State Cross Country Championships - 11.4.17

Liberty Bell XC - 1B/2B State Championships!
Location: Sun Willows Golf Course, Pasco, WA

Date: 11.4.17
Distance: 5km. Conditions: Beautifully clipped golf course grass with some rolling ups and downs and a few more ups in the last mile. Downhill finish. Mostly cloudy and cool - 35-38 degrees for the girls and something similar for boys. A firmer grass surface then last year. An awesome running day if you didn’t over dress - and we played it pretty well with a touch of glitter even!

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS

8 teams and 78 total finishers. 1st place - 23 points.

General Comments: I’ve been procrastinating writing this. If I’m honest, it’s because when this race report is done, then the season really will come to an end. I know all the psychologists teach these days that we aren’t supposed to say we are “proud” of someone. Being proud, they say, implies some “ownership” of the success and sends the signal that you need to succeed just to impress your coaches — both of which could not be further from the truth. You own all of this season’s success. Each of you — whether you crossed that finish line or you were ready to race at a moment’s notice as an alternate, or you were there to support your teammates (or if you endured the stomach flu!) — made a difference, and each of you earned a piece of that historic trophy that will be live again in the Liberty Bell display cases for another year. And certainly, you impress every day with your hard work, your laughter, your kindness to each other, your grit, and your belief in the power of glitter. So, if I can’t be proud of you, then let me be grateful for you. In this tumultuous, heated, angry time we live in, I am so grateful to see a new generation of young women who tolerate and celebrate each other’s differences, who find common ground with each other, who compete fiercely and yet believe in working together, who aren’t afraid to take on big goals, who express joy and humility all in one, and who challenge themselves daily to be better than they were last time. Yes, this season, you repeated as state champions in a very dominant fashion — a tremendous feat. But, you also reminded us all that what really matters is how we show up each and every day to be there for each other. 

                     

Novie: 18:30.2, 1 > 1 > 1st place, 11:52 second mile, 5:57 pace overall
It was a good day. You got out hard and raised the bar — you give our whole team confidence when they see you taking charge and getting into your running flow. I love that you don’t play games in races — you just go for it. I also love that you have even bigger goals for next year — they are absolutely within reach and I say we go for it. Now, rip it up on the ski trails and keep being Novie McCabe!



Gretta: 19:06.4, 2 > 2 > 2nd place, 12:19.7 second mile, 6:09 pace overall
An awesome race! You got out hard the way you like - and when Hannah came close, you just dug in. That is SO tough! You waited until that perfect moment going up the hill after the 2 mile to make your move and you did it with strength and confidence and no looking back. You just opened up the gap over the last half mile. It was textbook brilliant - strategic racing - and you made it possible because you kept calm and you believed. Perfect!

                     

Ella: 19:55.8, 5 > 6 > 6th place, 12:41.4 second mile, 6:25 pace overall
That was a glitter-worthy performance if there ever was one. 6th place in the state in your first full high school season and under 20 minutes. All season, you have risen to every challenge we have put before you and you just keep getting better and better. You took off the starting line with determination and then you got into the flow of the race. You raced the St. George runner the whole way and you hung on at the end giving that finish everything you had. Treasure the feeling of Saturday — it should remind you that you can do anything you set your mind to!

Athena: 20:13.9, 18 > 13 > 7th place, 13:06.2 second mile, 6:31 pace overall
Third time in three years on that podium—that puts you in some very fine company. You must have a sort of 6th sense about what you need to do to get into the top 8 because, wow, you just looked like you were on a mission after the 2 mile mark. Nicely done getting out faster than you like — that set you up to be in a place where you could have the most amazing kick of the day and get on that podium. You are super consistent and I will never, never bet against you at the state meet! Let’s make it four for four next year!

Icel: 20:22.7, 21 > 14 > 10th place, 13:06.5 second mile, 6:33 pace overall
Congratulations — top 10 in the state! That’s pretty amazing, Icel Sukovaty and we hope you are extremely excited. You set a new PR for this course by more than 20 seconds and you ran so darn tough. You got yourself right in the top 20 by the mile and then you just started hunting. It was so strategic and gutsy. You know, on just about any other team in 2B, you’d be the #1 or #2 runner. Hope you feel the magic, though of being the fifth runner on an amazing team. You lead this group all year as captain and as the keeper of team spirit. Awesome job!

Liv: 20:44.8, 14 > 15 > 15th place, 13:06.7 second mile, 6:40 pace overall
It is so good to have your first state meet under your belt. When you toe the line in future years you will know what to expect and it will feel like home! We’re glad your knee/leg cooperated enough to let you race this one and you did an excellent job playing the cards you were dealt this injury season. You ran with guts and poise. We know it wasn’t the race you dreamed of, but patience….your time will come and when it does you will be all the stronger for having lived through this season’s experience. 

 

Eva: 21:59.9, 39 > 38 > 38th place, 14:05.6 second mile, 7:05 pace overall
You had such a great approach to the whole state experience. You were excited and pumped up, but also kept it together and ran super smart. Now that you’ve done it once, it will be so much easier the next time! Terrific job putting yourself right in to the top half of the race and then giving it all you had over the last mile. You were ahead of Northwest Christian Lacey’s 6th runner and on any other team there you would have easily been in their top 5. Savor the fun of this experience and come back next year for more!



Keeley and Lindsay: It felt so good to know we had two completely capable alternates ready to step in at a moment’s notice. You were right there the whole time keeping everyone loose, managing things like hair ribbons and glitter, and keeping yourselves ready, just in case. That’s a tough role to play and you both did it with ease and joy. Thank you!

Lucy: So glad you were there and hope to have you there again next year!

Lena: So, so, so sorry the stomach flu chose to hit you Friday night. We know you felt lousy and the fact that you made it out onto the course to cheer your teammates says a lot about who you are. 

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS

16 teams and 154 total finishers. 2nd place - 121 points. 

General Comments: Phew! Second place with 121 points. (Just 4 points ahead of #3 St. George and 43 points behind #1 NWC Lacy). We had the second fastest team time (17:54.8 to NWCL’s 17:32.3) and a spread of only 1:09. The top four teams had the closest spreads but St. George’s team time ranked 5th out of the top five — which is exactly why we beat them. Even on an off day for us, the fact that their :22 pack is just a little slower gave us a razor thin margin of error. And that, gang, is the nature of the beast. Sporting at it’s finest! I firmly believe that you all ran your best of all possible races on the day — that we left it all out there on the course — and we were simply “that kind of team” where even a number of things could be off and we still finished second. You all were sharp and prepared. You were moving and ready to go at the start. And Lacy was lucky that we didn’t nail it. Let’s get back here again along with Manson and Tonasket and the lesser appreciated District 5-6 crowd — and show the State once again that we are a team top-to-bottom and that this podium tradition is a thing that will continue!

                      

Walker: 16:59, 14 > 14 > 14th place, 5:13 first mile, 10:48.9 second, 5:28 pace overall
A smart and patient race. In every photo you are matching Herbierto stride-for-stride and you put yourself exactly in that podium position early — and fought for it all the way to the finish. A great new PR and the 45 sec. improvement at State — plus another year of knowledge about how this thing goes out and where we can challenge both the pace and the course — should help us to move you even further up the podium at next year’s meet. Congrats on an excellent sophomore season — which now ranks you right behind Liam Daily, Eli, and Ben in terms of the Liberty Bell record books — and have a great ski season!



Eli: 17:02, 11 > 12 > 15th place, 5:10 first mile, 10:44.9 second, 5:29 pace overall
Similar to Walker — but in the more workhorse/set-the-pace kind of roll — you found the podium sweet spot and did a TON of work out there in holding serve and keeping you and Walker in the mix to the end. Interestingly enough, EVERYONE in the top 16 at the mile was also in the top 16 at the end. NO one cracked it by going out easier — and you totally ran the race that needed to be run! Please note as well, you were closer to 12th than 16th, and that in beating Eli Engledow (Asotin) and Gavin Merrit (17th from Tekoa-Rosalia) you also soundly turned the tables on the two finishers immediately ahead of you at last spring’s state track meet 3200m :) Congratulations Eli, on a fine XC career here at Liberty Bell High School, and we’re definitely going to miss you in 2018!

