Hanusa earns runner-up finish in JV race

The Rocky Mountain High School cross country team traveled to Worland on Friday to compete on one of the fastest courses in the state. Warm afternoon temperatures and a light breeze made for good running conditions, and several Grizzlies turned in season-best performances.

On the girls side, Coach Tim Jones was pleased with the solid efforts as Evynn Alvarez ran a strong race to place 24th in the JV division with a time of 28:50. Ellie Alvarez also reached a milestone, breaking the 30-minute barrier for the first time this season and finishing 31st in 29:59.

The boys JV race brought more highlights. Freshman Rowan Hanusa continued to shine, placing second overall in 19:45 and breaking 20 minutes for the first time. Ethan Haslem improved his personal best, finishing 27th in 22:08. Grant Weierman also ran his fastest race of the season, crossing the line 65th in 39:00.

Coach Jones noted the team’s progress and the need to keep building consistency.

“We need to work on maintaining concentration throughout the entire race,” he said. “It takes practice to improve on your focus, but we’re getting a little better every week.”

Up next for the Grizzlies is the Brittany Rentas Memorial Cross Country Invitational in Wright on Saturday, a meet that will provide the opportunity to race against schools from across the eastern side of the state. High school races begin at noon.