by Sports Editor Scott DCamp
Thief River Falls eighth grader Curtis Griffin made his 2023 season debut Thursday by winning the 2023 TRF Sports Booster Invitational. Griffin posted a blistering 5K time of 17:43.56 that didn’t seem to be affected by the strong wind.
“Curtis Griffin took first place in the boys varsity race by 12 seconds over East Grand Forks’ Hunter Jordheim, who has been a top runner for the Green Wave,” said Thief River Falls Head Coach Natasha Reierson. “Curtis has cut over a minute off his career PR. He looks to try to cut 3-5 seconds weekly and see what we can do at the end of the season. He has goals and we are going to try to help him accomplish them.”
The Prowlers’ most experienced runner coming into the season, William MacLean, is out with an injury. Filling in as the number two runner for the Prowlers is his younger brother Colin, who finished 14th Thursday with a time of 19:29.
Lincoln Davis ran in the number three spot for the Prowlers, finishing 22nd with a time of 21:10.
“Colin MacLean and Lincoln Davis are running great and have cut a lot of time from last year as well as the rest of the varsity boys team,” Reierson said.
Rounding out the finishers for the Prowler boys team were Briley Olsonawski, who made his season debut with a 28th place finish; Eli Nelson in 31st; Wyatt Novak in 38th; and Dylan Lane finishing 39th.
The Prowlers could have a one-two punch with Griffin and William MacLean later this season. They have a similar arrangement on the girls team with Livia Harbott and Elory Mossestad both pushing the top runners. Harbott finished fourth Thursday with a time of 21:49 and Mossestad finished sixth with a time of 22:04.
“Livia Harbott and Elory Mossestad continue to be the top runners for the girls team, with Ashlyn Nelson and Ruby Geiser right behind,” Reierson said.
Nelson and Geiser finished 25th and 27th, respectively. Rounding out the finishers for the Prowler girls team were Kayla Peterson, 34th, Sophia Eidsmoe, 39th, and Aliyah Novak, 43rd.
Hawley swept the team championships. The Nuggets won the boys race with three top-10 finishes and they claimed the girls race with all five scoring runners finishing in the top 10.
The Prowler boys team finished third behind Griffin’s win, while the girls team finished fourth.
Reierson was pleased with her team’s performance overall in spite of the tough conditions.
“In the wind, we still had three career PR’s, Claire Schuster, Wyatt Novak and Dylan Lane.”
Results
Girls Varsity
• Top 5 – 1. Olson, Lily Hawley 21:09.48; 2. Arntson, Ella Riverside Christian 21:19.35; 3. Baer, Trista Hawley XC 21:39.66; 4. Harbott, Livia Thief River Falls 21:49.26; 5. Tickel, Ivy Hawley XC 21:54.97.
• TRF places – 4. Livia Harbott 21:49; 6. Elory Mossestad 22:04; 25. Ashlyn Nelson 25:05; 27. Ruby Geiser 25:16; 34. Kayla Peterson 27:16; 39. Sophia Eidsmoe 29:24; 43. Aliyah Novak 17:42.
• Team scores – 1. Hawley XC 25; 2. Warroad 71; 3. Thief River Falls 75; 4. West Marshall 89; 5 Fertile-Beltrami 112.
Boys Varsity
• Top 5 – 1. Griffin, Curtis Thief River Falls 17:43.56; 2. Jordheim, Hunter East Grand Forks 17:58.95; 3. Sundby, Josiah Riverside Christian 18:13.21; 4. Larson, Bridger Hawley XC 18:13.37; 5. Hanson, Rylan Riverside Christian 18:27.39.
• TRF places – 1. Curtis Griffin 17:43; 14. Colin MacLean 19:29; 22. Lincoln Davis 21:10; 28. Briley Olsonawski 22:07; 31. Eli Nelson 22:48; 38. Wyatt Novak 23:18; 39. Dylan Lane 23:48.
• Team scores – 1. Hawley XC 38; 2. East Grand Forks 52; 3. Riverside Christian 61; 4. Thief River Falls 88; 5. Warroad 134; 6. Red Lake County 165.
Girls Junior High
• Winner – 1. Jovie Marshall, Hawley XC 12:58.90.
• TRF places – 22. Claire Schuster 18:14; 55. Claire Munter 18:31.
Boys Junior High
• Winner – 1. Bauer Walter, East Grand Forks, 13:31.
• TRF places – 7. Toby Sobotta 13:40; 16. Gabrial Paulson 14:54; 21. Allen Smith 17:04; 24. Raynee Bruggeman 17:22; 29. Sade Nelson 19:47; 33. Jaxen Larson 21:03; 34. Paxton Wilson 22:12.