Runners place at Mud Run, win Camel's Back Classic

Mountain Home's girls won the "muddiest team" award during this year's Firth Mud Run Jamboree, which kicked off the team's season Aug. 21.

After opening the season with a third-place effort at the Firth Mud Run Jamboree on Aug. 21, the Mountain Home girls breezed to a big win at the Camel's Back Classic Friday at Camel's Back Park in Boise.

At the Firth Mud Run, the Mountain Home girls won the award for the muddiest team.

Mountain Home had an impressive effort at Camel's Back Park, winning the meet with 22 points. Kuna was a distant second with 65 points, Borah had 95, Emmett 107, Melba 132 and Payette did not have a full team.

Jordan Vivier won the girls meet with a time of 20:21.13. Haley Schaefer was second (22:30.89), Arisha Karen ran third (22:40.19), Kacee Cameron came in fifth (22:59.55) and McKenzie Dorr was ninth (23:38.9).

Ashley Mayberry ran a 24:06.23, Shelby Henrick came in with a time of 24:36.41, Kayle Wheeler ran a 25:09.33 and Alicia Reynolds ran a 28:05.31.

"The girls ran quite well," said Tiger cross country coach Doug Root. "Jordan Vivier was the champion, followed by Haley Schaefer in second, and a freshman, Arisha Karen finished third. All in all, we dominated the competition.

"What's really important to us is two of the teams (Kuna and Emmett) that were third and fourth behind us last year, were way, way, way behind us at this meet. I was really pleased with the way the girls ran. They were outstanding."

Borah won the boys meet at Camel's Back Park, edging Kuna, 52-53. Melba finished third with 90 points, Mountain Home was fourth with 100, Payette had 106 and Emmett had 156 points.

Dylan Johnson led the Mountain Home runners with a time of 18:56.18. Mike Price came in with a 20:08.1, Jake Schaefer ran a 20:26.89, Colby Hall, 20:54.657, Aaron Menhart, 21:05.27, Alex Burke, 21:10.06, Daniel Courtright, 21:17.22, Steven Kreyche, 21:19.57, Taylor Croft, 22:07.67, Andrew Turner, 23:07.08, Cody Ashby, 23:30.63, Andy Croft, 23:53.23, Chris Mitchell, 28:30.95 and Coby Bobzien, 28:38.86.

"The boys finished fourth behind Borah, Kuna and Melba," said Coach Root. "I was impressed with the way our boys ran together. Dylan Johnson, our number one, was a ways out in front, and then Mike Price, a transfer, was our second kid, and Jake Schaefer, a freshman, those two both ran barely over the 20-minute mark.

"Looking at those and the way the kids improved over last year, we had one kid -- Daniel Courtright -- who ran a PR for his first meet this year, compared with what he was running at the very end of last year," the coach added.

The Tigers worked hard over the summer, "and we put seven kids under 22 minutes today," Root said. "I'm real pleased with that, and it gives us a base to work on."

The Tiger cross country team heads to Soda Springs Saturday for the Cardinal Classic for what Coach Root says is a chance to run on what will be the course for the state 4A meet in October.

"We're going over there because, one, my girls are fairly competitive in the state, and I'd like to have them run the state course before we run the state meet," the Mountain Home coach said. "Right now, the ranked teams on idahocrosscountry.net rank our girls third in the state, behind the Bishop Kelly girls and Hillcrest, and right behind us is Twin (Falls), Jerome and Preston. Looking at the website, everybody's going to be there except Bishop Kelly, so it's a good chance to run against some quality competition on the state course."