WA state converges on Pasco for annual high school cross country championships
Golf at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco annually shuts down for a few days this time of year, so that high school cross country runners can take over.
The annual Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s state high school cross country championships happen this weekend, with practice sessions on Friday, followed by the all-day event on Saturday.
Well over a few thousand runners will converge onto the course to cover the 5-kilometer event.
Almost all team champions will be back, as will three individual state champions from 2021: Bishop Blanchet’s William Schneider in 3A boys; Anacortes’ Jessica Frydenlund in 2A girls; and Seton Catholic’s Alexis Leone in 1A girls.
Altogether, there will be 10 classification races.
There also will be a wheelchair race at 9:30 a.m., and an ambulatory race at 2 p.m.
Tickets for the event can be purchased online at WIAA.com. Fans are urged to buy them online, as the WIAA has moved to paperless tickets this year.
Thickets cost $11 for adults, and $8 for students, seniors and military personnel.
Here are the outlooks of each classification:
4A boys race
Start time: 3 p.m.
Coach Matt Rexus brings his Kamiakin team, defending state champion, back to Pasco. But this is not the same team from last year. Champion Isaac Teeples (BYU) and third-place finisher Grayson Wilcott (WSU) have graduated and moved on to college.
Issaquah, which finished second in 2021, also returns as a team. Hanford coach Jim Peterson had his Falcons qualify as a team out of the tough District 8 meet.
Top returning runners include Eastlake’s Ethan Pedersen, Issaquah’s Brennan Rickey, and Lewis & Clark’s Evan Bruce.
Mid-Columbia runners
Chiawana (3): seniors Ehzoc Chavez, Daniel Franco and Jayden Trevino.
Hanford (9): seniors Troy Russo and Eduardo Tobin; juniors Ben Kunkel and Colin Smith; sophomores Ethan Brogoitti, Blake Martin, Ben Porter and Luca Rolon; freshman Malek Keller.
Kamiakin (9): seniors Adam Chan and Tanner Mills; juniors Erick Benedict, Logan Blaser, Jackson Johnson and Jacob Cabe; sophomores Ezra Teeples and Noah Thomas; freshman Porter Maughan.
Pasco (2): Senior Jose Banuelos; junior Edward Paup-Lefferts.
Richland (3): Seniors Jackson Booker and Jace Woodard; junior Crew Martell.
Sunnyside (1): Sophomore Andrew Garcia.
4A girls race
Start time: 1:30 p.m.
Last year’s top three teams — Eastlake, Lewis & Clark and Tahoma — return to vie for the team title.
Richland head coach Bruce Blizzard, who returned this season to coach the Bombers, had his girls team qualify.
Skyline’s Anna Callahan, which finished second last year, returns. So does Mt. Si’s Hailey Cossey (5th in 2021).
Mid-Columbia runners
Chiawana (3): Junior Carley Nelson; sophomore Emma Gis; freshman Laniah Sinyani.
Hanford (2): Senior Sarah Olson; junior Mia Beightol.
Kamiakin (1): Sophomore Meredith Stavenger.
Pasco (1): Sophomore Valerie Siebol-DeRuyter.
Richland (9): Seniors Evelyn Davis and Tylar Wolff; sophomores Adelyn Hair, Abigail Koech, Lily Robertson, Rebekah Shafer, and Bella Thompson; freshmen Abby Duncan and Alice Williams.
3A boys race
Start time: 2:30 p.m.
Bishop Blanchet and Schneider are looking to repeat their 2021 titles.
But Gig Harbor (second in 2021) and Mead (third) hope to knock them off the top of the podium.
Pushing Schneider will be teammate Vincent Recupero (fourth last year).
Keep an eye out for Walla Walla senior Brody Hartley. He placed fifth last year and he’s already committed to running for Notre Dame.
Mid-Columbia runners
Hermiston (1): Sophomore Jaysen Rodriguez.
Walla Walla (2): Senior Brody Hartley; Sophomore Ian Lash.
3A girls race
Start time: 1 p.m.
Mead looks to defend its team title against Central Kitsap and Gig Harbor, which placed second and third, respectively, last year.
Top runners include Bishop Blanchet’s Lily LaPorte (third in 2021), Peninsula’s Hannah Lee (fourth) and Auburn Riverside’s Julia Couch (fifth).
Mid-Columbia runners
Hermiston (1): Junior Jaquelin Garcia-Sandoval.
