Looking Back On Prairie Trail
• Northeast Montana has had notable success in high school cross country, but we sometimes forget that the area showcased the first Class B boys’ champion in Montana history.
Wearing the maroon and gold of the Poplar Indians, senior Tom Atkinson raced past 40 other runners to capture the honor in Billings on Oct. 31, 1964.
Hall of fame mentor Mike Granbois was Atkinson’s coach.
• The Montana High School Association introduced cross country as a fall sport in 1964. All AA and A schools competed in Class A. Class B and C high schools were designated as Class B.
• Atkinson was the lone Poplar runner as he covered the two-mile course in 10:56.3. St. Labre won the team title with 48 points, while the Scobey Spartans totaled 52. Forsyth grabbed third with 102. Lockwood placed fourth with 116 points. Anaconda’s Chet Stodden won the individual Class A title, while Butte Public captured the team trophy.
• The Scobey Spartans, led by coach Clay Dunlap, sported one of the stronger (and larger) teams in northeast Montana in 1964. Members included Ken Solberg, Don Marlenee, Don Paulson, Greg Jackson, Dennis Nieskens, Bryan Jones, Glenn Halverson, John Morrison and Jack Carney.
• In 1964, Coach Dunlap also began a successful junior high program that included Clarence Zieske Jr., Darryl Smith, Steve Carney, Jim Leibrand, Monte Kincannon and Joe Nelson.
• In 1965, the Scobey boys’ team placed third with 57 points, falling behind St Labre’s 45 and the Tongue River Boarding School’s (Busby) 50. In 1966, Larry Person of Poplar took third place individually. Also in 1966, the Scobey boys’ team placed third behind Busby and Simms. In 1967, Scobey was third again, with the Poplar Indians close behind in fourth. The Scobey boys placed fourth in 1968.
• In 1970, Glen Friesen of Frazer left the Class C field in his rearview mirror as he frustrated Moore Bulldog Leo Majerus for the individual laurels.
• Girls’ cross country would not be introduced until 1971 – with AA, A, B, and C classifications.
• In 1973, the Froid Cardinals won the state class C girls’ championship with coach Albert Murdock’s Frazer Bearcubs netting third. Froid’s Debby Jones took second individually, followed by teammate Tammy Bergstrom’s third place. Nadine Blount seized fifth place for the Bearcubs.
• Frazer won the Class C girls’ title in 1977. Top Bearcubs at state were Joanna Spotted Wolf (seventh), Lori Lelis (ninth), Suzie Cunningham (11th), Lisa Todd (12th), Neva Spotted Wolf (13th), Wanda Ackerman (15th), and Julie Todd (16th).
• The Lustre Christian girls also competed at state in 1977 with Valerie Kaufman notching fifth place and Velda Firemoon securing 10th for the Lions.
Jerry Worley is a retired social studies professor. He is currently writing sports history for Montana outlets. He can be contacted at sevendistancedogs@yahoo.com .
