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Blackfeet Race of Legends

April 16, 2018

 

Blackfeet Race of Legends
 
PIKANNI PRESS & NEWSFEED·MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2018
 

Runners of all eras converge on a race of time.

 
Browning runners get ready, get set, GO!
In what was the greatest Cross Country race of all-time, Browning runners from every decade converged onto the prairies of their beautiful homeland and squared off in a digital race in the fields of virtual reality. Both Boys & Girls from the 1970’s, 1980’s, 1990’s, and the 2000’s put their best State times on display. How Browning was able to have such great success in the sport of Cross Country is a topic of great debate. Some say Blackfeet are natural born runners, yet participants of the past ten years have not lived up to those expectations. This team was a force, but were taken for granted by most thinking the Runnin’ Indians’ superiority wasn’t earned, but just merely natural born ablity.
 
 
Merlin Running Wolf State A Champ 75 & 76
It was a three-mile race, so only runners from the three-mile era were invited which was introduced in 1976 to the Boys race and in 1986 for the girls. Several fellow Blackfeet state champion runners from Heart Butte, Arlee, Valier and Cut Bank were also invited to this virtual race. Only a runner’s best State race was counted, so if someone won it multiple times, only their best time was counted.
 
Browning, which has the most hallowed cross country tradition in the State of Montana, both boys and girls, had never put on a virtual race of this kind amongst its legends. Many Browning teams and individuals have been inducted into the Montana High School Athletics Hall of Fame or the Montana Indian Sports Hall of Fame for Cross Country, but never had they got the chance to match their wills against each other. The Boys have 22 titles between 1971 and 2007 and the Girls nine from 1969 and the last one in 1992.
 
Fernandel Omeasoo won four straignt 3 Class A one Class B from 77-80
 
The Indians also had a coach who entered into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in Randy Sheppard with his 15 Boys and 7 girls titles along with 11 runner-ups and three 3rd place trophies. Randy took over for legendary coach Bill Wetzel who moved on to pursue his Superintendent ambitions, but before that had six boys titles with the Indians in Cross Country and one in Boys Basketball.
 
 
In the Boys race, champion male runners competing were: two time champion Merlin Running Wolf 75 & 76, four-time champ Fernandel Omeasoo 77-80, Anthony Horn from 83, two-time champion Joe Croff 91 & 92 and Dustin Whitegrass 93 from Browning. To win the state title in Montana is very prestigious and has not been accomplished many times in the history of Indian Cross Country. In fact, there has not been a single harrier since Whitegrass in 1993 to break the ribbon first for the Indians boys So although the Browning boys have over 20 team titles, they have only managed ten individual titles.
Joe Croff grinning all the way after winning the 91 & 92 State A titles
 
Also joining the champions in the race were runners from the 70’s, Harley After Buffalo, Kevin Tallwhiteman, Gayle Doore and Alvin Oscar. Coming from the 80’s were Sam Doore, Clyde Heavy Runner, Batiste Bostwick Joe Azure, Gary Cross Guns and Tim Sure Chief . Striders from the 90’s included Lyle Omeasoo, Charles Devereaux, Carl Arnoux and Darrell Bird. From the 2000’s Joe Fisher & Jeremy Yellow Owl and the lone gun from the twenty tens, Emerson Connelly. Most of these runners took second or third, but their times stand up to any champion from other eras.
 
To win a team title, it is not necessary to have runners in the top five or even top ten, but it is necessary to have several runners in the top 20. Many of the team titles won in late 90’s and 2000’s were won in this fashion, so that is why this race did not include too many individuals from that era of Browning Cross Country. Many of the titles in the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s were won in dominating fashion with several runners in the top five, including what is still a State Record for the 1975 team who scored a 16 with five runners in the top six, Merlin Running Wolf 1, Harold Roundine 2, George West Wolf 3, Gayle Doore 4 and Alan Laplante 6. In comparison, the last State Championship won by the Indians in 2007, the team score of 76 took the championship with runners placing in 9 11 12 18 26 and 37.
L to R: JR Bremner, Carl Old Person, Terran Guardipee, EJ Aimsback
Finally, the race of legends would not be complete without our fellow Blackfeet runners attending surrounding schools.The list includes four-time Class C champion JR Bremner who was joined by E.J. Aimsback representing Heart Butte. Carl Old Person for Arlee and Terran Guardipee from Great Falls Central rounded out the champions competing in the Blackfeet Race of Legends. These four Blackfeet all won titles and therefore earned a right to compete in this race.
Dustin Whitegrass won the race in 1993 and even made Sports Illustrated
Qualifications for the Blackfeet Race of Legends were one or more of the following...
  • Ran for Browning High School 1976 and after boys and 1986 and after for girls and...
  • Took first through third for Browning at State.
  • Ran a time in three miles of 16:10 or better for boys and under 20 minutes for the girls at the State meet.
  • Blackeet runner who won a state title for another school
  • Ties are broke by best place at state
With that criteria, twenty six boys qualified to run in the Blackfeet Race of Legends. The race was dedicated to George and Molly Kicking Woman who are related to many of the competitors, both boys and girls. At one state meet back in 1979, George & Molly had seven grand children running that day. So with that thought, it is time to reveal the results of the Blackfeet Race of Legends for the boys.
Anthony Horn 1983 Class A Champion