Ian: 17:26.6, 26 > 25 > 24th place, 5:25 first mile, 11:08.6 second, 5:37 pace overall
The 3rd fastest freshman in the state behind Justin Peck from Trout Lake and an Easton Pomrankey from Kettle Falls. And you finished your season just like you started it - amazingly consistent, unflappable, and FAST! Your “pack” in that race was the ultimately the lynchpin for so many things regarding team scores etc., and your ability to hang with that group and to beat St. George’s #1 runner right at the line was super important to our razor thin margin between 2nd and 3rd. Your race was terrific, and I hope you can sense now too how much closer we would have made this thing if Emerson was feeling himself and running with you step-for-step like the last two weeks. SO many great things to build upon for good years ahead. Congrats on a really fine freshman year and three cheers for snow and the ski season to come!

Travis: 18:02.9, 52 > 41 > 49th place, 5:34 first mile, 11:21.8 second, 5:48 pace overall
9th freshman in the state and actually just 2 seconds back of Trout Lake’s Gabe Harpe - who you beat to the line at Districts. Considering how you felt at times - this was an awesome race! Not perfect for sure, but you never gave up and on will power alone helped us so incredibly much as a team. The perfect individual race and huge new PRs will come in future seasons - but with four total 5ks right in the ballpark of 18 minutes, and some super consistent racing over the last month esp. - this has been a freshman season full of success. Congratulations and like Ian and many others, we can wait to watch you ski!

Emerson: 18:09.2, 29 > 38 > 60th place, 5:25 first mile, 11:19.8 second, 5:50 pace overall

Chalk it up. Chalk it up. You finish exactly tied with NWCL’s 6th man — and they got extremely lucky that you were not 100%. This was purely a guts race on your part after the first mile and you are totally right there with Ian on any other week. Your tenacity kept us in that 2nd overall spot on the podium for sure. Not the ideal, I know, but you learned a TON this season about the rhythm of 5k racing and that was not what you were fighting out there at all. Thanks for a great season, Emerson. We’re back again next year with a vengeance… and the track season looms in the not too distant future. It’s going to be fun watching you burn up the turns!

Lazo: 18:44.1, 94th place, 5:46 first mile (103rd), 11:56.5 (99th), 6:02 pace overall
A huge congrats on your State meet performance and a PR and SR too if your throw Oroville out — which we certainly do :) Thank you again for your dedication to this team and for your ability to flex and adapt to the alternate roll and eventual call into service for State. And you ran terrific! Classic Lazo with a State meet twist. Not quite so easy to make up places with a faster start like that, but you did! You were also the 3rd best 6th man on the day (behind NWCL and Asotin) and the 5th man on any team beyond the top 5 (and closing in on 4th in many cases.) Already looking forward to what this team can do with so much excellent senior leadership in 2018!

Simon: 18:59.1,107th place, 5:40 first mile (80th), 11:57.2 (100th), 6:07 pace overall
Sub-19 again for the 4th time this season — which is amazing since it never happened once in 2016! Still ahead of Manson’s and St. Georges’s 6 plus just steps behind Tonasket’s 5th and better then the no. 5 runners for the next 9 teams at the meet. You, like Emerson and Travis, have something great to build on for 2018 and your experience this year — and this whole season in fact — is just what this team is about. SO much growth for you in the last three years and awesome to have you racing at State. As I’ve said already to Emerson, Lazo and Nick, I really can’t wait to see what this team can do with so much excellent senior leadership and experience in 2018. Congrats again and looking forward to watching some winter hoops! 

Cade: DNR, sick.
The skipping photo above is the most relaxed and Cade-like that we’ve seen you in the last three weeks. So sorry that things compounded the way that they did, but a total pleasure to have you on this team the last three years and your impact - your attention to detail and your willingness to learn and push yourself as an athlete - has been quietly profound. Races and seasons hardly ever go exactly right — but the connections we form and the people matter more in the long run then any of the times of accolades. Awesome to suck you into this sport for three short years, and we will miss you greatly in 2018!

Nick: Second alternate.
As we’ve said many times — such an impressive first season of XC! You’ve been a terrific influence on this team and will be critical to our challenge for more again at Pasco 2018 :) You pushed Simon. You pushed Lazo. You pushed Emerson last season on the track and you embraced this sport with earnest desire and a will to improve. Simon and Lazo both dropped literally minutes from their times between their 9th and 10th grade seasons — and then again large chunks this junior year. 17 minute marks are definitely in your future for 2018 — and with a little taste of that that looks and feels like — we truly hope that you’ll be back for more!

Tim & Peter: Tim, your five-year contribution to this team has been nothing short of excellent. You are dedicated, hard-working, and one of the best teammates in this group. And Peter, it would be incredible to have you and Emerson, Lazo, Simon, and Nick back on the line at State next year as an awesome crew of strong and experienced senior runners. We CAN take that trophy from the likes of NWCL and we have all of the necessary ingredients to do it! Really happy to have you guys along for the ride and thank so much for supporting your teammates at the meet and all season long.

Eden: 21:40, 2nd place :) 3:00 1st 800m, 6:40 first mile, 6:48 pace overall
Congrats Eden on your state meet course time trial and a 13 second PR to end the year. Thanks so much for joining in the annual TT tradition and thanks even more for giving this sport a try when the neck injury just wasn’t working out with football. SO great to have you out and your enthusiasm for the team and genuine, earnest work ethic and perspective was appreciated top to bottom. You will be missed next year as well, and I can’t even imagine where we’d be if you had rolled right into this running thing during freshman year!

** NEXT YEAR ** NW Christian Lacey (1st) loses no one to graduation… but they were vulnerable and they will be again! St. George’s (3rd) loses two seniors from their :22 spread pack of five, and returns four 11th and a 9th grade. Asotin (4th) loses one senior (6th man) and returns four 11th and one 10th grade. Manson (5th) loses Herbierto, but returns three 10th and three 9th grade. And finally Tonasket (8th) will return four 11th and one 9th grade. We return three juniors, a sophomore and two ninth graders from this most excellent crew — but with two more state-caliber juniors waiting in the wings the pieces are definitely there to compete.

That being said, after last year I thought that Mary Walker would be tough with five returning seniors. It turns out — not so much. They never really made it happen and actually had six seniors racing at State - finishing 22, 40, 72, 88, 104, 125, and 151 in the scoring respectively. UGH! Our meet was a wee little bit rough in comparison — but still. You’ve got to bring it — and we usually do. Let’s take a break and get excited about the winter sports and spring-into-summer variety of activities that keep us fresh and lively. We CAN make a run at this again next season and you’ll be hearing from us again in the spring will all of our usual love and general positivity :)

Thanks gain to all of the kids, parents, bus drivers, and administrators that make this possible. August 2018 anyone? And bring your friends! We truly hope that the answer is a resounding ‘YES!’

District 5-6 Championships - 10.25.17

Liberty Bell XC - District 5-6 Championships - High School
Location: Walla Walla Point Park, Wenatchee, WA

Date: 10.25.17
Distance: 5km. Conditions: A subtle tweak to the Wenatchee course from September. Less hot. Firmer grass. LOTS of course marking flags! Faster running.

General comments: Congratulations! Another league title and solid JV showing, too! Pretty amazing for a program that just a few years ago had 2 runners. We are deep and we are a team and that is inspiring and probably a bit intimidating to all the other programs! Thank you for handling your success with grace and joy — the post-race snow dancing was a memory not soon forgotten. You ran today without your usual glitter — but that’s ok because each of you have found a way to internalize that sparkle. Glitter truly is a state of mind — and you now have within you the grit and the dazzle to make a real splash. Now we move on — all together — to challenge ourselves at the State meet. You are ready. Whether you are cheering (near or afar) or toeing the line, you are on this team and this team rocks! PS We will have actual glitter ready and waiting for State as well :)

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS
1st place. 15 points. 2 full teams. 30 runners.

