LANGLEY – Though she was visibly overjoyed by her record-setting performance, Amanda Stopa also knew something – rather, someone – was missing.
“I wish Amber was here,” Stopa, a Snohomish High senior, said after blazing to a course-record time Saturday at the Class 4A, 3A and 2A District 1 girls cross country championships at South Whidbey High.
Stopa completed the 3.1-mile course in 18 minutes, 50 seconds to break Amber Nickelson’s 2003 championship record (18:59) and win the 4A race. Two years ago as a sophomore in the district meet, Stopa finished behind Nickelson, then a Lake Stevens senior. Last year, Stopa won in 19:11, but this time she was determined to topple Nickelson’s record. An emotional Stopa came through, also setting a new course record to boot (Squalicum’s Bronwyn Crossman ran an 18:56 earlier this season).
“I was hoping (Nickelson) would be here because she wanted me to break it,” Stopa said of besting her former opponent, who she got to know well. ” … It’s like we have the same passion (for running). It’s something tangible.” Stopa took an aggressive pace and finished 11 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Kate Southcote-Want of Edmonds-Woodway. Despite being without No. 2 runner Kara Sporrong (muscle tightness), Snohomish (38 points) won its sixth-consecutive district crown to advance to next Saturday’s state meet in Pasco. Marysville-Pilchuck (96) and Edmonds-Woodway (98) also qualified.
After recovering from mono and anxiety issues earlier this season, Stopa is peaking for state. “It’s outstanding,” Snohomish coach Dan Parker said of Stopa’s showing. “What more can you say?” Parker also praised his other leading runners: Ellie Bonner (sixth, 19:43), Alanna Feltner (seventh, 19:53), Michelle Bastian (10th, 19:59) and Rachel Forrest (14th, 20:12). Feltner and Bastian, both freshmen, overcame the pressure of the high-stakes meet, and Stopa praised Bonner, a sophomore who she said “deserves so much credit for (the effort) she’s put in the last week and a half.” Snohomish is ranked No. 2 behind Gig Harbor in this week’s Washington State Cross Country Association 4A poll.
Here’s a roundup of Saturday’s 2A and 3A District 1 girls races:
* Class 2A n
Freshman Olivia Thomas of King’s prevailed in the first event of the day, setting a 2A district championship course record. She turned a neck-and-neck race against Lynden Christian’s Michelle Steiger into a comfortable victory with an impressive sprint over the final 200 meters. Thomas won by five seconds, finishing in 19:37 to demolish the previous 2A championship record by 29 seconds.
After a brief celebration with teammates, Thomas grabbed a cell phone and called her parents. When her father answered, she beamed: “I got first!” King’s also qualified for state as a team. The Knights tallied 95 points to place third behind Granite Falls (74) and Nooksack Valley (71). Lakewood, which placed fourth (103), is also Pasco-bound.
* Class 3A n
South Whidbey’s remarkable streak of consecutive state-meet appearances ended at 16 as the Falcons took fourth place (85 points) behind state-qualifying teams Sehome (79), Bellingham (63) and Squalicum (40). However, Katy Gordon, Mary Bakeman and Erica Johnson all advanced as individuals for South Whidbey.
Gordon took fifth in 19:32. She fell back a bit after trying to maintain the leaders’ blistering pace but managed to pass a few runners on her favorite part of the course, a downhill slope located around the 1.5-mile mark she affectionately dubbed “The Hill.” Cedarcrest’s Caitlin Ramirez (third, 19:21) hung with the lead pack until the final mile. The sophomore slashed her previous course-record by 40 seconds and said she hopes to carry over her progress to the state meet, where she took sixth in 2004.
Shorecrest shuts down S. Whidbey
Herald staff
SHORELINE – When Caroline Towles was told by her coach mere hours before the game that senior stalwart Lisa Dimak had come down with the flu, the freshman goalkeeper responded with another Shorecrest shutout, as the Scots blanked South Whidbey 2-0 in a Class 3A girls soccer District 1 tournament opener.
Shorecrest’s stingy defense has recorded nine shutouts this year and has allowed just nine goals in their 16 games.
“Caroline really stepped up tonight,” said Shorecrest coach Mindy Dalziel of her super sub. “I was very impressed with the way she played out there. She’s only played one other game this year, but it didn’t faze her a bit.”
Shorecrest threatened early and often, hitting the crossbar three times late in the first half.
The pressing attack finally paid off when junior forward Sylvia Olsby took a pass from Sarah Berg in the 55th minute and found the corner of the net to finally put the Scots on the board.
