A Service of The Arrow             Friday September 29, 2000

   Despite flash floods, a migraine headache, and a lack of sleep, the Flathead Braves cross-country team overcame many hardships, proving how tough they were by placing fourth overall in the elite Race of Champions in Charlotte, N.C.

   The Braves finally got the chance to compete against the teams to which they have been compared over the pastcouple seasons

   "We had kind of been known as the team from Montana," says senior David Vidal. "I think we proved ourselves."

   Eighth place finisher Vidal led the Braves team by coming with a time of 15: 26. Seth Watkins (senior) and Kurt Michels (junior) were 11th and 35th with times of 15:35 and 16:10. Other Flathead runners included Caleb Ambrose (sophomore), 70th in 16:43, Eric Bundy (senior), 95th in 17:05, Tim Denney (junior), 120th in 17:29, and Brian Thorne (sophomore), 164th in 18:27.

   "The whole team came together and did what they needed to do," said Michels.

   The boys were not the only ones competing at a national level last weekend. Two Bravette runners, junior Julia McKinnon and sophomore Andrea Foot, competed in the open race.

   McKinnon finished ninth with a time of 20:49 and Foot ended up 23rd in 21:55

   "I was happy with my race," said McKinnon. "My goal was not to get out kicked and I didn’t."

   "I’ve improved from last year and had been leading up to this race," said Foot.

   This race was no easy task, though. with a mile of the race left, Watkins came down with a migraine headache.

   ‘I was half blind," said Watkins. "I don’t think it changed my overall performance, though."

   The day before, as the runners were testing out the course, Flathead runners found themselves running through a flashflood that did not let up until the majority of the course was flooded with ankle deep water.

   The start of the race had to be moved up fifty meters because that part of the course was in such poor shape.

   "There was mud flying all over the place," said Watkins "It was pretty cool."

   Due to the weather, Saturday’s race was postponed for three hours.

   "I was really nervous before the race," said Michels. "I was kind of psyched out by the time the race started."

   This is the second year for the Great American Cross Country Festival and it has already been said to be "the best ever assembly of teams in any high school sports."

   There were over 170 racers in the Race of Champions, which the Braves competed in, and more than 3,000 athletes all together.

   Though the Braves are mostly heard of, and not seen, by teams outside of Montana, they also got the chance to race against tenth-ranked Mount Spokane in the Flathead Invitational on Sept. 9. The Braves came out on top against them.

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