Weiser girls claim District cross country crown

by Nicole Miller

 The Wolverines cross country team competed in Fruitland at the 2021 3A Dist. III Championship on Tuesday, Oct. 19. The Wolverines came out on top with Parma placing second. 

 Coach Scott Hale said his team had been looking forward to the race all season.

 The prediction going into the race was that while Weiser would take the second, third, and fourth place spots individually, Parma would edge out Weiser for the first-place spot as a team, so everyone knew that it would be up to Weiser’s fourth, fifth, and sixth runners to run their best race for the Wolverines to win. 

 “Kendall, Kylee, and Kailee have been taking care of business all year, but I knew going into the meet that the entire team would have to step up,” Hale said. “Sarah and Libbie getting the best times of their lives at this particular meet really sealed the deal for our team.”

 Senior Emma Hillam of Fruitland took the top individual spot with a time of 18:28.90. 

 Junior Kylee Quinton finished in second place with a time of 19:54.50, followed by Wolverine freshman Kailee Lerew who recorded a time of 20:20.59. Sophomore Kendall Rynearson finished fourth in 20:28.29. Freshman Sarah Henderson set a personal record by almost a full minute to finish in 11th place with a time of 22:11.92. Senior Libby Rynearson also set a personal record coming in 15th place with a time of 22:47.8. Also in the top 25 from Weiser, senior Kiearra Hoobery finished with a time of 24:04.14. 

 In the boys’ side of the race, the Wolverines came in fourth as a team, with Fruitland taking the top honors. Weiser’s fastest runner, Charlie Woods, placed 20th with a PR of 19:34.7. Senior Colton Foster finished with a season’s best time of 19:45.1. Junior Aarron Despain finished with a time of 20:44.54. Eli Woods also finished with a PR of 20:54.4. Mason Davis finished in 22:50.9. 

 The Weiser Wolverine girls’ team is now looking forward to the Idaho State Cross Country championship at Eagle Island State Park on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 9 a.m. 

 “The girls are excited, especially to run against the best in the state,” Hale said.