Townsend has a new state champion!
Author: MT43 News Sports Reporter
MT43 News Sports Reporter
Junior Kyla Meissner won the Class B Cross-Country state championship this past Saturday in Missoula. She took the lead before the first turn and didn’t look back, clocking a time of 19:32, twenty seconds ahead of her closest competitor, Della Sebring from Manhattan.
Kyla’s state title was the culmination of a great season beginning with back-to-back wins at the Jefferson Opener and Pony Meet. Her seventh-place finish at the prestigious Mountain West Classic earned her the Benefis Athlete of the week, chosen by the Independent Record.
The Headwaters Invitational was her first time clocking in the 18s and another win. The Helena Crosstown was the perfect ending to the season, where she claimed victory with her personal best time of 18:19, which is a new Broadwater High School record.
After the state race, Kyla reflected in an interview, “I kept getting second place (at state) and mentally, that’s a tough place to be. I have been working super-duper hard in practice and in meets, so this first place means a lot to me.”
Kyla placed second at state during her sophomore year with the sixth fastest time ever at a state meet in Class B behind Plain’s Marina Tulloch, earning her the Helena Independent Record’s All-Area Cross Country Female Runner of the Year. She struggled with hip pain during her freshman campaign but toughed out an all-state performance, landing her ninth on the podium.
This past June, Kyla won the 5k at the Governor’s Cup in Helena. She also runs distance on the BHS track team in the spring, where she is reigning Class B champion at 3200 meters. She was the runner-up at 1600 meters and was second at both distances during her freshman year.
Reflecting on her season, Kyla was mindful of those around her. “Thank you to my family, my coach, my team, my friends and loved ones who came to support me on Saturday and this season. I couldn’t be more thankful to have you in my life.”
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PhotoCredit: Broadwater Sports Reporter
Image 1 Caption: Kyla getting her first-place medal
Photo Credit: Broadwater Sports Reporter
Image 2 Caption: Cross Country Seniors
Photo Credit: Broadwater Sports Reporter
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