Lake County runners shine at Missoula Marathon
Quinn, Morgan and Jason Delaney each won and set course records for their age groups at last weekend's Missoula Marathon – Quinn in the half-marathon and her sister and dad in the full marathon. (Courtesy photo)
Lake County runners delivered standout performances at the 2025 Missoula Marathon and associated races over the weekend, with top finishes from athletes young and old across multiple events.
In the full marathon, Polson’s Jason Delaney and his daughter Morgan Delaney ran to impressive placements in the 26.2-mile race. Jason, competing in the 45–49 age division, clocked a time of 2:35:01, finishing fourth overall and first in his age group. His daughter Morgan, a rising standout, broke the three-hour barrier with a time of 2:58:24, placing 45th overall and taking first place in the 19-and-under division.
The half marathon featured a number of high-achieving runners with ties to Mission, Polson, and Ronan. Former Ronan standout Jackson Duffey, a 2022 graduate of Rocky Mountain College, placed third overall in the half marathon with a blazing time of 1:09:27.
Mission High School graduate Zoran LaFrombois also cracked the top 10, placing ninth overall with a time of 1:12:43.
Polson High School’s cross-country program was well represented in the half marathon. David DiGiallonardo, a key varsity runner, placed 15th overall with a time of 1:16:10. Incoming freshman Quinn Delaney, younger sister of Morgan Delaney, clocked a strong time of 1:29:13, finishing 71st overall and earning first place in the 14-and-under division.
Also representing Polson’s distance program were Koko Scott and Reese Adams, who ran nearly side by side, finishing in 1:52:32 and 1:52:34, respectively. Scott placed 11th in the girls 15–19 age group.
The Banovich 5K, held Saturday, also included several runners from Ronan and Mission. Olivia Heiner, a Ronan High School graduate, finished 36th overall with a time of 20:58, good for second place in the 15–19 division. Her sister Emma Heiner crossed in 30:14, followed closely by Olive Cheff, age 8, who ran a 31:10 to win first place in the girls 9-and-under division.
Karolyna Buck, a Mission High School graduate now competing for Montana Tech’s cross-country team, ran a 28:35 to place 258th overall in the 5K field.
With over 4,000 participants across all events, the Missoula Marathon continues to be a premier showcase for distance running in Montana. For Lake County athletes, the weekend was not just about strong performances, but also family milestones and personal bests on a major regional stage.