LAKEWOOD – Dak Riek had plenty of motivation to run well this weekend.
On Friday Riek’s coach warned the Mariner High School senior that if he didn’t quickly build a solid lead on Saturday in the Western Conference South Division boys cross country championship race, his punishment would be to run all the way back to south Everett – a nearly 30-mile trek.
Of course, Mariner coach Dave McFadden was joking with Riek. But the talented senior sure ran as if his ride home depended on it.
Riek took a course-record pace through 2 miles and claimed a decisive victory in the Wesco South title race at Lakewood High School. Riek, who was runner-up last year, completed the 3.1-mile competition in 15 minutes, 59 seconds.
“It felt great,” said Riek, the first league champion for Mariner in McFadden’s eight years as coach.
Riek crossed the 1-mile mark at 4:50, a blistering pace. With victory secure, Riek eventually slowed down and focused on maintaining good form to prepare for next Saturday’s district meet, where runners can qualify for the state championships.
“I slowed down a little bit (at the end) but I knew I controlled the race,” said Riek, who added that he wasn’t all that tired afterward. He defeated No. 2 finisher Yonatan Yilma of Edmonds-Woodway by 33 seconds (16:32).
McFadden said he was pleased with Riek’s effort, especially the way Riek set a strong pace early. As for the no-ride-home threat, McFadden said, “I always tease him about that. I always have to be careful because he’s the kind of person who might actually (run back).”
Jackson and Mountlake Terrace both scored 50 points but Jackson won the team championship because its No. 6 runner finished higher than Terrace’s. Jackson’s top runner was Michael Manning, who took sixth in 16:55. Tyler Hill (third, 16:43) and Michael Tran (fifth, 16:53) led Terrace.
Jackson’s Manning said the team victory felt good, “but I still didn’t think anyone raced perfectly. … I feel like next week we’ll be even better than this week.” Yilma and Justin Wolfe (10th, 17:09) helped E-W take third with 71 points.
Bywater leads Vikings to title
Joey Bywater won his second straight Wesco North title, Kyle VanSanten took third place and Josiah Cheslik took seventh to propel the Lake Stevens Vikings to the team championship. After placing second behind Snohomish last year, Lake Stevens scored 40 points to defeat Snohomish (92 points).
Bywater, the 4A state 3,200-meter track champion last spring, created a cushion over the final mile and won in 16:07, six seconds faster than in 2005. “It feels good to do it again,” Bywater said, adding that he hopes to challenge for district and state titles.
After a somewhat slow start this season Lake Stevens, ranked No. 6 in the current Washington State Cross Country Coaches Association 4A poll, is starting to hit its stride, Bywater said.
Everett’s Axel Stanovsky hung with Bywater through 2 miles but finished second in 16:14. “I took some risks and I got second but I’m not too disappointed. … On the final hill (Bywater) really picked it up a little bit. It’s kind of hard for me to get up those hills sometimes.”
At Lakewood H.S.
3.1 miles
Wesco South
Team scores-1. Jackson 50, 2. Mountlake Terrace 50, 3. Edmonds-Woodway 71, 4. Kamiak 77, 5. Shorecrest 132, 6. Shorewood 168, 7. Mariner 189, 8. Meadowdale 196.
Jackson-6. Manning 16:55, 8. Briggs 17:05, 9. Jordan 17:06, 12. Ochs 17:15, 15. Jacobson 17:19.
M. Terrace-3. Hill 16:43, 5. Tran 16:53, 7. Beeninga 17:03, 11. Whalen 17:13, 24. Yarbrough 17:49.
Edmonds-Woodway-2. Yilma 16:32, 10. Wolfe 17:09, 16. Schofield 17:20, 21. Hait-Campbell 17:37, 22. Grover 17:38.
Other top 15 finishers-1. Riek (Mar) 15:59, 4. Cooper 16:48, 13. Kusilek 17:18, 14. McConaughy 17:19.
Wesco North
Team scores-1. Lake Stevens 40, 2. Snohomish 92, 3. Everett 100, 4. Cascade 122, 5. Oak Harbor 132, 6. Monroe 135, 7. Marysville-Pilchuck 149, 8. Stanwood 170, 9. Arlington 190.
Lake Stevens-1. Bywater 16:07, 3. VanSanten 16:16, 7. Cheslik 16:52, 11. Marti 17:02, 18. K. Larson 17:18.
Snohomish-6. Goodman 16:49, 8. Wolfe 16:52, 23. Thoreson 17:24, 26. Weed 17:30, 30. Cheek 17:36.
Everett-2. Stanovsky 16:14, 9. Ordona 16:59, 16. Anderson 17:15, 35. MacDougall 17:47, 41. Covert 18:03.
Other top 15 finishers-4. King (OH) 16:37, 5. Cutforth (St) 16:46, 10. Redding (C) 17:02, 12. Masten (M-P) 17:08, 13. VanHorn (Mon) 17:08, 14. Rickman (C) 17:09, 15. Lemmon (M-P) 17:11.
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