LANGLEY – Dealing with a seemingly insurmountable gap and an unlaced shoe late in a race usually means big trouble.

But on Saturday Yonatan Yilma swatted away those formidable challenges and stunned plenty of people, namely himself.

Yilma, an Edmonds-Woodway High junior, made up a large deficit over the final mile, passed Mariner’s Dak Riek with about 200 meters to go and pulled off a victory at the Class 4A, 3A and 2A District 1 boys cross country championships at South Whidbey High.

Yilma won the 4A race in 15 minutes, 44 seconds, edging out Riek (15:46).

“(Riek) was far ahead of me. … I don’t know what I did,” said Yilma, a former 400-meter runner who showed stellar speed at the end.

Whatever he did, it sure worked.

Kyle VanSanten and Joey Bywater placed fourth and fifth to lead Lake Stevens to its second straight 4A team title.

“We knew that we had to work hard this year to create the same (first-place result),” said VanSanten, who finished in 16:01 to lead the sixth-ranked Vikings (Washington State Cross Country Coaches’ 4A poll).

Lake Stevens (78 points), Jackson (92) and Mountlake Terrace (97) all qualified for next week’s state meet in Pasco. All other top-15 individuals advance as well.

Edmonds-Woodway’s Yilma, who placed eighth in the race last year, said he had hoped to get third this time. But his late surge resulted in a surprising district title, the first for an E-W boy in Warriors coach Regina Joyce’s eight seasons.

Joyce said she was shocked to see Yilma catch up to Riek, but she said of Yilma, “Whenever he makes up his mind on reaching a goal, he’ll do whatever it takes.”

The thrilling finish pitted training partners and friends against one another – Yilma and Riek often run together in Redmond on weekends. It’s a pleasant but intense rivalry, Mariner coach Dave McFadden said: “They want to beat each other. There’s no doubt about it.”

Last week at the divisional championships, Riek won and Yilma was second.

Referring to his comeback on Saturday, Yilma said, “I just decided to pass and closed my eyes. When I opened ‘em, then (I was) gone.”