Oct. 25 -- JAMESTOWN -- At 2:30 p.m. on Friday, cars were backed up two miles to get to the site of the Class B State Cross-Country Championships.

At 3 p.m., the races started.

At 3:15 p.m., a state champion was crowned or in his case, re-crowned.

Jonah Njos of Bowman County won his second-straight Class B State Cross-Country title on Friday. The junior crossed the finish line with a new personal best time of 15:39. The Bulldogs also collected their fifth-straight team championship on Friday.

"It's just excitement -- just pure joy," Njos said. "Sometimes there is a joy that only running can bring. It's all just a gift from God. I am so blessed to be here."

Njos won the 2023 XC championships with a time of 16:11. This fall, the junior has set four new personal best times -- three of which sit under the 16 minute mark.

Accruing faster times and state championship hardware speak not only of Njos' physical fitness but also his stellar mental game.

"It's just trusting the process and all of the training that we have put in since June 10th," Njos said of what was going through his head prior to the start of the race. "It's trusting my fitness and where I am at and trusting my teammates. Trust is a big factor."

A strong mental game is essential at Parkhurst. Njos has run the Parkhurst Trail five times in his career.

"The hill is definitely a big part," the senior said of what makes the course challenging. "Then after mile two you have all of those switchbacks which are all just small inclines and those can really get a guy if you are not 100% focused."

Njos was fighting with Owen Johnson of Northern Cass for the lead for the first half of the race. At the halfway point, Njos settled into his pace and started to run his best race of the year. Njos was leading Johnson by six seconds down the final stretch.

"It was just excitement knowing that all of the work I had put in was coming down to two more minutes of excruciating pain," Njos said. "I am using the talents that God has given me to glorify his name.

"When I started running I never dreamt that I would be in this position but I am really grateful for everybody that has got me here -- my coaches, my family, my teammates. I am so blessed to be here," he said.

While Njos is heading home with his second title, someone other than Brynn Hanson collected the girls title.

Claire Grinde, a seventh grader out of Hillsboro/Central Valley, beat out the three-time defending champ by 32 seconds to claim the Class B state title.

"I've been loving running for a while but this is my first year actually running competitively and I am just going to say that I love it," Grinde said. "It has been so fun."

Grinde crossed the finish line at 18 minutes, 50.3 seconds. Hanson finished in second with a 19:22 performance.

Carrington's Kenadie Pazdernik finished in seventh place with a time of 19:55. Pazdernik was the only Region 3 runner to pick up All-State honors for the girls. Pazdernik was named the Class B Senior Athlete of the Year.

"I felt so nervous but I was only nervous because of how bad I wanted it," Grinde said of her feeling before the start gun. "I wanted to start out kind of behind everybody and then come over after a little bit so I wouldn't burn myself out right away and I think that it worked out OK. I am really happy with how it turned out.

"Seeing everybody cheering, having all of my family here, it just made the whole experience feel awesome," she said.

1. Bowman County 26; 2. New Town 95; 3. Kindred 98; 4. Killdeer 194; 5. Rugby 211; 6. Hillsboro/CV 239; 7. Southern McLean 337; 8. Shiloh Christian 381; 9. Des Lacs-Burlington 385; 10. Ellendale 395; 11. Griggs-Midkota 475; 12. Bottineau 476; 13. May-Port-C-G 504; 14. Lisbon 514; 15. Langdon/AEM 525; 16. Kenmare/Bowbells-Burke 530; 17. Northern Cass 535; 18. Hatton-Northwood 540; 19. Pembina County North 554; 20. Glen Ullin/Hebron 632; 21. Beulah 663; 22. Standing Rock 726; 23. Trinity Christian 727; 24. Central Cass 730; 25. Dickinson Trinity 743; 26. Maple River 780; 27. Carrington 809; 28. Stanley 855; 29. Grafton 871; 30. Edgeley/KM 916; 31. Bishop Ryan 967; 32. South Prairie-Max 997; 33. Center Stanton 1043; 34. Thompson 1077; 35. Richardton-Taylor 1090; 36. Central McLean 1151; 37. Trenton 1191; 38. Beach 1218; 39. Powers Lake 1317; 40. Tioga 1322; 41. Hettinger-Scranton 1348; 42. Garrison 1369; 43. Heart River 1405; 44. Four Winds 1406; 45. Velva-Drake/Anamoose 1428; 46. Enderlin 1429; 47. LaMoure/LM 1437; 48. Surrey 1446; 49. Dunseith 1479; 50. Sargent Central/Lidgerwood/Oakes 1503; 51. Rolla 1509; 52. New England 1510; 53. Medina/PB 1514; 54. Hazelton-Moffit Braddock 1538; 55. Barnes County North 1541; 56. Richland 1542; 57. New Rockford-Sheyenne 1556; 58. Dakota Prairie 1559; 59. St. John 1566; 60. Mandaree 1599; 61. White Shield 1603.