Twelve minutes later, senior defender Brianne Robinson crushed home a free kick from about 35 yards out to put Shorecrest up 2-0 and effectively put the game out of reach.
With the victory, Shorecrest meets Squalicum at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, with the winner securing a spot in the state tournament.
At Shoreline Stadium
Goals-Shorecrest: Olsby, Robinson. Assists-Shorecrest: Berg. Goalkeepers-Shorecrest: Towles. South Whidbey: Morley, Cave. Records-Shorecrest 7-1-1 in league, 11-1-4 overall. South Whidbey 6-4-0, 12-5-0.
Sultan 1, Blaine 0: At Mount Vernon, senior Cecily Beckers scored the only goal of the game midway through the first half to lead the Turks to a first-round District 1 win over the Borderites.
At Mount Vernon H. S.
Goals-Sultan: Beckers. Assists-Sultan: Burnside. Goalkeepers-Sultan: Sumpter. Blaine: Gobbato. Records-Sultan 3-7-0 in league, 7-10-0 overall. Blaine 5-7-0, 7-10-0.
Granite Falls 5, Lynden Christian 2: At Lynden, Granite Falls’ Kelly Mitchell earned the hat trick for the Tigers in their 2A district playoff game against Lynden Christian.
At Lynden Christian H.S.
Goals-Granite Falls: Bauer, Mitchell 3, Kettler. Lynden Christian: not reported. Goalkeepers-Granite Falls: Jones. Lynden Christian: Aupperlee.
Archbishop Murphy 9, Mount Baker 0: At Mount Vernon, Andrea Gaitan’s had three goals and an assist and Ashley Reinig scored twice as the Wildcats rolled over the Mountaineers to open Class 2A District 1 play.
At Everett
Goals-Archbishop Murphy: Gaitan 3, Reinig 2, Vonderhofen, Nelson, Bass, McDade. Assists-Archbishop Murphy: Nelson, Allen, Gaitan. Goalkeepers-Archbishop Murphy: Jelinek, Bell. Mount Baker: Ager. Records-Archbishop Murphy 8-2-0 in league, 15-2-1 overall. Mount Baker 4-8-0, 4-13-0.
Cedarcrest 3, Bellingham 0: At Bellingham, Cedarcrest goalkeeper Sarah Holerud recorded her 12th shutout of the season as the Red Wolves blanked the Red Raiders in the opening round of the 3A District 1 tourney.
At Bellingham Civic Stadium
Goals-Cedarcrest: Chapman, Johnson, Coe. Assists-Cedarcrest: Gillie. Goalkeepers-Holerud: Keeper. Bellingham: Hoag. Records-Cedarcrest 10-0-0 in league, 16-1-0 overall. Bellingham 10-2-2, 11-3-3.
Boys soccer
Coupeville 7, North Sound 0: At North Sound, Geoff Wacker earned a hat trick with three goals scored for Coupeville in their first round 1A district playoff game.
At Evergreen Field
Goals-Coupeville: Wacker 3, Einterz, Duke, Chittim, Mottet. Goalkeepers-Coupeville: Butella, Adams. North Sound: not reported.
Volleyball
Class B District 1 tournament: At Coupeville, Mt. Vernon Christian defeated Shoreline Christian in four sets, 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 25-18 to capture the District 1 title. With the victory, the Hurricanes are the top District 1 seed in the tri-district tournament held next weekend at Edmonds-Woodway High School. The Crusaders also earned a trip as the No. 2 seed. Orcas Island swept the third-place game against Lopez 25-23, 25-12, 25-23.
Lynden Christian 3, King’s 2: At Shoreline, Sara Mosiman had 24 kills, 17 digs and four aces and Kailey Trautmann added 21 kills, but the Knights (11-2 in division, 12-2 overall) fell short as Lynden Christian won the non-conference match 25-18, 13-25, 25-23, 18-25, 15-10.
Boys tennis
Class 3A District 1 Championships: At Bellingham, Shorecrest senior Jonathan Tat defeated teammate Kevin Jacobson 6-2, 6-1 to capture the 3A District 1 singles championship.
Boys 4A District 1 Championships: At Stanwood, Jackson sophomore Richard Oam defeated Kamiak senior Edwin Lee 6-3, 6-1 in the final match of the 4A District 1 singles championship. Oam joins Cascade’s Clayton Shaw and Shorewood’s Nomar Mapalo, who finished 1-2 Friday night.
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