Liberty Bell 15
Riverside Christian 48

Novie: 1st place, 19:06, 5:51 first mile, 6:02 overall pace
You were fighting a cold today and yet it was nearly impossible to tell! 6:02 pace is pretty phenomenal for fighting a cold— 11 seconds per mile faster than your pace on this course earlier in the season and only 4 seconds per mile slower than at home last week when you said you felt good. You should take great confidence that you can not feel your best and still pull out a race like that. Hope you are thinking about your goals for state because you are in a very awesome position to make them a reality. Plus, you’ve got that cold done with this year!

Gretta: 3rd place, 20:06, 5:54 first mile, 6:20 overall pace
Love that you wanted to experiment with going out hard. So, this wasn’t a PR (although it was 9 seconds per mile faster than at the Wenatchee invite earlier—so you are getting faster no matter what), but it was an LE (a learning experience). We’ll have some specific ideas for your state race for you based on what we saw out there and you can draw strength knowing that you know that state course and it will be a morning start time (your favorite). We’re going to not think about times — that will happen naturally — and instead ensure you have a good race plan. Stay confident, determined and full of Lion Pride and November 4th will be excellent.

Ella: 4th place, 20:39, 6:20 first mile, 6:39 overall pace
21 seconds faster per mile than the Wenatchee invite. That’s serious improvement. And you still have more to go. Truly every time you run you look more fluid and like it is more fun. Relax into the taper week and just keep riding the incredible wave of this season. You will have a few good competitors next week to keep it interesting and we believe you are ready for anything!

Athena: 6th place, 20:52, 6:28 first mile, 6:43 overall pace
Another terrific second lap on this course. 11 seconds per mile overall faster than your Wenatchee Invite pace. We would still like to see you get out a bit more aggressively so that you are racing with the pack you want to be a part of at the finish. You CAN do that — you have yet to fade in a second half. So trust that your legs know what to do in that last mile and get yourself in a good spot at the beginning. It’s going to be an awesome state meet for you!



Liv: 7th place, 20:56, 6:20 first mile, 6:44 overall pace
So glad to have you racing again! Yes, your lungs had a bit of a shock (that’s normal and you will not likely feel that next week) but you handled it beautifully. You looked smooth and strong and did exactly the right things to stay in contact with people and just run. You will feel so much better next week having had this racing experience. Let loose of all expectations and just let yourself enjoy the state experience and race on feel. You’ve got all you need to have a terrific race!

Icel: 8th place, 21:03, 6:28 first mile, 6:47 overall pace
Just have to say you were 18 seconds per mile faster than you were at Wenatchee Invite. That’s just the kind of season progression we crave and it means such good things for what is to come. You are a great big-race racer and we have no doubt that you will rise to the occasion again next Saturday. You are a veteran state-racer now. Share that experience with your teammates and be the role model you are of grace under pressure.

Eva: 7th place, 22:41, 6:50 first mile, 7:18 overall pace
We know you didn’t feel great, but you were still fast — about 14 seconds per mile faster than your pace at the Wenatchee Invite. Once again, you ran especially tough over that last mile. At state you’ll have even more people to race in that last mile, so look forward to that and find some joy in passing as many as you can. You are ready for a big time PR, for sure. Just remember to keep using your arms — they will drive your legs when you are tired!



GIRLS JV RACE
Combined with boys. No complete girl’s teams.

Keeley: 1st place, 23:12, 6:45 first mile, 7:28 overall pace
A most excellent bounce-back race from Saturday. That says much about your character and your determination. You looked especially tough and fast in the first 2 miles. Keep reminding yourself that you have what it takes to finish with a kick and you will, for sure, next season! Glad this one felt more fun and congrats on your first win of a race!

Lindsay: 12nd place, 23:33, 7:05 first mile, 7:33 overall pace
It sure seems like you are running with a real sense of joy, Lindsay. That’s so great to see — and it translated into a 12 second per mile pace faster than just 4 weeks ago at the Wenatchee Invite. That is some crazy improvement and you should feel really good about the hard work that brought you to that success. You were really moving in that whole last mile - a testament to your stamina and strength. Can’t wait to see what a sophomore season will bring!

Lena: 4th place, 24:18, 7:20 first mile, 7:46 overall pace
Another strong improvement — each week has been getting better and better. You ran the uphills with great drive and you had a very nice kick up that last one. Overall, you were 8 seconds per mile faster than your pace at the Wenatchee Invite and more than a minute per mile faster than at Leavenworth. You, too, are set for an awesome sophomore season now that you that you have a season of 5K’s under your belt!

Lucy: DNF, dropped after 1 mile. 7:26 through the first mile.
We are really sorry that this one didn’t turn out the way we all might have wanted. We know you had big plans and we continue to believe that they are possible. You need to keep believing that, too! You are going to be that much stronger in track this spring - that will be so much fun to watch!

Mia: We missed you out there! 

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VARSITY RACE
1st Place, 40 points. 11 full teams. 88 runners

Liberty Bell 40
Manson 72
Tonasket 84
Tri-Cities Prep 116
Trout Lake 142
Bickleton 175
Brewster 183
Bridgeport 202
Lake Roosevelt 228
Riverside Christian - 253
White Swan - 259

General comments: Congratulations as well! This was, by many measures, an even better performance then you had last weekend at Leagues. And that is not easy to do with additional teams and a little more wild-card individual action racing away at the front of the meet. That being said, you found your way to impressive team performance in one of the most competitive District meets in years. This was still not a fast course, and we are going to ride those excellent race tactics and faster terrain to some PR performances this coming weekend in Pasco. Embrace the feeling gang, and run like you mean it! PS Congrats as well on the State Academic Championship. 3.946 indeed!!!

Eli: 5th place, 17:18, 5:19 first mile, 5:35 overall pace
A quick first mile. A strong middle. A finish where you closed! Congrats on your best complete race of the year, and you are primed and ready to pop one at State! The 16:40s are well within your grasp. PS Cashmere’s Evan Gambil beat you by 1:11 at the 9/23 Wenatchee Invite. In the 1A Dist. meet just before ours, he ran 17:01. YOU are getting faster. Ready to launch!



Walker: 7th place, 17:35, 5:20 first mile, 5:40 overall pace
Picking up a few seconds relative to Manson’s Herbierto over Leagues, and he was on the podium at State in 2016. In 2014, Willy Dugay ran 18:26 on our home course 5k… and then 17:14 at State — with similar gains the following year. Rest and sharpening this week - and we are ready indeed for some lifetime and season PR’s in Pasco. State will get out quick, but let’s have you and Eli keep each other company with some intention as we target these front runners from other teams.

Emerson: 5th place, 17:43, 5:24 first mile, 5:42 overall pace
Great practice for State with a quick first mile and then a gusty late-race challenge to Gomez. There will be lots more to race for on Saturday and a few more people around you for sure. The 17-17:10 min range isn’t usually “quite” as crowded as it was back in last year’s 17:45 zone but embrace that awesome late-race feeling from 2016 and look forward to what that means this coming weekend!

Ian: 11th place, 17:53, 5:28 first mile, 5:45 overall pace
So good again in shadowing Emerson, and then in a footrace of your own to the finish with Manson helped you gap the runner from Bickelton uphill to the finish. Trust in your strength and drive those arms quick and short over the final 300+ meters again this weekend. We’ll get a good look on Friday, but is a long and necessary kick to the finish. You got terrific practice in going moving with Connor T. this week and you’ll have even more company to make it fun at State. Congrats on an awesome freshman XC season and this next one is icing on the cake!

Travis: 13th place, 18:09, 5:37 first mile, 5:50 overall pace
Played to perfection again. A steady but quick first mile — and then the strength in the end to finish. The kick to the line with fellow a fellow 9th grader from Trout Lake was terrific to watch, and you will get another chance for kicking people down at State. And the gaps will be smaller too, (MUCH - and especially in that 17:40-18min range) and SO many places can get eaten up with a final surge to the line. Congrats on your super consistent varsity performances over the last few weeks, and the State meet is going to be tons of fun!

Simon: 18th place, 18:28, 5:43 first mile, 5:57 overall pace
18:47 in September… and 20 seconds faster on a longer course. You’ve been running so solid and maybe still feeling even a little tired. This next week is all about rest and sharpening. Feeling quick and just a little more effortless than you have all year. Sleep. Study. Get excited. You’ve punched your ticket to the dance and it’ll be awesome to see you run! Your ability to focus on the Mason 3rd was once again super critical to our performance -- an improvement even over Leagues — and we’ll find you a similar roll with other teams at State. Can’t wait!

