ORDER GAME PHOTOS
Photo: Century's Ethan Hansen (right) and Ammon Bitton (left) compete at last year's 5A State Cross Country Meet. (Courtesy of Marlowe Hereford)
Welcome to the third year of Breaking the Tape, which will publish weekly each Thursday throughout cross country season.
I can hardly believe it, but this is my 14th season of covering high school cross country in Idaho. The sport continues to grow nationally and in the Gem State with each passing year, so much so that this coach's daughter and former high school runner remains humbled, grateful and often stunned in the best way possible for the moments I have been able to witness. This weekly notebook has brought me so much joy the previous two seasons, and I am continually grateful to IdahoSports for the opportunity to write about my old sport for their website. I am also thankful to the coaches and runners for being so generous and willing to share their time with me. Without you, this would not be possible. I hope to meet and speak with even more of you this fall.
September has arrived, and with it are numerous dates on the calendar worth circling. Most Idaho runners already have two to three meets under their belts thus far into the season, and there is much to share as the bigger invitational meets approach this month.
Two Idaho Teams Make Regional Rankings, Nike Cross Nationals Shares Big News
The Rocky Mountain girls and the Coeur d'Alene boys each claimed the No. 3 spot in Dyestat.com's early season Northwest Regional girls and boys team rankings released Sept. 3. Boise, Mountain View and Timberline were among the 10 Northwest girls teams to watch. Rocky Mountain has been to Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) the previous two seasons, winning Nike Cross Regionals Northwest (NXR) in 2024, while Coeur d'Alene won back-to-back NXR Northwest boys titles in 2023 and 2024. Additionally, Rocky Mountain and Coeur d'Alene each graduated one from their seven runners who competed at last year's state meet and NXR.
On September 4, Nike shared an announcement pertaining to this year's NXN qualifications. The New York regional meet will be discontinued and instead combined with the Northeast regional meet this season, with two automatic team bids available for NXN. Additionally, six at-large teams per gender will be selected nationwide for NXN this year, as well as up to five individual at-large bids. Previously, four at-large teams were selected nationwide. Nike Cross Nationals will take place Dec. 5 in Portland. NXR Northwest, the regional meet Idaho teams and individual runners compete in for the opportunity to qualify for NXN, takes place Nov. 21 in Spokane.
Early Season Leaders
Rigby senior Jonas Porter and Eagle freshman Adalyn Bello are the fastest boy and girl in Idaho as of Sept. 8.
The defending 6A District 4-5-6 individual champion, Porter is the first Idaho boy this season to break 15:30, having recorded a 15:21.3 to win the Centennial Course XC Invite on Aug. 28 in Pocatello. Most recently, Porter placed third in 16:01.1 to help Rigby win the varsity boys title with 62 points on Sept. 5 at the annual Cardinal Classic at Kelly Park in Soda Springs. Century seniors Ammon Bitton (15:46.3) and Ethan Hansen (15:47.9) went 1-2 in the varsity boys race.
Bello is one of three Idaho girls to break 18:30 so far this season, recording a personal best 18:27.4 to win the 24th Caldwell Twilight on Sept. 3. She is 2-for-2 so far with victories in her first high school season. Rocky Mountain senior Brooke Thompson and Twin Falls senior Raelee Richardson, who placed second and third at the 24th Caldwell Twilight in respective times of 18:27.96 and 18:28.30, are the other two sub-18:30 Idaho girls thus far.
On The Horizon
The annual Tiger-Grizz Invitational co-hosted by Idaho Falls and Skyline takes place Friday at Freeman Park in Idaho Falls. As of Sept. 8 on athletic.net, there are 51 high school teams registered.
Up north, the Timberlake Invitational takes place Saturday at Farragut State Park, east of Athol. As of Sept. 8 on athletic.net, there are 31 high school teams registered.