Helena’s JV were junior Sam Fitterer in 26th with a time of 20:12 and sophomore Henry Sweeney in 33rd with a time 20:28.

Like their varsity teammates, the JV boys posted a solid 1-5 spread of 1:07.

Freshman Aven Baker earned Helena’s lone PR on the demanding Great Falls Invitational course with a time of 25:31.

The JV girls also impressed, winning with 51 points and finishing ahead of Havre (77), Skyview (78), West (131) and CM Russell (132) in an 11-team field.

Junior Margot Muszkiewicz led the way in 8th place with a time of 22:59, and was followed by two three-runner packs to cement the team’s top seven.

Freshman Mary Clement, junior Caoimhe Gallagher, and freshman Ellie Coburn placed 10th, 11th, and 12th in identical times of 23:22, and sophomores Emily Davidson, Cooper Judd, and Adela Sund finished 15th, 16th, and 17th in 23:43, 23:47, and 23:48, respectively.

The Bengals’ 1-5 spread was just 44 seconds, and their combined time of 1:56:49 was about 13 minutes faster than the team’s combined time from 2022.

The Bengals are excited to return home over the next two weeks to run on their home turf at Bill Roberts Golf Course, before heading to the state meet Oct. 21 in Kalispell.

For a list of complete results and photos, please use the links at the top of this post.