Cade: 31st place, 19:24, 5:41 first mile, 6:15 overall pace
So glad to have you out there and feeling like you could even compete at ALL after a topsy turvy week. This was a workout effort — and an essential ingredient to being ready to run in Pasco next weekend. Easy to bog down I know, but find that glimmer in some rest and let the physicality of movement. Your competitive drive fuel your body for one more week - but set the head aside. An outlier race for sure and your steady hand and State meet experience will be critical to those around you in next weekend’s opening miles and closing kick. Rest easy. The hay is in the barn and you ARE ready to go!

BOYS JV RACE
1st Place, 34 points. 6 full teams. 63 runners (1B/2B & 1A)

Liberty Bell 34
Cashmere 46
Omak 86
Cascade Leavenworth 103
Manson 121
Tonasket 141

Lazo: 3rd place, 19:12, 5:40 first mile, 6:11 overall pace
19:20 on the 3mi version of this course earlier in the year and faster again then last year’s District meet by 8 or 9 sec. per mile. Its rough to be the first alternate 3 years running, but you have been faster EVERY year and battling no doubt. If push comes to shove and we need a backup for State — there is no one else in this group that is more prepared and ready to run. Thank you for pushing. Thank you for striving. And thank you for making room for XC in your life.

Peter: 5th place, 19:21, 5:36 first mile, 6:14 overall pace
A worthy effort and a bit of your throw-it-to the wall style that found success last year. Awesome to see you leading at the mile and we just need to get a little distance work into easy days to help you sustain that tempo — and keep it pushing to ahead for a sustainable lead. No small task for you this year in balancing greater baseball interests with the XC running, but great to have you coming back to State again albeit in a bit more of a supporting roll. Your overall relaxed but focused demeanor will be a boon to first-year runners Ian, Travis and Simon.

Nick: 7th place, 19:43, 5:40 first mile, 6:21 overall pace
A terrific inaugural XC season Nick and you’ve helped this entire group to be better than they might otherwise have managed. Pushing Simon early. Pushing Lazo late. You have guts, strength AND speed and just need a little more time to get it all gelled together. I know that you’re already thinking ahead to college applications etc. but we would LOVE to have you out another year to experience to major polish on an already shiny initial run. PS the same goes for track and you actually have two more shots at that!

                    

Tim: 9th place, 19:57, 6:00 first mile, 6:25 overall pace
20:28 on the 3mi version of this course in September. You ran farther this race… AND almost 30 seconds faster. SO impressed by your consistency and your continued efforts to support your teammates in the middle of these races. You are one of the most vocal and adamant members of the team when it counts — and we’re excited to have you coming along to State to cheer these teams on in your senior season.

Bodhi: 10th place, 20:06, 5:55 first mile, 6:28 overall pace
Just outside the 20min mark for the second week in a row — but this 10th place performance put us over the top in the team competition with Cashmere in a major way. Thought running all the way around and so much to be proud of in your first-ever HS XC season and we can’t wait to have you back in 2017.

Galen: 18th place, 20:42, 6:26 first mile, 6:40 overall pace
You dropped another 2 seconds from your over all mile pace vs Leagues, and you have shown yourself to be incredibly coachable and adaptable to the particular stresses of XC from start to finish. SO glad to have you out this year, and your times will drop even further in 2018 with some additional summer running and a greater overall feel for the sport when we start things again next fall. Congrats on a terrific inaugural season and we can’t wait to have you back!

Logan: 20th place, 21:03, 6:36 first mile, 6:47 overall pace
6:47 pace vs 7:01 in Sept. And your opening mile was only 6 seconds different. You still have speed for the kick and your endurance has progressed across the season start to finish. With any luck, the spikes for this one felt good, and we can get your ankles to tolerate a few more races in them for 2018. Congrats on another fine season of XC and we’ll look forward to having you back in your junior year.

Erick: 22nd place, 21:32, 6:38 first mile, 6:56 overall pace
Also dropping major seconds from mid-September to the District meet. Such a great season Erick and we’ll get you racing in spikes a little more often next year as well. Almost exactly the same distance behind Logan in this race as compared to Leagues, and you’ve done an amazing job of late in finding some consistent pacing and regulating your efforts across the race.

Andrew: 27th place, 21:46, 6:08 first mile, 7:00 overall pace
A better race then last week, but a little concerning with the major side-stitches two weeks in a row. You’re not going out too fast… but something is happening out there. Looking forward to helping you develop a little more finishing speed and mid-race endurance with a spring season on the brand new track. Let it snow and the Loup Loup season will commence!

Eden: 30th place, 21:53, 6:41 first mile, 7:03 overall pace
Stepping up again with a terrific final race in your inaugural and short-but-sweet senior season. You were 30-40 seconds head of many runners in your ballpark from Leagues, and on several teams like LR and Bridgeport you’d be a varsity runner. You might be feeling the first-ever race in spikes just a little bit still this week, but so great to have you out for the team and looking forward to bringing your senior enthusiasm and work ethic alone to the State meet this coming weekend.

League Championships - 10.21.17

Liberty Bell XC - League Championships - Middle School
Location: Liberty Bell High School, Winthrop, WA

Date: 10.21.17
Distance: 1.5mi Conditions: A wintry mix of snow (!) and rain. High 30s. It felt cold and damp. Our home course — a few hills, some single track trail, and lots of loops!

General comments: What an incredible way to end the Season! You all were amazing and working so hard out there. It just felt like everyone gave it everything they had. Thanks for adapting to the fact that your coaches were busy running the meet. You warmed up great with your parent substitutes and you were ready to go. Hope you felt the community pride for every single one of you as you came across the football field to the finish! We are going to miss you all the next two weeks and certainly hope ALL of you will join the team next fall. Summer running starts in June!

MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS
1st place. 21 points. 4 complete teams. 32 total runners.

Team Score:
21 Liberty Bell
49 Brewster
79 Omak
82 Manson

Isaiah: 1st - 8:37, 5:49 per mile pace
Happy Birthday! You set a goal and you went out after it and achieved it! Hope this one feels good and that it tops off a really excellent first cross-country season. You run with strength, and speed, and grit—and we sure hope to see you next year!

Eamon: 2nd - 8:49, 5:53 per mile pace
At the start of the season, you ran a mile over on the grass fields on campus in 6:21 and as I recall you went all out. You just ran 1.5 miles on an even harder course at almost 30 seconds per mile faster. Savor that for a moment — because that is crazy good improvement. You’ve had such a great season—congratulations. We’ll have to come cheer for a jr high basketball game!

Bellamy: 3rd - 8:51, 5:54 per mile pace
Wicked smart racing, Bellamy—and in much colder conditions than you’ve faced in a long while! You put yourself right into the thick of it up front and you ran hard the whole way. We appreciate the hard work you put in to this season and hope you feel a whole lot of satisfaction about your improvement. Hoping we can convince you to run 5K next year in high school!

David: 6th - 9:14, 6:09 per mile pace
42 seconds faster than last year on this course and light years better in terms of confidence. You launched yourself into the race and never stopped going after it. A nice end to a very good season of racing. Can we convince you to bump up to 5K next year?

Sawyer: 10th - 9:27, 6:18 per mile pace
Absolutely terrific racing. You were totally giving this one everything you had. Loved how you found that extra gear coming up the football field to really kick it in. We really appreciate the attitude you bring to practice each day and they way you seem to really rise to the occasion in races. Awesome job!

Kieren: 11th - 9:28, 6:19 per mile pace
Crazy good! You have totally figured out this racing thing. Remember back at the beginning when it was hard to run all the way to Neitlich’s? And, now you are racing in the low 6 minute per mile pace. Perseverance pays off.

Carter: 13th - 9:46, 6:31 per mile pace
Another totally solid run, Carter. You have done a great job finding your pace and then just letting the running rhythm take over. You are a strong runner and next year you will be even faster as you will be a year older and more experienced with racing. Keep running next summer and those PRs will just start happening like crazy!

