Tiger runners tackle Centipede race

The Mountain Home Tigers cross country team ran at the Steven Thompson Memorial Centipede Race at the Western Idaho Fairgrounds in Boise last Wednesday.

The boys finished ninth and the girls 10th in team standings.

The Centipede Race has the seven members of each team tied together for the first 2.2 miles, then the rope is dropped and the runners run the final portion of the race as individuals.

Eagle won the girls race with 31 points. Bishop Kelly was a distant second with 72 points, Centennial was next with 73, Rocky Mountain 104, Boise 108, Capital 151, Kuna 205, Middleton 227, Timberline 249, Mountain Home 275 and Nampa 350.

Sarah Richins led the Mountain Home girls, finishing 46th with a time of 22:20.76, just ahead of Keesha Janis-Gibson, who came in at 22:22.04. Shelby Henrick was 58th (23:13.96), Arisha Karren 61st (23:45.92), Arial Groene 63rd with a 23:49.64 that was a new PR for her, Kacee Cameron was 65th (24:14.41) and Shalonda Reed finished 67th (24:42.05 -- also a new PR).

Rocky Mountain won the boys competition with 27 points, Boise was second with 47, Eagle third with 58, followed by Bishop Kelly at 103, Centennial with 145, Kuna had 149, Capital scored 195, Middleton was 262, Mountain Home finished with 276, Nampa 303 and Timberline 356.

Mike Price led the Tiger boys, finishing 46th in a time of 18:29.28. Taylor Croft came in 55th (19:00.46), Peyton Cline 57th (19:08.95 -- a new PR), Steven Kreyche 58th (19:10.38 -- a new PR), Andy Croft 60th (19:13.41 -- new PR), Jon Dodge 63rd (19:17.41),and Daniel Courtright, was 67th (19:40.37).

"This race is unique in that the seven runners are tied together for the first 2.2 miles of the race and then with a little less than a mile to the finish, they drop the rope and race as individuals," said Tiger cross country coach Doug Root. "This helps the slower members. It is a great event for team building."

Aundrea Dickenson led the Mountain Home girls in the JV race, coming in 110th with a time of 28:03.01. Alicia Reynolds was 117th (28:23.66), Tracy Gordon 133rd (29:42.27) and Erika Cook 139th (29:55.48 -- a new P.R.).

Nolan Pasqualetti led the Mountain Home boys in the JV race, finishing 212th in a time of 24:06.11. Cody Ashby finished 219th (24:47.90), Connor McCellanwas 221st (24:53.19 -- a new PR), Andrew Turner 228th (25:20.96), D.J. Johnson 251st (28:35.25) and Cody Price 253rd (28:35.25).

The Tigers will run at the Bob Firman Invitational at Eagle Island State Park on Saturday, Sept. 24.