Ennis boys bring home the school’s first ever class B state cross country medal

The Ennis Mustangs boys cross country team brought home a second place finish from the Class B cross country championship in Missoula on Oct. 25. It was the first class B cross country medal in the school’s history. 

“What a great state meet it was for the Mustangs, both the boys' and girls' teams!” exclaimed head coach Lindsey Graden as she expressed her enthusiasm for the performance of her team. 

“For the first time, Ennis fielded a full boys’ team in the Class B competition,” she said before describing their mindset heading into the state meet. “They knew they didn’t need to set personal bests, but that each runner needed to deliver a solid race. All five point earners finished within 32 seconds of one another, placing them between 19th and  34th place overall out of 203 runners in their race. That tight grouping shows a team of strong unified runners.”

Her praise was deserved for the boys team, but she saved plenty for the girls team as well who reached their own milestones. 

“The girls also had a strong showing, finishing 10th overall. It was a milestone for the program and to my knowledge,the first time our girls' team has cracked the top ten,” she stated. 

While on the outside coaching cross country may seem easy, Graden has worked towards mastering the subtleties of coaching an endurance sport since she took over the program in 2023. 

“Cross country is a sport of consistency and endurance; It's not like other sports where you can shake up practice with a variety of skill drills to enhance the fundamentals. All of our practices are running,” she explained. 

“There are several challenges to overcome in cross country,” she continues. “In the early-season, training often means running long distances in 90-degree heat. We try to shake things up by running different routes and types of workouts to stay motivated through the daily grind.”

While the simplicity with which Graden sees the sport may be one of her greatest strengths, assistant coach Cory Hardy describes her abilities in a less understated way. 

“I am enamored with the research and mental energy that she (Graden) has put into the program,” Hardy expresses. “She is fulfilling her calling and leads the kids implementing her professional planning skills. She speaks both confidently and knowledgeably about her knowledge of running and instills additional drive in all of the kids.”

Hardy had a hands-on view of the team's accomplishment and minced no words in describing the power of what he saw after the team crossed the finish line at state. 

“I saw tears of joy streaming from both parents and kids,” said Hardy. “It was so fun to watch the kids take turns wielding the trophy and taking photos and even carrying it up and down the bus aisle, caressing it as they walked.”

While Graden no doubt enjoyed the moment, she points back to the team when she discusses what led to their success. 

“Although our season didn't officially start until mid August, our team committed to taking time out of their busy summer work schedules to run together twice a week starting in June.  Logging those early base miles and building aerobic capacity early on is critical,” she explained. 

With the school’s first ever class B state medal under their belt, the future of the program is nothing but bright for Graden and her crew. 

“Looking ahead, the Mustangs’ future looks bright,” she began. “Of the seven boys who competed at state, only one senior will graduate, leaving a strong core of returning boys and hardworking underclassmen ready to move up. The girls say farewell to three seniors but have an eager group of younger girls ready to keep the momentum going.”

After relishing the accomplishments of the 2025 season, Graden and her team will begin the 2026 season as favorites to compete for a state championship, which will bring a whole new set of challenges.