Central McLean runners compete against state’s best at season-opening meet
Central McLean’s cross country teams opened the 2026 season against some of North Dakota’s top competition, with the Cougar boys placing 41st and the girls finishing 36th in the varsity 5-kilometer races at a large statewide invitational.
The Orriginals Invite took place Aug. 22 at the Parkhurst Recreation Area.
The meet featured many of the state’s largest and most successful programs, including team champions Williston in the boys division and Hillsboro/Central Valley in the girls division.
For the Central McLean boys, eighth-grader Thaddeus Voth paced the Cougars with a time of 21 minutes, 18.9 seconds, good for 144th place overall. Sophomore Gage Ellis followed in 190th place in 23:31.1.
Central McLean finished with 976 team points to place 41st in the boys standings.