Boys Race of Legends

  1. Dustin Whitegrass* 15:22 (1993)
  2. Fernandel Omeasoo* 15:27 (1980)
  3. Lyle Omeasoo 15:27 (1989)
  4. Anthony Horn* 15:33 (1983)
  5. Sam Doore 15:34 (1982)
  6. Carl Old Person* Arl 15:35 (1994)
  7. Merlin Running Wolf* 15:43 (1976)
  8. Harley After Buffalo 15:44 (1976)
  9. Emerson Connelly 15:44 (2011)
  10. JR Bremner* HB 15:46 (1995)
  11. Joe Croff* 15:48 (1992)
  12. Gayle Doore 15:54 (1976)
  13. Clyde Heavy Runner 15:56 (1980)
  14. Terran Guardipee* GFC 15:58 (2006)
  15. Charles Chaz Devereaux 15:58 (1989)
  16. Jeremy Yellow Owl 16:00 (2005)
  17. Carl Arnoux 16:00 (1989)
  18. Joe Fisher 16:01 (1998)
  19. Gary Cross Guns 16:02 (1986)
  20. Tim Sure Chief 16:04 (1987)
  21. Alvin Oscar 16:06 (1977)
  22. Darrell Bird 16:08 (1994)
  23. Batiste Bostwick 16:09 (1982)
  24. Kevin Tall White Man 16:17 (1978)
  25. EJ Aimsback* HB 17:18 (2003)
  26. Levi Middle Rider (2nd in 1991) GFT archives unavailable for date of race in 1991
* Runner won the State title.All times from three mile race at State in Helena at the Bill Roberts Golf CourseH
 
L to R: Leasha Omeasoo, Mackenzie Sherburne, Carlene Old Person

 

Wasewi Shawl in 2000 breaking that ribbon.

Girls Race of Legends

  1. Carlene Old Person* 18:04 (1986)
  2. Leasha Omeasoo * 18:20 (1987)
  3. Mackenzie Sherburne* 18:39 (1999)
  4. Vanessa Guardipee* Val 18:47 (1989)
  5. Wasewi Shawl* 18:54 (2000)
  6. Lenise Omeasoo* CB 18:56 (2006)
  7. Jessica Sherburne 19:03 (1998)
  8. Hilary Roy 19:05 (1986)
  9. Ralonda Wall 19:07 (2009)
  10. Tammy Horn* HB 19:31 (1990)
  11. Roylene Doore 19:33 (1986)
  12. Michele Calftail 19:43 (1994)
  13. Cheryl Brown 19:59 (1989)
  14. tie- Frances Pepion (1969), Sharon Connelly (1972), Johnna Jordan (1982) and Laura No Runner (1984)- all would have made this list, but could not be included because a three-mile time was never established. Each are great champions for the Lady Runnin’ Indians and deserve recognition on this list, so a four way tie at number 14 is a good compromise.
Lenise Omeasoo won Class B in 2006
 
Vanessa Guardipee won State for Heart Butte in 1989
Participants as shown above for the Lady Runnin’ Indians were champion runners Carlene Old Person- 1986, two-time champ Leasha Omeasoo 87 & 88, Mackenzie Sherburne 1999 and Waswei Shawl from 2000.
Also invited for the Lady Runnin’ Indians were Roylene Doore, Hillary Roy, Cheryl Brown, Michelle Calftail, Jessica Sherburne and Ralonda Wall.
Champion Blackfeet runners that competed for other schools were invited as well, and they are Vanessa Guardipee from Valier, champ in 1989, Tammy Horn from Heart Butte who crossed first in Class C in 1990 and finally the daughter of Leasha Omeasoo, Lenise Omeasoo who competed for Cut Bank and finished first in Class B in 2006.
Many of the runners in this story went on to be successful people, others found a rockier trail, and still others came to the end of the trail way too soon. But regardless of where life’s journey took these runners, one day in time will live on in infinity. Though the great ones are few and far between, their legend will never die.
The Blackfeet Race of Legends is an ongoing race and waiting for more participants. So kids, if you want to live forever, you’ve got to ihkahkimat in whatever you do, because the greatness of Browning Cross Country was earned through blood, sweat and tears, and there’s nothing natural about that.
Tons of research going through the archives of the Great Falls Tribune made this article possible. Please message the page for any individuals who may have inadvertently been left of this list as it can be edited.

Article by Lockley J. Bremner for Pikanni Press