Girls

1. Hillsboro/CV 64; 2. Killdeer 83; 3. Bowman County 88; 4. Rugby 134; 5. Bottineau 183; 6. Central Cass 243; 7. Pembina County North 288; 8. Kenmare/Bowbells-Burke 312; 9. Kindred 360; 10. Carrington 374; 11. Southern McLean 429; 12. Shiloh Christian 429; 13. Dickinson Trinity 441; 14. Thompson 471; 15. Griggs-Midkota 500; 16. Grafton 536; 17. New Town 606; 18. Beulah 610; 19. Richland 628; 20. Lisbon 658; 21. Des Lacs-Burlington 710; 22. Stanley 732; 23. Sargent Central/Lidgerwood/Oakes 776; 24. South Prairie-Max 781; 25. LaMoure/LM 830; 26. Enderlin 840; 27. Hatton/Northwood 925; 28. Standing Rock 927; 29. Surrey 931: 30. Richardton-Taylor 938; 31. Parshall 948; 32. Maple River 961; 33. Rolla 975; 34. Northern Cass 976; 35. Bishop Ryan 992; 36. New Rockford-Sheyenne 1022; 37. Trenton 1039; 38. New England 1047; 39. Langdon/AEM 1056; 40. Tioga 1077; 41. Trinity Christian 1080; 42. Glen Ullin/Hebron 1092; 43. Central McLean 1104; 44. Beach 1112; 25. Velva/Drake-Anamoose 1122; 46. Four Winds 1127; 47. Center Stanton 1149; 48. Edgeley/Kulm 1156; 49. St. John 1159; 50. Medina/PB 1167; 51. Heart River 1182; 52. May-Port-C-G 1200.

1. Jonah Njos, BC, 15:39; 2. Owen Johnson 15:45; 3. Gabe Sarsland 16:12; 4. Xavier Bell, NT, 16:27; 5. Warner Bowman, BC, 16:36; 6. Taylor Wanner, BC, 16:44; 7. Tyler Gronwold, KIN, 16:55; 8. Elija Deck, KIN, 17:01; 9. Cade Westby, KIN, 17:04; 10. Jekori Dahlen, KILL, 17:05; 11. Noah Njos 17:05; 12. Niko Zink, H/CV, 17:06; 13. Thomas Bowman, BC, 17:06; 14. Lincoln Adair, LIS, 17:08; 15. Brayden Green, RUG, 17:11; 16. Brock Freer, L/AEM, 17:11.8; 17. Brad Kinzler, EKM, 17:12; 18. Lukas Spotted Bear, NT, 17:13; 19. Nekori Dahlen, KILL, 17:14; 20. Tracy Aune, RT, 17:23.

Girls

1. Claire Grinde, H/CV, 18:50; 2. Brynn Hanson, DLB, 19:22; 3. Jordyn Honeyman, BC, 19:24; 4. Summer Olson, KILL, 19:27; 5. Caroline Anderson, H/CV, 19:34; 6. Hannah Senechal, RUG, 19:47; 7. Kenadie Pazdernik, CAR, 19:55; 8. Ericka Berg, BC, 20:00.1; 9. Azlynn Johnson, H/CV, 20:02; 10. Kate Martinez, KILL, 20:11; 11. Addie Miller, KILL, 20:11.5; 12. Mashae Miller, KBB, 20:13; 13. Abby Hardersen, KILL, 20:19; 14. Tessa Guariglia, BOT, 20:23; 15. Mara Kempel, LIS, 20:27; 16. Briauna Thompson, SR, 20:28; 17. Anna Sarsland, BC, 20:29; 18. Harley Detienne, STAN, 20:30; 19. Aspen Brewer, BC, 20:35; 20. Carley Bullinger 20:35.