Graham: 14th - 9:47, 6:31 per mile pace
A big race with a big finish! Excellent job staying “in” the race mentally in that middle section. You were seriously flying over the last 400 meters and it looked like it felt great! Remember that feeling when June rolls around and get excited for some summer running!

Tristan: 17th - 9:54, 6:36 per mile pace
Way back at the start of the season, you ran the time trial mile on the grass fields on campus in 7:04 — and now just 7 weeks later, you raced 1.5 miles at almost 30 seconds per mile faster. That’s improvement — and that’s also what hard work and determination bring. Congrats on a really great season and can’t wait to see what improvements you earn next year!

Izzy: 19th - 9:59, 6:39 per mile pace
You are one tough racer, throwing yourself into each race, even when your schedule hasn’t allowed you to do all the training that the rest of the team has. That takes some courage and we all appreciate your willingness to really go after each race and do your best. Hopefully next year you’ll be able to make more of the hard workout days and you’ll see your times drop for sure.

Jackson: 21st - 10:12, 6:48 per mile pace
You, too, ran that time trial way back on August 31st. You ran 7:17 that day. Now, 7 weeks later, you just raced (in the freezing rain on a harder course!) 1.5 miles in 6:48 pace. That should feel really really good. You put in all the work to make that happen and along the way, you seemed to really find the joy in running. That’s awesome. Can’t wait to see what you do next year!

Eli: 25th - 10:34, 7:03 per mile pace
You continue your PR parade - this one 1:21 faster than last year on this course. That’s a really big improvement over 1.5 miles. And, I could see it in the way you were running. Great turnover, strong arm drive, and a look of confidence. I know your knees still hurt, but you can endure! Hope we can tempt you to try 5K next year in high school.

Kellen: 26th - 10:39, 7:06 per mile pace
8:55. That’s the time you ran the time trial mile in 7 weeks ago on campus. You just raced 1.5 miles almost 2 minutes per mile faster. Think about that! That’s incredible and you hopefully can take a whole lot of satisfaction in knowing that you made that happen. It was your hard work and your mental toughness that made that difference in the clock. Powerful stuff!

Connor: 31st - 11:26, 7:37 per mile pace
It was surely cold out there, but you kept your motor running. You did a good job keeping it steady and you took on the course with determination and familiarity. Your running and your confidence have both grown tremendously this season and we hope you look back on these 7 weeks and realize how your positive attitude and stick-to-it-ness have helped you improve so much.



MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS
1st place. 21 points. 3 complete teams. 26 total runners.

Team Score:
21 Liberty Bell
53 Omak
59 Manson

Jori: 1st - 9:41, 6:27 per mile pace
4 seconds faster than last year and a smart running of the race. You were in control the whole way and you found a great kick to really open it up at the end. Congratulations on a great season and we look forward to seeing you bring your strength and stamina to the 5K high school team next year!

Stella S: 3rd - 9:54, 6:35 per mile pace
It was super cold out there and your body was working really hard just to stay warm while still running really fast. Back at the start of the season, you ran 7:09 for the one mile time trial and today you raced 1.5 hillier miles at 6:35 pace. That hopefully feels really good!

Mahali: 4th - 10:10, 6:47 per mile paceSo impressive. You put yourself in a great position early on in the race and then just kept getting stronger and stronger. You have found your running rhythm and you are only going to get faster and faster. So happy to have you on the team! Long live the Pineapples!

Lilia: 10th - 10:40, 7:07 per mile pace
You show so much gutsy determination in your racing. You found another gear over that last 400 meters, which is not easy to do when you are all alone. That shows a lot of mental fortitude! So glad you found your way to the Methow Valley and we look forward to many more seasons of good racing with you



Ayeanna: 12th - 11:00, 7:20 per mile pace
I feel like I probably write the same thing every week — you just keep looking stronger. But, that’s because you do! Every week you find more power in each stride and more quiet confidence. You have totally figured out cross-country and we sure hope it means you’ll stick with it!

Mariah: 13th - 11:02, 7:21 per mile pace
13 seconds faster than last year on this course, and your per mile pace is more than 25 seconds faster than your mile time trial at the start of the year. You made those seconds drop in your hard work and the choices you make in your head while you are racing. Great job finding your kick and staying tough in the middle of the race. 5K next year—you will love it!

Payten: 15th - 11:22, 7:35 per mile pace
Faster than last year and 20 seconds per mile faster than your time trial. That’s impressive and due in large part to the great work you put in this summer. Plus, you’ve managed to find the fun in practice and in racing and that keeps you relaxed and ready to go. So pleased that you ended your junior high season with a strong kick. That shows confidence that should easily carry you to 5K next year.

Stella G: 18th - 11:59, 7:59 per mile pace
Your kick will be emblazoned in my mind forever. It was just pure all out joy and guts. You hit the football field and you were rolling, legs turning over and heart all in. 25 seconds overall faster than last year and so much more confidence and strength. You remind us all why cross-country is such a great sport — it tests us and when we meet the challenge, we feel great! Now, go break a leg in that play and see you next fall!

Addie: 22nd - 12:19, 8:13 per mile pace
You know what I saw in this race - a girl who knew she could do it. You didn’t once look in despair. You just started running and never looked back. That is soooo cool and we all hope you feel really good about your season. Your hard work and persistence and quiet belief in yourself got you to that race and that finish line.

Nina: 24th - 12:39, 8:26 per mile pace
Wish you could have seen yourself literally flying down the football field for the finish. You looked so powerful—because you are! You have handled everything this season has thrown at you — sore shins, hills, intervals, long runs, lungs that don’t always cooperate. You meet each challenge with calm resolve. And when you set your mind to something, like the finish of that race, you go BIG. It’s awesome to witness!

Grace, Dusten, Kierra: We’ve been glad to have each of you on the team this year and hope we’ll see you again! Cross-country is a great combo of individual challenge and team camaraderie! 

 
Liberty Bell XC - League Championships - High School
Location: Liberty Bell High School, Winthrop, WA

Date: 10.21.17
Distance: 5km Conditions: A bone-chilling wintry mix of snow and rain and overall dampness. Home course — full of trail, loops, the occasional hill, and tons of people out to support you all!

General comments: Congratulations on defending your League titles! It was an impressive day for Liberty Bell in some tough running conditions. Hope you could feel the community’s Lion Pride as you were out there — it was palpable. Thank you to all of you for all the ways you got yourselves ready for this one and looked out for each other while you coaches were busy running the meet. You honored the home course in so many ways today!



HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS
1st place. 15 points. 2 full teams. 30 runners.

Liberty Bell 15
Riverside Christian 48

Novie: 1st place, 18:33, 5:56 first mile, 5:58 overall pace
It is such a joy to watch you run: so much power, determination, and just an unrelenting rhythm. You were just 7 seconds off Sierra Spieker’s course record (which she ran as a senior and in the boys race, I believe) and 21 seconds faster than you were last year. You are having a terrific season. Just keep finding the joy and it’s all going to fall into place.

Gretta: 2nd place, 20:05, 6:10 first mile, 6:27 overall pace
4 seconds faster than last year on this course—and in last year’s race report for this race we noted that you are perfectly on track for a big PR at state. It’s hard to argue any differently this year. You’ve put in great work and you are ready to enjoy a taper and feel some speed in those legs. The next two weeks will be fun!

Ella: 3rd place, 20:34, 6:25 first mile, 6:37 overall pace
Every week you look smoother, stronger, and more confident. This was a lonely one, for sure, and you handled that challenge with a lot of poise. You should have a few more runners near you on Wednesday from Trout Lake, etc., and that will make it seem easier. Really excellent running in those “moments when no one is watching.” Impressive stuff.

Icel: 4th place, 20:45, 6:33 first mile, 6:40 overall pace
Sweet! That was almost a 1 minute improvement over your time here last year. That’s just downright crazy, because you were running great last year at this time. Nice job working with your teammate through the mile and then slowly moving up throughout. You’ve found your stride, for sure.

Athena: 5th place, 21:04, 6:33 first mile, 6:46 overall pace
Almost identical to your freshman year time here — and remember how well state turned out after that :). Last year you had Johnna from Tonasket to battle with the whole time. This year it was cold, rainy/slushy, and you had only your teammates to race. It was solid performance and one that you will improve upon in district’s and state, for sure.

