Rangers open cross country season with tribute

The Hill City Rangers cross country team opened its season Friday competing at the Douglas Early Bird Cross Country Meet.

While Friday marked the beginning of another cross country season for the Rangers, the words written across their shoulders served as a reminder that they were running for something bigger than a time or place.

In a heartfelt tribute to lost teammate, senior Barrett Bush, members of the team wrote, “Run for Barrett” across their shoulders before taking the starting line.

Carrying his memory with them, the Rangers got their season underway with several strong individual performances and plenty of promise for the season ahead.

“It was a tough start to the season,” said head coach Joe Noyes. “They wanted to honor their teammate and carry on his memory and his toughness. That just shows how awesome of kids we have.”

The varsity girls were led by sophomore Hadley Walker, who turned in a eighth-place finish in the 5K with a time of 22:37.8.

Senior Aspen Veneklasen followed close  behind, placing 12th with a time of 23:10.7. Junior Aliyah Peters crossed the finish line in the middle of the pack with a 14th place finish, running a 23:49.9 while junior Phoebe Bentley-Buschur rounded out Hill City’s top four with a 21st-place finish in 24:41.10.

“It was a small race, but they all competed and had a nice day,” said Noyes.

On the boys side, sophomore John Titus “J.T.” Isakson placed sixth for the Rangers running his lifetime best of 17:31.0 with junior Jeremiah White right behind with a seventh-place finish, stopping the clock at 18:07.4.

Senior Cameron Conaway finished in 37th place with 25:51.5.

Hill City’s junior varsity runners also made their mark with seventh grader Nora Moss finishing first for the girls and eighth grader Soren Farrar winning it for the boys.

“Everybody was trying to give a solid effort and trying to be that best version of themselves,” said Noyes.

Next up for the Rangers is the Northern Hills Invitational Cross Country Meet in Spearfish Sept. 4, starting at 9 a.m.