Steckelberg top 10s, women have season-best day at LC State Invitational

Saturday, October 19

Lewiston, Idaho

10:45 AM (MT)

Montana

LC State Invite

Steckelberg top 10s, women have season-best day at LC State Invitational

10/19/2024 2:45:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

Men's Results Women's Results

By: Montana Sports Information

Carson Steckelberg finished in the top 10 of a competitive field at the Lewis-Clark State Invitational on Saturday afternoon as both Grizzly teams finished in seventh place overall. The Grizzly women had a great day, setting eight new personal-best times in their third 5K race of the season.

The only runner that didn't set a PR was Iris McKean, but the junior missed out by just a few seconds and finished as Montana's top runner of the day in a season-best run. Head coach Doug Fraley and the team were excited to run on the course that has been fast in previous years, and they made the most of it on Saturday.

"It was a really good showing from our women. Those were the best times they've run all year, and it was great to see Iris lead us," Fraley said. "She's been coming off an illness and it was a really good rebound for her to run a season-best and lead the team."

Steckelberg led Montana's men for the second straight race, running his best-ever 8K time in 24:23. Steckelberg came in 7^th overall in a loaded field that included three Big Sky opponents, Gonzaga, and Washington State.

He created a large gap between himself and the rest of the Montana squad as the next finisher was Zachary Giesch in 44^th. Giesch had his best finish of the season, and was followed closely across the line by Henry Ballinger and Luke Mest in 45^th and 46^th, respectively.

"Carson has really been at the top for us all year and just seems to be getting better with each race," Fraley said. "I'm really excited for him getting ready for the conference meet. It was a really good time he ran today and it's excellent to get a top 10 in that field."

McKean was the top Grizzly female, and she was followed six seconds later by Shay Pederson. It was a new best time for the junior, and was also her highest finish of the year as the second Grizzly across the line.

The young women's team had an impressive day, as freshmen Heidi Olson and Libby Hartz finished in third and fourth for Montana with times of 18:25 and 18:34. In their third 5K races as Grizzlies, both set their new PR times and finished 45^th and 51^st overall in the meet.

Abigail Case and Abigail Kotran, another pair of newcomers that have combined to lead Montana at all four races this year, came in fifth and sixth on Saturday. The duo ran their best 5K times of the season, exemplifying the improvements that the whole team made.

Olivia Coll (65^th), Sofia Hinderman (70^th), and Ashtyn Wagner all ran their best 5K times as Grizzlies as well.

The men finished in seventh as a team. A couple of Grizzlies that have been toward the top of the results this year were held back on Saturday for precautionary reasons. There were just six Grizzlies in action, as Colin Shaules (58^th) and Morgan Amano (67^th) rounded out the finishers.

Montana will next head to the Big Sky Championships in Pocatello, Idaho in two weeks' time. The young Grizzlies have made progress throughout the season and look to be in their best form of the year on the women's side going into the most important meet.

"I'm really pleased with how the women are coming together at this point. I think they are ready to go to the Big Sky meet and run well as a group, which is exciting given how young they are. I think for the guys it's the same thing. We're really young, but we will hopefully come together and have our best performance of the season in Pocatello in two weeks."

Women's Results
1. Iris McKean (39^th, 18:14)
2. Shay Pederson (41^st, 18:20*)
3. Heidi Olson (45^th, 18:25*)
4. Libby Hartz (51^st, 18:34*)
5. Abigail Case (52^nd, 18:36*)
6. Abigail Kotran (55^th, 18:40*)
7. Olivia Coll (65^th, 18:59*)
8. Sofia Hinderman (70^th, 19:09*)
9. Ashtyn Wagner (75^th, 19:14*)

Men's Results
1. Carson Steckelberg (7^th, 24:23*)
2. Zachary Giesch (44^th, 25:36)
3. Henry Ballinger (45^th, 25:38)
4. Luke Mest (46^th, 25:39)
5. Colin Shaules (58^th, 26:17)
6. Morgan Amano (67^th, 26:43)

*Denotes PR

Men's Team Scores
1. Eastern Washington – 38
2. Gonzaga – 72
3. Idaho – 84
4. Idaho State – 92
5. Lewis-Clark – 108
6. Washington State – 135
7. Montana – 150
8. Montana Western - 249

Women's Team Scores
1. Boise State – 31
2. Idaho – 59
3. Eastern Washington – 69
4. Washington State – 111
5. Gonzaga – 115
6. Idaho State – 123
7. Montana – 198
8. Lewis-Clark – 208
9. Montana Western - 283