Eva: 7th place, 22:30, 7:00 first mile, 7:14 overall pace
Underneath a lot of hard work that you were clearly putting into this race, I could also see a lot of confidence and joy. You knew you were running well and you knew you were making up ground on the runners in front of you. And you just carefully, thoughtfully let your training carry you. Your kick at the end was a reminder of how doing something really hard can make a person happy.

Lucy: 8th place, 22:35, 6:48 first mile, 7:16 overall pace
So glad to have you back out there in the green uniform! You went out hard. Let’s try something a little less intense on Wednesday and see if that leaves you with more “go” in your legs for miles 2 and 3. You’ve had some great workouts lately and you are ready to pop a really good one.

Lindsay: 12th place, 23:30, 7:04 first mile, 7:33 overall pace
I think I said this to you after the race, but it bares repeating: You ran so tough in those last two “garden” laps. You had lost some contact and yet you figured out how to regain focus and you found your rhythm again. This season is a great introduction to 5K and you have learned so much that you are capable of — and this race was a great example of you realizing you can run hard at the end when it hurts. Nice!

Lena: 18th place, 24:32, 7:30 first mile, 7:53 overall pace
Your lungs sounded like they agreed with you a bit more this week. As always, your form looks great and you are getting a lot of “push” out of each stride. You looked like you were focused and “into” the race — that can be hard to do in a 5K. On Wednesday let’s pick a few spots to try surging a bit just to mix up the tempo.

Keeley: DNF, dropped after 2 mile. 6:48 through the first mile.
Sorry this one didn’t go the way you wanted. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, ponder the lessons in it and resolve to find a different outcome. We believe in you—as your coaches and as your parents!

Liv and Mia: Looking forward to seeing both of you on Wednesday. We know your hearts with with the team out there and we all missed you!



HIGH SCHOOL BOYS
1st Place, 26 points. 7 full teams. 70 runners

Liberty Bell 26
Manson 49
Tonasket 75
Brewster 108
Lake Roosevelt 143
Riverside Christian - 163
Bridgeport - 181

Eli: 3rd place, 17:31, 5:29 first mile, 5:38 overall pace
Such a great race. A big 14 second PR on this course and you made it look much easier, too. Excellent keeping just enough contact with the front pack in mile 1 to make this interesting and the fact that you had two to chase in the last mile brought you to the sweet time. Take the confidence from this and start thinking sub 17 at state. It’s possible.

Walker: 4th place, 17:40, 5:29 first mile, 5:41 overall pace
Excellent job putting yourself in a position to make a difference in the race. It was a quick first mile. The next two weeks will bring a few “sharpening” workouts to help you find that speed gear and then rest, which will help bring more spring to the step in the last mile at state. You’re poised for some really, really, good stuff at state.

Emerson: 5th place, 17:57, 5:33 first mile, 5:46 overall pace
This race should make you very happy. A very big PR on this tough home course — almost 43 seconds - and you played an important upperclassman role helping lead the way for Ian. You looked strong and in control throughout the whole race and you were totally flying. It feels like you’ve found your rhythm. Now just go with it and don’t think too much.

Ian: 6th place, 17:58, 5:35 first mile, 5:46 overall pace
This was a very very impressive race in your first year on this tough course. You were super smart to go out with Emerson and work together. You are running so smoothly this year and I suspect that you are on the verge of some very fast times as you enter into championship season and have even more runners near you to keep it interesting.

Travis: 8th place, 18:18, 5:42 first mile, 5:53 overall pace
You looked great! Excellent patience in mile 1 and then terrific racing the whole way with Connor Torgeson from Manson the last two miles. You were giving it your all there in the finishing kick. So nice to see. Hope you feel good about this one.

Cade: 11th place, 18:57, 5:42 first mile, 6:05 overall pace
You got out well and did a terrific job serving that important team, upperclassman role as the steady hand for Travis. That matters and is very appreciated. You then found yourself in a bit of no man’s land and this course is super lonely if you don’t have a runner nearby to keep your mind busy. You will not be so alone on Wednesday in Wenatchee and it will feel so much better. Keep that mind focused on what’s working — because there is a lot that is left for you this season!

                    

Simon: 17th place, 19:07, 5:46 first mile, 6:09 overall pace
Another crazy course PR — this one more than 1:40 better than last year and more than 2 minutes faster than the year before that. That must feel really fun. You had a big pack to keep your mind busy this week and you raced really well and smart within that group. You are doing an awesome job this year of finding a way to keep contact throughout the race.

Peter: 19th place, 19:08, 5:46 first mile, 6:09 overall pace
So glad to see you keep contact with that big pack of Liberty Bell, Manson, Tonasket, and Brewster runners. You just stayed right in the mix and it served you well. You were right with Manson’s #4, 5, and 6, and ahead of Tonasket’s #4 — definitely very solid. Keep yourself “in” the race again on Wednesday and you’ll see more time drop.

Lazo: 20th place, 19:09, 5:46 first mile, 6:09 overall pace
Another massive PR over last year — More than 1:10 faster than 2016. You had that great pack to help focus the mind and I love how you just let the race unfold, finding your moments to push and your moments to just let it ride. You are “reading” the races so much better this year and finding strategies that work for you. Keep it up!

Nick: 22nd place, 19:11, 5:46 first mile, 6:10 overall pace
Definitely chalk this one not feeling as good to your medical issues the day before….that 100% has an effect on how you might feel. Remember you still toughed this one out in good form. It’s these hard races that prepare us for the really good ones. Next time you hurt, you’ll know you can endure and that’s the key to racing fast. Chin up. Believe.

Tim: 25th place, 19:26, 5:49 first mile, 6:15 overall pace
Wow! You just ran a 5K PR on this really tough, usually slow course. And, the key was that you got out in the first mile. You rose to Craig’s challenge to try to push it a bit more in the early part and you still had your trademark awesome kick! Hope that gives you some confidence going into Wednesday’s districts.

Bodhi: 30th place, 20:09, 6:04 first mile, 6:29 overall pace
Faster than last week by a fair bit and it looked like it felt a lot better. You’re still bouncing back from sickness, so be patient. You’ll feel better this week! Just relax into Wednesday, think positive thoughts, and know you have 10 weeks of really solid training to carry you.

Galen: 37th place, 20:50, 6:29 first mile, 6:42 overall pace
It is really fun to watch you figure out more and more about racing each week. Out much faster this week than last week at Oroville and this is a much slower course. You obviously handled it just fine, however, as your overall pace did not slip a huge amount. Remember that this week and be bold!

Logan: 41st place, 21:08, 6:26 first mile, 6:48 overall pace
You mentioned at the end that you weren’t feeling so good — but this was a huge PR over last year (more than 2 minutes faster)! You got out well in that first mile and then you did a good job of hanging in there when it started to feel tough. Remember that perseverance on Wednesday and know you can handle it!

Erick: 46th place, 21:29, 6:41 first mile, 6:54 overall pace
Good job finding a relatively even pace this week. This is a hard course that runs slower than many we have been on, yet you still kept under that 7 minute per mile mark. You can look for the two Brewster runners right near you on Wednesday in Wenatchee!

Eden: 50th place, 22:30, 6:47 first mile, 7:14 overall pace
A body in motion tends to stay in motion — you and Newton said and it seems so true. Once you get going, you just let the rhythm take control and you are moving. This course runs quite a bit slower than Oroville — lots of alone and quiet time don’t usually make for fast courses. So, don’t compare your time — just take a whole lot of satisfaction in conquering another 5K and think how much faster you will get this week!

Andrew: 62nd place, 24:32, 6:10 first mile, 7:53 overall pace
Not sure what happened in miles 2 and 3? You got out in mile 1 in a great, solid place. Let us know what happened after that, so we can help make whatever adjustments are necessary to prep you for a good race on Wednesday.

Oroville Invite - 10.13.17

Liberty Bell XC - Oroville Invite - Middle School
Location: Lake Osoyoos State Park, Oroville, WA

Date: 10.13.17
Distance: 1.5mi Conditions: 1.5mi. 55 degrees with some occasional wind. A slower section of sand, but otherwise a mix of firm grassy surface and just a bit of downhill pavement.

