ARLINGTON — Running stride for stride with distance-running phenom Taylor Roe down the final stretch of one of the Pacific Northwest’s biggest annual cross country meets, Edmonds-Woodway senior Yukino Parle dug deep and unleashed one of her signature closing kicks.
Parle outkicked the two-time defending Class 4A state champion from Lake Stevens, edging Roe for a thrilling victory Saturday afternoon in the girls varsity Division 1 race of the 34th annual Hole in the Wall Invitational at Lakewood High School.
“She’s the best finisher I’ve ever worked with — and that’s male or female,” Edmonds-Woodway coach Al Bonney said. “If you don’t have her flat in the bag or in the hole, she’s going to take you out.”
Parle and Roe were in a dead heat as they came down the hill that led into the final three-quarter lap around the track.
The two Wesco standouts remained deadlocked until about the final 50 meters, when Parle gained a slight edge during a furious sprint to the finish.
Parle crossed the line with a winning time of 17 minutes, 46.6 seconds, finishing the 5,000-meter course 0.5 seconds ahead of Roe.
“When I get really competitive and I really want that win,” Parle said, “then I somehow find it in me.”
Bonney compared Parle’s closing kick to that of Regina Joyce, a former University of Washington record-setting runner and Olympic marathoner who he coached in college.
“Regina was the same way,” Bonney said. “She could be out-sprinted by anybody. But put her in a kick at the end of a race, and she’ll destroy you. And that’s what Yuki is.”
In previous years, Parle struggled to keep up with Roe and the rest of the front pack at the Hole in the Wall Invite.
“Last year, I was able to stay with her (for) maybe the first mile or so,” Parle said, “(but) then I wouldn’t be strong enough to hold on.”
Two years ago, Parle took fifth place in the meet and finished nearly 35 seconds behind the winner. Last year, she placed seventh and crossed the line more than 45 seconds out of first place.
This time, she kept pace — and then some.
“For the last four years, I’ve been working to be able to get strong enough to run with the top girls,” Parle said. “And I haven’t been able to get there until this year. So it’s pretty exciting to be able to compete for the win.”
It was the second consecutive major victory for Parle, who won last Saturday’s Twilight Invitational with a 5,000-meter personal-best time of 17:42.7. In that race, she beat Roe by more than 12 seconds.
Parle placed second in the 3A state meet two years ago and took seventh place last season, but has since elevated her running to a new level.
“This year she made up her mind that with consistent training, she could be consistently at the top of the heap,” Bonney said. “And she’s proved that.”
Parle led the Warriors to a third-place team finish with 228 points. Edmonds-Woodway junior Olivia Meader-Yetter took ninth place with a time of 18:09.5, and junior teammate Stephanie Wroblewski placed 16th at 18:38.2.
For Roe, it was her third consecutive second-place finish at the Hole in the Wall Invite. Afterward, she gave credit to Parle.
“She’s amazing,” said Roe, who has won seven individual distance-running state titles between cross country and track. “She’s always been a really awesome competitor.”
Issaquah claimed the girls varsity Division 1 team title with 70 points.
King’s sophomore Naomi Smith won the girls varsity Division 2 race with a time of 18:53.4.
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