Cats take state title

Last Saturday Columbia Falls cross country coach Richard Menicke listened intently to the placing announcements at the end of the state championship meet.

He knew his boys has done well on the Missoula course, but he wasn't sure how well. The team scores were called out: 15th … Park … 10th … Belgrade … and down the line to fourth and then third and still, Columbia Falls hadn't been called.

And then they called out the second place team: Browning.

And Menicke smiled.

He'd just coached his first state championship cross country team.

"It was an amazing feeling of joy and relief," he said. "I couldn't be happier for this group of boys. They're great young men with a lot of talent. They've been a pleasure to be around."

The Wildcats put four runners in the top 11 places. Pascal Jessat, a key fifth runner, took 37th place, good enough to give the team its first-ever state title.

Senior Shawn Whitman placed fourth to lead the team with a time of 16:29.04, followed by sophomore Derrick Williams, in fifth with a 16:30.77. Senior Patric Jessat, fighting off a side cramp, took seventh, 16:36.89, and Justin Whitman took 11th at 16:45.37.

But it was Pascal Jessat who made up 20 seconds in the race to put the team over the top, Menicke said.

Menicke said he stayed with Pascal through the race, encouraging him to keep pushing.

"I give him a lot of credit," Menicke said. Pascal's time was 17:34.57, but more importantly, it put Columbia Falls just ahead of two Browning runners.

The win was just as sweet for seniors Jessat and Whitman.

"It felt great," Patric said. "I'm really proud of my team and I wish the boys good luck in the years ahead."

"It was awesome," Shawn said. "It was a good year to win state."

Both Whitman brothers and Williams sported mohawks for the event.

The future looks bright for the program. Though Patric and Shawn will graduate, the rest of the team will return. Williams is a sophomore.

Rounding out the scoring for the Cats was senior Joe Gross who took 50th with a time of 17:52.69, and Kodiak Gimbel who took 83rd with a time of 18:24.26.

Joey Vaughn of Belgrade won the race, with a time of 16:05.88.