A phenomenal opening season performance by Sheridan’s Eli Blankenbush highlighted the Kelly Walsh Beartrap Cross Country Invitational on Casper Mountain Friday. Blankenbush finished 1:19 ahead of second-place Noah Blasi of Rawlins in a blistering time of 15:59.21.
Behind his performance, the Sheridan Broncs ran away with the team title.
Riverton head coach Tann Gopp put most of his runners in the junior varsity division, but junior Ridge Reiman had a solid time of 18:21.27, finishing 14th in the varsity division.
The Lander Lady Tigers were fourth in team scoring behind a ninth-place finish by Savannah Taylor.
Lander’s promising freshman Chase Hartpence finished 24th in his first varsity high school meet, and the Tiger boys were sixth overall.
Wyoming Indian had three boys and two girls in the varsity division and didn’t score as a team without a full complement of runners.
Beartrap Invite Boys’ Team Scores:
Sheridan 30, 2. Thunder Basin 71, 3. Kelly Walsh 88, 4. Rawlins 105, 5. Douglas 143, 6. Lander Valley 160, 7. Glenrock 177, 8. Campbell County 182, 9. Pine Bluffs 254
Wyoming Indian Runners: 29. Kaiden Moss, WI 19.29.83, 37. Marley Underwood, 20.26.55, 41. Jordan Black, 20:46.04
Lander Valley Runners: 24. Chase Hartpence 19:09.78, 33. Corbin Eddy 20:12.02, 34. Nathan Morgan 20:14.15, 43, Gilbert White 20:51.12, 44. Weston Zagrodnick 20:52.96, 53. Alex Wise 21:39.07, 55. Bryce Newman 21:46.86
Beartrap Invite Girls’ Team Scores: 1. Kelly Walsh 39, 2. Thunder Basin 41, 3. Sheridan 57, 4. Lander Valley 87, 5. Campbell County 129
Girls Top 10: 1. Lexi Longhurst, 20:27.72, Kelly Walsh; 2. Karsyn Phipps, 21:21.91, Thunder Basin; 3. Melissa McCrave, 21:34.09, Kelly Walsh; 4. Macey Alicke, 21:46.31, Sheridan; 5. Addison Doherty, 22:00.22, Thunder Basin; 6. Elli Ruybal, 22:05.37, Sheridan; 7. Kenzie Kriz, 22:08.61, Douglas; 8. Carlee Roth, 22:08.64, Thunder Basin; 9. Savannah Taylor, 22:14.02, Lander Valley; 10. Rylee Tromble, 22:21.59, Kelly Walsh
Lander Valley Runners: 9. Savannah Taylor, 22:14.02, 16. Dempsey Sullivan, 22:47.03, 21. Abigail Jubber, 23:26.64, 30. Ella Joyes, 24:26.42, 32. Nora Strike, 24:29.54, 44. Kiera Big Knife, 26:35.68, 52. Elle Aragon, 29:57.16
Wyoming Indian Runners: 26. Dai’Onna Posey, 23:52.23, 39. Feather Spoonhunter, 25:42.28