General comments: The penultimate meet of the season — and with one more to go we should be starting to feel a little more lively and excited to race! Congrats to both the girls and boys for their victory!

MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS & BOYS
Girls: 1st place. 31 points. 4 complete teams. 34 total runners.
Team Score:
31 Liberty Bell
38 Tonasket
77 Omak
92 Manson

Boys: 1st place. 24 points. 4 complete teams. 47 total runners.
Team Score:
24 Liberty Bell
59 Brewster
64 Manson
85 Omak

Isaiah: 3rd boy, 3rd overall, 8:37
It’s good to have competition from other schools.You’ll see Tonasket’s Waylon Thomas again at this coming Saturday’s championships. He is definitely within reach. Just keep in contact early and believe!



Eamon: 5th boy, 5th overall, 8:41 
Excellent, smart racing. You can probably go out even a tiny bit faster and just know you are going to be tough in the last half mile — because you are! You have this incredibly smooth running style and it looks like you could go fast all day long. Have the confidence to stick with the early pack this week and let’s see what happens!

Bellamy: 6th boy, 6th overall, 8:42
Such terrific improvement over this season. Brewster’s Juan Martinez was just 2 seconds ahead of you. At the Wenatchee meet, he was 15 seconds ahead! You are totally figuring out how to race and your workouts are paying dividends. Can’t wait to see what happens next week!

Sawyer: 10th boy, 10th overall, 9:13
46 seconds faster than your 1.5 mile race at South Whidbey! You looked strong and confident as you moved up throughout that first mile. Keep your arms nice and relaxed as you get tired and your legs will go even faster!

Carter: 12th boy, 12th overall, 9:15
It is so great how you throw yourself into racing. You aren’t afraid to get into the mix and you clearly give it your all. Make sure you keep your elbows driving back and not across your body and you’ll drop even more time!

Jori: 1st girl, 13th overall, 9:16
You may recall that last year they never gave us any girls results, but in last year’s race we figured out you finished right near a Tonasket boy who ran 9:26. So this was definitely faster! You just looked so solid throughout — nice knee drive, excellent strong core. Fast racing!

Tristan: 13th both, 14th overall, 9:17
A crazy good race, Tristan! More than 1:11 faster than at South Whidbey. You should feel really good about the way your season is unfolding. Each week you are stronger and more willing to get into that top 15 pack and make good things happen.

Stella S: 4th girl, 18th overall, 9:23
Another really good run, Stella. The two girls in between you and Jori, Perla Perez (Brewster) and Hattie Buchert (Tonasket), are both 7th graders and they both should be at our meet this Saturday. You’ll have a home course advantage—so just be patient and get up on your toes in the final kick.

Kieren: 16th boy, 20th overall, 9:26 
This one looked like a break-through race for you. More than 1:10 faster than South Whidbey and you made it look so much easier. You are finding your running rhythm and racing should start to feel fun!

Graham: 21st boy, 25th overall, 9:36
Another solid performance, Graham. You are definitely getting stronger. Remember to stay focused in the middle of the race — find something ahead of you on the course to zero in on and just break the race down into little mini-chunks.

Jackson: 22nd boy, 26th overall, 9:39
Loved how you really raced those around you today. You were in a tight pack of runners all of whom you should see again this coming weekend. With a little rest in your legs from a lighter week and your familiarity with the home course, you can look forward to some fun racing them again!

Izze: 23rd boy, 27th overall, 9:41
This one looked like it hurt a bit more than last week. That’s ok — that’s what happens sometimes from week to week. You kept it together though, and still had something to speed it up at the finish. You have a ton of spring in your step and lots of strength. We sure hope you’ll continue to run through the years because you are going to grow into a very very fine racer.

Mahali: 5th girl, 28th overall, 9:42
What an awesome season you are having. You are a diligent, hard worker in practice and it is so paying off on race day. 44 seconds faster than 1.5 miles on South Whidbey. You have a terrific stride and you change gears well in a race. Rest well this week and enjoy what will be an awesome last race of the season this Saturday!

Lilia: 12th girl, 42nd overall, 10:12
A 36 second improvement over South Whidbey. You have a great approach to racing - you clearly like to compete, but you keep it relaxed and fun. This week think about staying tall in your super-strong core so that you have less motion side to side in your torso. It will feel so much more efficient!



Eli: 37th boy, 53rd overall, 10:33
Such an improvement over last year on this same course — almost 45 seconds faster this year! And your knee is still bugging you. You are definitely a very committed runner and we’re glad you’ve been able to tolerate racing with the knee. We have some great pictures of you about mid-way through the race and your form looks terrific — strong knee drive and good arms!

Ayeanna: 17th girl, 55th overall, 10:35
Such smooth, powerful running. You looked in complete control and absolutely focused. Almost a minute faster than the early season South Whidbey! You are going to so love our home course because there are some quiet sections where the spectators aren’t usually cheering. You are so mentally tough, though, you will rock it during those sections!

Mariah: 19th girl, 58th overall, 10:38
Last year they never gave us girls times, but from what we could tell you were something like low 11s. Clearly, no matter what, this year was faster. That should make you smile. You are racing well and you can take strength from running near teammates — it’s always better to run with friends!

Payten: 21st girl, 60th overall, 10:40
You were definitely significantly faster than last year on this course. They didn’t give official girls times last year, but we had you somewhere near 11:20-11:30 last year. So, big old improvement this year—which is not at all surprising given the truly terrific season you are having. It’s pretty great to see you find your running groove!

Grace: 23rd girl, 65th overall, 10:48
It is so good to have you racing! You have an infectious (in a good way!) attitude about it all — you clearly care and you enjoy the journey. You did an excellent job finding a steady rhythm this week and still had something to kick. We sure hope you’ll join us again next year!

Kellen: 43rd boy, 66th overall, 10:49
So the lunch with the suspect lunchmeat probably made this one much less fun. But, you did it. And that says a lot about you - you are unafraid, determined, and persistent. Next week will definitely feel better and now you know you can race through anything!

Connor: 44th boy, 67th overall, 10:50
1:16 better than at early-season South Whidbey. That should sure make you happy. You had some great leg turnover out there and it showed in a super fast time. One more race this season and we’re predicting another big leap!

Addie, David, Dusten, Kierra, Nina, Stella: We sure hope all of you can join us on Saturday for the last meet of the junior high season. You’ll know the home course well!



Liberty Bell XC - Oroville Invite - High School - 10/13/17
Location: Lake Osoyoos State Park, Oroville, WA

Date: 10.13.17
Distance: 5k Conditions: 55 degrees with some occasional wind. A slower section of sand, but otherwise a mix of firm grassy surface and just a bit of downhill pavement.

General comments: A very nice response to the hills at Leavenworth with some cohesive races and lots more late race ‘pop’ almost across the board. Paces are beginning to even out in pretty amazing fashion, and while the next two meets will not be ideal for running your fastest possible times, we should continue to get out strong and set that early pace. State will reward you with a fast course and a more competitive field but we need to stay fierce and flying in those opening miles even though we will be running with ourselves over the next two weeks. Inter-squad relay teams for Leagues? If we’re still intrigued let’s plan that out early this week. Keep it fun and pointed towards an incentive for all to run their best possible races!

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS
1st place. 45 points. 7 teams. 62 runners.

Gretta: 19:06, 1st place, 1st mile 6:08 - 6:09 pace
Turnabout is fair play :) A great race Gretta — and a good tune-up for what could be potentially similar challenges from Trout Lake’s top runner at Districts/State and perhaps a NWCL runner at State as well. You did a lot of the work out there, but it was terrific to see you press the pace and then stay right in contact and ready to pounce when the opportunity presented itself at the finish. Congrats on the win and another strong and totally solid race!

Ella: 19:48, 5th place, 1st mile 6:19 - 6:22 pace
A gritty performance - once again throwing yourself into the front of the race and then challenging others to pull away. Okanogan’s Lexi Ledux had you by 25 seconds at Leavenworth, but you were only 8 seconds behind her on Saturday. The next two races will be very different - so settle in on a rhythm for yourself and your teammates, but be ready to have a little more competition again (not much) at Districts before the fun at State.

