By Aaron Coe
Herald Writer
The numbers just don’t add up for Western Conference boys cross country.
Seven teams went to state last year.
There are three state berths this year.
Several good teams — teams good enough to place in the top 10 at the Nov. 3 state meet in Pasco — will not be making the trip this year.
The sport with the shortest season of any in preps will be cut a week shorter than those teams had planned.
With all but two of last year’s Wesco 3A teams competing at the 4A level this year, there will be 17 teams fighting for those three berths, with six having a realistic shot. Last year, the Wesco 3A sent three teams — Jackson, Stanwood and Everett — out of the 3A Northwest District. The Wesco 4A swept all four state spots in the Wesco-Kingco bi-district tournament.
None of that will be going on this year. It all comes down to the Oct. 26 district meet. One off day by one runner could spell the end for a team. The top 15 runners at the district meet, however, will qualify for state regardless of team finish.
"Somebody’s going to be left out," Jackson coach Erik Hrushka said. "It’s going to be tough. The Wesco is the second best league in the state, and cross country is the best sport in Wesco right now."
Snohomish seems to be the front-runner. Popular thought among Wesco coaches is that Jackson and Kamiak may have the best chances at the second and third berths, but that Stanwood, Marysville-Pilchuck and Shorecrest could knock off any of them. Edmonds-Woodway and Mountlake Terrace are also threats.
The Spokane teams are still considered the state’s best, but only Mead, which returns six of its top seven runners from last year’s state championship team, is considered unbeatable. Mead runners could pretty much win the whole thing even if they stopped to practice their putting for a few minutes on the Sun Willows Golf Course where the state race is run.
A good day by Snohomish could propel the Panthers past University and Mt. Spokane, which were second and third last year, respectively. Snohomish returns five state placers from last season’s team.
The Wesco teams that emerge from the district dogfight have potential for success at state.
"The teams that go will have a very good chance to bring home a trophy," said Marysville-Pilchuck coach Craig Bowen, whose team was 10th at the 2000 state meet. "It’s all going to come down to who runs well that week."
Exactly who the top three are is hard to figure. Wesco teams had not tipped their hands much this season until recently in invitational meets.
Conference meets are used by most teams as a practice day. For the most part, you won’t see everyone on the team running the fastest 3.1 miles they can muster. Teams often run in packs. Snohomish’s top five all crossed the finish line simultaneously in one race this season. If a team is running in an invitational on a Saturday, you won’t see their best runners in a Thursday meet. Jackson has had four different lead runners, and generally all five will finish within a 30-second span. And if a runner on any of the top teams has anything more serious than a sprained eyebrow, they will not compete and risk further injury.
The one and only goal is for each runner to peak at the district and state meets.
There is nothing else.
Snohomish has displayed its power in several invitationals this season, including a second place finish in the prestigious New Balance Sweepstakes in Clackamas, Ore. Sept. 15. Jackson was sixth in the meet.
Stanwood and Kamiak are two teams every Wesco coach fears, but how good they really are is still something of a mystery.
Stanwood edged Marysville-Pilchuck on Saturday to win the Mount Baker Invitational. The Spartans were successful in their goal of beating Kamiak, which finished fifth behind individual winner Travis Boyd. But later, they found out Kamiak was not at full strength.
"Our task was to beat them," said Stanwood runner Nick Cairus, who finished ninth at state last year and eighth at the Mount Baker Invitational. "We did that, but then we found out they didn’t run their number 2 and 3 guys. But, we should be all right."
Though the top five runners on each team count in any race, Boyd may be the one who determines whether Kamiak is one of the three Wesco teams at state. Boyd served notice that he can be one of the state’s best at Mount Baker, but has been inconsistent at times. As a junior last year, Boyd was the first Wesco placer at the bi-district meet, but finished 82nd at state behind 14 runners he’d beaten a week earlier.
"Travis won on Thursday and that was really a break-through race for him," Kamiak coach Charley LeWarne said.
An off day by any runner — or a career performance — could be the difference between who goes to state and who will sit home and watch college football. Every runner will count. Even the Nos. 6 and 7 runners on each team could make an impact, though their scores won’t count in the team total. If a No. 6 could displace a No. 5 from another team, that could be the difference. And in the event of a tie, the top No. 6 runner decides it.
As competitive as the Wesco is this year, it may just come to that.
"I love the competition," Cairus said. "It’s awesome to be a part of such a great conference."
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