It is shaping up to be a very special season for the Green Canyon girls cross country team. Saturday the Wolves accomplished another first in the program’s history. Green Canyon captured the Bob Firman Cross Country Invitational Elite Girls Division title, which was contested in Boise, Idaho.
“It was awesome,” GC head coach Aubrey Bracken said. “..
. It was a hot and dusty course, and the girls had to work for it.” There were 17 teams in the elite division.
The Wolves narrowly edged Boise High School, 103 to 105. “They beat Boise by only two points,” Bracken said. “It was definitely a challenge, but the girls were up for it today.
” Taking first keeps the Wolves perfect on the season. They have not finished out of the top spot in any competition they have run in so far during the 2024 season. Saturday was by far the strongest field Green Canyon has run against.
The Bob Firman Invitational draws schools from at least six states. There are four divisions for varsity races with 103 teams. Some schools do enter two categories.
In the elite girls race, seniors Hailey Shakespear and Charlotte Felt went out strong and stayed with the front group. Shakespear finished eighth, crossing the finish line in 18 minutes, 20 seconds. The winner was from Union and clocked in at 17:39.
Felt was 15th in 18:33. While having Shakespear and Felt up among the top 15 was key, it takes five runners for a team score. Chelsea Shakespear was 26th (19:03), Hadlie Ballard was 53rd (19:46) .