Athena: 20:07, 7th place, 1st mile 6:27 - 6:28 pace
YES! You did it! Much more into things at the start, and you moved up and through a few more runners as the race progressed. A terrific turn for your junior season and with just a little more work to do until we taper, you can revel just a little bit in a 25 second PR on that Oroville course!

Icel: 20:12, 8th place, 1st mile 6:32 - 6:30 pace
Another PR for Oroville and once again a really strong middle part of the race. You are running “with” Athena for sure even if its a different kind of grouping then you’ve enjoyed with Ava in the last two years. Keep those eyes locked ahead and run your strengths. You are moving up all over the place in these races and will break new ground at the State meet as well!

Eva: 21:56, 24th place, 1st mile 7:03 - 7:04 pace
Patient and moving up the entire race — and in these next two meets you can challenge that opening mile just a little bit more. We should have a larger middle pack with the return of Lucy and Mia in the next two weeks, hopefully all can use that to their advantage and move this entire group of lady lions towards some PR times in the next several weeks!

Lindsay: 22:12, 30th place, 1st mile 7:07 - 7:09 pace
Nicely done again and great to see you building on a strong second half at Leavenworth. Right back on it this week and awesome to see that 7 minute mark right within your grasp! A little less “wide open” terrain this week, so make connections to the runners around you and run each section with tempo and pace. Not so many hills in the nest two weeks, but you can “crest” a turn or any section of the course our there that becomes a focus.

Keeley: 22:38, 37th place, 1st mile 6:51 - 7:17 pace
Still seeking drive and some forward moving power in that middle part of the race, but a perfect opening mile and one that you can build on. Two miles goes quick if you break it up in little chunks. 4 x 800m (at 3:30 pace - totally doable!) Drive through each section. To the hill. To the tree. ‘Round a corner. Onto the back of the next runner up… and then the next one.

Lena: 23:32, 43rd place, 1st mile 7:36 - 7:34 pace
Smooth and fluid again even more along the lines of your early season race in Wenatchee. You are feeling better for sure and now the trick is to get out just a little quicker so that you don’t give up 10-20 seconds of easy time in that opening mile. Trust the strength in your legs and arm from a summer of swimming and your running legs from the last 7 weeks. You are ready to rumble in that early going and to drop some serious seconds!

Liv, Lucy, Mia, Novie: More is better and we look forward to having you all back in the Lady Lion groove soon enough!



HIGH SCHOOL BOYS
Two objectives: 1.) Manson, and 2.) Tonasket… and by almost every measure we did EXACTLY what we needed to do. It was a bounce-back race for most over Leavenworth for sure, and we definitely set the record straight on our depth as a team our ability to throw it down even missing three of our usual top seven. Manson had all of their kids in the race, and Tonasket was “maybe” missing a potential top seven runner (but for some reason or another one who hasn’t competed in the last three meets). That being the case, we will be stronger again in the next two weeks and it will be great to see us mesh back together again. Embrace the bros. The Championship Season is upon us!

HS BOYS JUNIOR VARSITY
4th place. 87 points. 5 teams. 63runners.

Travis: 17:58, 1st place, 1st mile 5:44 - 5:47 pace
So great Travis — and an experiment well worth it! Believe that you can run these things strong and smooth no matter what the race. Spikes? No problem! And you are going to slide right into a spot with Cade right behind Emerson and Ian in perfect fashion. Simon and Nick will be there as well, and we start to look REALLY tough as a team with you running in the 18 min range like this for 5k. Congrats on the win and such smart racing all around!

                     

Galen: 20:14, 27th place, 1st mile 6:44 - 6:31 pace 

Spikes baby! Feelin’ good and looking so peppy and strong to finish that race. 6:44 to start and a 6:31 pace for the race. You were moving up throughout and did an amazing job of building through the entire race. 

Logan: 20:16, 28th place, 1st mile 6:30 - 6:31 pace
Not feeling totally great, but practically even splits is nothing to sneeze at. Love how you challenged this one early in being out and closer to Bodhi. He was a little messed up by the early fall, but you didn’t hold back and let it go a bit. Try that again these next two weeks, and you are going to start feeling better over the final mile of your race.



Erick: 20:54, 34th place, 1st mile 6:36 - 6:44 pace
Once again pretty steady and well run. You didn’t go too fast at the start and you did a great job of finding teammates to run with during the middle of the race. More of the same in the next two weeks Erick. A very nice job and 20:30 or better is well within reach.

Bodhi: 20:58, 35th place, 1st mile 6:18 - 6:45 pace
In the words of Taylor Swift, “shake it off!” Chalk this one up to the early fall and perhaps a little bit of race shock due to take last weekend off. You are guaranteed to feel so much better at the start of next weekend’s race, and you can get right back into the racing groove that has been coming along all season.

Eden: 21:25, 39th place, 1st mile 6:45 - 6:54 pace
Wow. A really terrific performance in your very first 5k! Strong and steady, with some real guts on display in that final mile especially. The learning curve is steep, and you will feel like a totally different racer in another two weeks at Districts. A little speed to add on top of your increased fitness this week, and we’ll even cut back on the volume a little as well. Congrats again and so great to have you on the team!



HS BOYS VARSITY
5th place. 115 points. 10 teams. 75 runners.

Emerson: 17:35, 14th place, 1st mile 5:39 - 5:40 pace
Another consistent and solid effort! Great job early in being smart and tough racing right through the middle in that group with Gomez and Torgeson. You did some early work on their behalf, but still hung tough when then took a step or two in front. One race at a time, but another excellent job.

Cade: 18:11, 21st place, 1st mile 5:45 - 5:51 pace
Rhythm and purpose. You looked good early and maintained throughout. An 11 second improvement over last year — but a move up seven places. The PR time are harder to drop in large chunks once you get near that 18 min mark for sure. Great race tactics and your experience will be a boon to Travis when we have a larger group in this part of the race as we move ahead to State.

Nick: 18:15, 24th place, 1st mile 5:53 - 5:52 pace
Bounce back race. There you go! A totally different look on your face throughout, and you will only find those legs a little less heavy and ready to go in the weeks to come. You are running great with your arms and upper body strength throughout — and you get a sense as well of being able to lead a teammate though the middle to later part of the race as Simon wasn’t quite able to carry all of the load.

Simon: 18:26, 32nd place, 1st mile 5:53 - 5:56 pace
And playing off of the comments to Nick above - you two are an awesome duo out there! Yep, this one hurt, but you still hung super tough and it will be great to feel those legs with a little more life in the next two weeks. Once again hanging in the ballpark with Manson’ #3 and #4. You will eat their lunch again in the next two weeks.

Lazo: 18:30, 35th place, 1st mile 6:01 - 5:57 pace
Objectifying the objective! Racing right in the thick of that Manson/Tonasket pack, and your ability to hang — and then to time a perfect kick was just what we needed to see. 25 seconds faster than in 2016 — and THAT was a great race too. Excellent job in personifying our depth by beating Manson’s 5th (and Tonasket’s 4th) to the line and it will be more of the same in the next two weeks!

Peter: 19:37, 50th place, 1st mile 6:01 - 6:19 pace
Still missing just a step of rhythm over that hard part of the race around mile two. You caught the wave in a crowded field at Twilight, but in these slightly smaller races you’ll need to catch the rides a little more intentionally to make it work. Stay patient and know that you had a great race with a critical surge at our home meet last year. Look for that opportunity and take it!

Tim: 19:49, 51st place, 1st mile 6:02 - 6:23 pace
Generally steady and much more predictable all season Tim. 6:10 or so is an opening mile pace that you can certainly handle. We’re all racing together again this next weekend and it will be great to have you right back in the mix with Peter and Lazo again to start.

Andrew, Eli, Ian, Walker: Looking forward to getting you all back in the group. The little gaps that have opened up in the last two weeks will be filled in nicely with a full contingent. We currently have a 40sec. spread in our top five 5k times — and that will be awesome to see in reality with everyone toeing the line. Andrew, Galen and Logan will be a tighter group with you as well, and this should help everyone for sure over the next two weekends of racing!