Standard-setting Braves: Boise High sets Idaho record at national cross country meet
The Boise High girls cross country team has raised the bar for Idaho all season. The nationally ranked Braves set it even higher Saturday, finishing 10th at the Nike Cross Country Nationals in Portland, the best finish by any Idaho club — boys or girls — at the national team championship.
The state’s previous best finish was by the Coeur d’Alene girls, who were 14th in 2012.
Maggie Liebich paced the Braves at 18 minutes, 11.6 seconds in 58th place. Mikella Tobin (69th, 18:20.5), Rosina Machu (103rd, 18:49.3), Eve Jensen (119th, 19:01.4) and Molly Elliott (155th, 19:28.9) rounded the scoring effort for Boise.
The national finish caps a dominating season for Boise, which won every meet it entered during the high school season, including Bob Firman and Arizona’s Nike Desert Twilight Festival. The district and state champions took third at the Northwest regional meet, forcing it to rely on an at-large berth to nationals. But the Braves proved they deserved a spot in the race with their 10th place at nationals.
Twin Falls junior Mattie Geddes was Idaho’s top finisher in ninth place in the girls race at 17:28.3, and Stetson Moss, a junior at Idaho Falls’ Thunder Ridge, was Idaho’s top finisher in 11th place in the boys race at 15:13.11.
Borah sophomore Nathan Green led the Treasure Valley contingent with his 18th-place finish in the boys race at 15:20. Eagle junior Ashley LaJoices topped the Valley’s girls in 47th place at 18:03.
THREE IDAHOANS QUALIFY FOR FOOT LOCKER
Mountain View’s Lexy Halladay, Bishop Kelly’s Nick Russell and Idaho Falls’ Zach Erikson all punched their tickets to the Foot Locker Cross Country National Finals on Saturday in San Diego.
All three finished inside the Top 10 at the west regional over the weekend to earn a spot at the nation’s oldest cross country race for individuals. Russell took third in the boys race at 15:35.3 and Erickson 10th at 15:48.7. Halladay finished fourth in the girls race at 18:11.
This story was originally published December 3, 2018 at 3:09 PM.