Kennewick (1): Sophomore Morgan Thompson.
Walla Walla (1): Junior Emmalyne Jimenez.
2A boys race
Start time: 12:30 p.m.
Squalicum, Selah and Sehome should battle for the team title, as they all did last year with Squalicum winning it.
Keep an eye on Bellingham’s William Giesen (fifth in 2021), Tumwater’s John Hoffer (seventh) and Selah’s Eric Swedin (eighth) for the individual title.
Mid-Columbia runners
Grandview (1): Senior Zeus Montano.
2A girls race
Start time: 11 a.m.
Sehome is back to defend its team title. But Anacortes and Washougal, who were 2-3, are back too.
Anacortes’ Frydenlund is one of the three defending state individual champs returning.
But Logan Hofstee of East Valley of Spokane placed second in 2021, and she’ll push Frydenlund. Washougal’s Elle Thomas (sixth in 2021) could also contend.
Mid-Columbia runners
Othello (1): Freshman Kimberly Alcaraz.
Prosser (1): Freshman Elizabeth Norris.
1A boys race
Start time: 12 p.m.
Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls is back to defend its team title. Cascade of Leavenworth will push for the crown too.
Top individuals include Medical Lake’s Reid Headrick (third in 2021), Northwest’s Stephen Bleakley-Harris (fourth) and Lynden Christian’s Andrew Luce (sixth).
Mid-Columbia runners
College Place (9): Seniors Daman Burgener, and Nathan Howton; juniors Zeke Durand, Isaiah Hawkins, Jio Herrera, Mason Wilwand, and Drew Wipf; sophomores Levi Harri and Keenan Pewitt.
Connell (2): Senior Spencer Harris; sophomore Elijah Morrisette.
Royal (9): Seniors Alexis Diaz and Abraham Montoya; juniors Aram Garnick and Fabian Meza; sophomores Uriel Bautista and Jesus Mendoza; freshmen Carlos Barajas, Jeonatan Dircio, and Edwin Zapata.
Wahluke (3): Seniors Cristopher Galvan and Cristian Madrigal; junior Angel Vazquez.
1A girls race
Start time: 10:30 a.m.
Seton Catholic and Leone are back to defend their titles.
Medical Lake will push for the team title.
Those pushing Leone will be Deer Park’s Layne Lathrop (fourth in 2021) and Port Townsend’s Aliyah Yearion (fifth).
Mid-Columbia runners
College Place (2): Junior Chloe Svilich; freshman Birtukan Durand.
Connell (1): Senior Josie Miller.
Royal (9): Juniors Kenia Orth and Jessi Phillips; sophomore Cindy Rincon; freshmen Kayla Abundiz, Sharon Arroyo, Briana Cedillo, Marisol Gonzalez, Jaclyn Mendoza, and Guadalupe Ortiz.
Wahluke (2): Seniors Adamaris Arellano and Karla Lugo.
1B/2B boys race
Start time: 11:30 a.m.
Top three teams from 2021 return in Liberty Bell, Pope John Paul 2, and Chewelah.
Liberty Bell’s Will Halpin (second in 2021) is the top returning placer, followed by Northwest Christian of Lacey’s Asher Ingram (third) and Tri-Cities Prep’s Ciaran St. Hilaire (fourth).
Prep could also battle for the team title.
Mid-Columbia runners
Mabton (2): Senior Brian Cortez; sophomore Adan Zuniga.
Tri-Cities Prep (9): Senior Gabriel Bohrmann; juniors Tyler Baerlocher, Patrick Kovis, Ciaran St. Hilaire, and Brian Sweeney; sophomores Aidric Muzatko and Josh Nolan; freshmen Paul Beery and Brenden Bohrmann.
1B/2B girls race
Start time: 10 a.m.
Top three 2021 placing teams — Pope John Paul 2, Liberty Bell and St. George’s — are back.
Liberty Bell’s Levi Albright, who finished second last year, has to be the favorite to win.
But she’ll be pushed by Northwest Christian of Lacey’s Madison Ingram (third in 2021) and St. George’s Josie McLaughlin (fourth).
Mid-Columbia runners
Tri-Cities Prep (3): Senior Ingrid Carlson; junior Samantha Quintana; sophomore Fionnoula St. Hilaire.
Warden (1): Junior Sierra Campos.
Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.
