Cedarcrest undergoes bittersweet experience
Published 9:32 pm Saturday, November 8, 2008
PASCO — It was a complicated collision of mixed feelings.
On one hand Bruce McDowell, coach of the Cedarcrest High School girls cross country team, was happy his squad earned the first top-four trophy in program history. Then again, Cedarcrest entered the meet ranked No. 1 in the Washington State Cross Country Coaches Association Class 2A poll, so expectations were understandably high.
“It’s that delicate balance,” McDowell said after his Red Wolves placed second behind No. 2 Sehome in the 2A standings during the 2008 Washington State Cross Country Championships at Sun Willows Golf Course.
“You want to be proud, obviously, of what the girls have accomplished this year,” McDowell added, “and they’ve done a fabulous job.”
Cedarcrest, which beat Sehome Nov. 1 at the District 1 meet, tallied 99 points at state, six more than Sehome in a sport where the lowest score wins. Sehome, the champion for the third consecutive season, prevailed in part by cramming three runners in the top 16. All five scoring Cedarcrest competitors were among the top 35, but it wasn’t enough.
“We ran about as good a race as we were going to run and Sehome was just better than us today,” said McDowell.
Cedarcrest’s top individuals were sophomores Cara Strodel (10th) and Brenna Eldredge (17th). Rounding out the Red Wolves’ top five were junior Missy Dowd (22nd), freshman Tia Smith (33rd) and junior Mariah Pyle (35th).
Sequim’s Allison Cutting won the 3.1-mile race in 18 minutes, 25 seconds.
Cedarcrest’s Strodel completed the course in 19:10. She matched her 10th-place finish from a year ago but her 2008 time was 41 seconds faster. Stellar competition pushed her to drastic improvement.
“It’s just great to have so many good runners out here,” Strodel said.
Among other local individuals, senior Lacey Nation of Lakewood pleased her coaches by placing 21st in 19:32. She smashed her personal-record time by 35 seconds and bettered the school record by 15 seconds, Cougars co-head coaches Jeff Sowards and Jon Murray said.
“Lacey had an awesome race. She took a good risk,” Sowards said of Nation, who decided to stick with a fast pace early in the race and climbed to 14th place before fading a bit in the final mile.
“She never bailed. We’re really, really proud of her,” said Sowards.
South Whidbey received an award for earning the fall 2008 2A girls cross country academic state championship. The Falcons, coached by Doug Fulton, compiled a 3.94 grade-point average.
Lakewood’s Devier finishes strong
Like every senior dreams of doing, Nick Devier concluded his prep cross country career with a personal-best effort at the state meet. Devier of Lakewood High placed ninth in the 2A boys race. His time of 16 minutes, 15 seconds was a season-best and the second-fastest of his career.
“He showed what a senior can do when it’s his last race. He’s been more focused about his dreams this year than he has maybe in awhile,” said Sowards, Lakewood’s co-head coach.
Devier, who helped Lakewood finish seventh as a team, rebounded in time to salvage what he said had been a frustrating season and a string of disappointment at state. Last year in Pasco he placed 38th in 17:40.
“It’s the best feeling to be able to cross that finish line and just get rid of all that bad tension that I’ve had here,” Devier said.
Lakewood’s No. 2 finisher was junior Taylor Guske, who hoped to be among the frontrunners but faded to 16th place. Guske collapsed to his knees outside the finishers’ gates. Devier reached down, picked Guske up and fed him water.
“He was there for me when I had the hard times,” Devier said, “and I’m here for him when he has the hard races.”
Sehome won the 2A team title. Selah’s James Currell was the individual champ.
Writer Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet/doubleteam.
