The state championships are history, but elite local cross country competitors still have plenty to run for.
Thirteen boys and girls from area schools qualified for the 2007 Nike BorderClash based on their performances at last weekend’s state meet at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco. The ninth edition of Border Clash, the annual all-star event that pits runners from Washington against foes from Oregon, is Nov. 17 at the Nike World Headquarters Campus in Beaverton, Ore.
Forty girls and boys from each state participate in BorderClash. To qualify in Washington, athletes had to place among the top 20 in the Class 4A race, top-10 in 3A, top-seven in 2A, top-two in 1A and first in 1B/2B.
The seven local girls who advanced are: in 4A, teammates Lacey Wagner and Cia Bywater (Lake Stevens High School), Lyndy Davis (Monroe), Ellie Bonner (Snohomish), Mietra Smollack (Oak Harbor) and Haley Nemra (Marysville-Pilchuck); and in 1A, Olivia Thomas (King’s), who won the 1A championship.
The six local boys qualifiers, all from 4A schools, are Yon Yilma (Edmonds-Woodway), Mitchell Briggs (Jackson), Scott Larson (Lake Stevens), Kyle King (Oak Harbor), Joey Bywater (Lake Stevens) and Kyle Van Santen (Lake Stevens).
Lake Stevens will be well-represented. The Vikings send five runners (three boys, two girls) to BorderClash.
Last year Washington teams swept the boys and girls races and won both team titles.
Finishing strong
If you can pass, do it with authority. That’s the approach Lakewood’s Taylor Guske took near the end of the 2A boys state championship cross country race Saturday in Pasco.
With about 500 meters to go in the 5,000-meter (3.1-mile) race, the sophomore was on the verge of missing out on a top-12 finish and a trip to the awards podium. But Lakewood co-head coaches Jon Murray and Jeff Sowards caught Guske’s attention and urged Guske to pick up the pace.
“We yelled at him and he knew 12th place was right in front of him,” Murray said. “When he went by that 12th-place guy, he blew by him. He didn’t give the guy a chance to respond.”
Guske’s surge worked. He finished 10th in the race, best among local runners.
Making history
Lake Stevens freshmen Lacey Wagner (seventh place) and Cia Bywater (10th place) made school history Saturday by both placing in the top 10 in the 4A girls race at the cross country state championships. The Vikings had never had more than one female earn a top-10 finish at a state meet, Lake Stevens co-head coach Cliff Chaffee said. Lake Stevens’ seventh-place team performance is also a program-best, Chaffee said.
Wesco football teams fare well
Based on results from last weekend, Western Conference football is as good as ever. Wesco teams went 5-1 in the Class 4A preliminary playoff round. Oak Harbor, Snohomish, Cascade, Edmonds-Woodway and Mariner all won, while Kamiak lost a competitive game (28-20 versus South Kitsap in Gig Harbor). Meadowdale, a 3A team, also won. At least one Wesco team is sure to lose this week in the first round of the 4A state tourney because E-W (10-0) plays Snohomish (9-1).
By Mike Cane, Herald Writer
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