State Championships – 11/9/2024
This is a bit of a combo post, which covers the district meet and the state meet. For anyone who did not run in Pasco, you will find your results from Wenatchee the week before!
Course Length – 5k
General Notes – The course at Sun Willows Golf Course is constantly rolling up and down, with some long gradual inclines/declines, a number of short rises and falls, one notable hill at the start, and another right before the 2-mile and the finish. The footing is almost entirely golf course grass, with some short pavement crossings. The weather during the races was in the low to mid 40's with some mostly cloudy skies but no precipitation. There was very little wind.
The Girls Varsity finished in 6th place with 155 points. Rainier won with 71 points. Valley Christian was 5th with 133 points. Manson was 7th with 155 points (Liberty Bell won the tie breaker). There were 144 athletes and 15 teams.
Looking ahead to next year, there will be a lot of graduations in the top 5 teams, while the 6th place through 10th place teams are not graduating anyone. That could lead to some changes throughout the field, with lots of teams (including our own) poised to break onto the podium. Of course, Manson is going to be another strong team, and I predict lots of close races next season, which is going to be lots of fun! Rainier and Garfield-Palouse are the likely favorites for next year, but it could be anybody's race! Hopefully that serves as a healthy dose of motivation to stay connected to each other this off-season, and to use the spring and summer to work on running form and fitness.
The Boys Varsity finished in 6th place with 169 points. Cle Elum-Roslyn won with 90 points. Freeman was 5th with 148 points. Mount Vernon Christian was 7th with 187 points. There were 144 athletes and 16 teams.
Looking ahead to next year, two teams in the top 5 will look very different, while the other three will return almost everyone. In fact, 11 of the top 20 athletes were seniors this year, meaning there could be some significant changes up front. Strong teams like Cle Elum-Roslyn and Okanogan will once again be looking to finish on the podium, and some other teams could be right in the mix. Obviously we are graduating three members of our team, however we have two alternates who are right there and some younger runners developing well. With some more experience and a off-season, our team could be poised to make a run for the podium as well!
Holden - One mile: 5:44. Two mile: 11:39. Finish: 17:52, 36th place. Average: 5:46.
Great job Holden! You went out at your normal pace for the first mile, then you turned in your best second mile of the year! That's awesome! Plus, you were able to keep moving up throughout the race. In fact, you were in 67th place at the mile. I know your shoes came untied, and that can be frustrating. Despite that, you were still able to run a very solid race! Congratulations on finishing the season strong!
Dexter - One mile: 4:56. Two mile: 9:54. Finish: 15:31, 1st place. Average: 5:00.
Way to go Dexter! True to form, you went out at the front and then ran your race the whole way. This was actually your fastest second mile of the year, which shows how much work you've put in over the season. You stayed cool, calm, and collected, even as the competition kept hanging on, then when you finally got an opportunity you made your move and never looked back. Congratulations on successfully defending your state title!
Ingrid - One mile: 6:42. Two mile: 14:03. Finish: 21:52, 37th place. Average: 7:03.
Great race and season Ingrid! You got out hard and were one of the first people to pop up over the hill. Then you did a great job of settling in and finding your pace. You found a group to work with through the middle part of the race and defended your place - being 37th place at the mile and the finish. Even better you finally broke the 22 minute barrier and did so back to back weeks! This proves to me you are figuring out how to trust and believe in yourself. You are a strong runner and you can run fast. Thank you for stepping up to be captain this season! You did a great job leading our young team and helping foster a great team environment. I’m excited to see what you can do next year!
Soren - One mile: 5:48. Two mile: 11:46. Finish: 18:03, 44th place. Average: 5:49.
Nice running Soren! Holding back a bit on the first mile really seemed to help you, because you were able to run your fastest second mile of the year. Then, you really picked it up, because from the two-mile to the finish you ran about a 5:40 pace. That's amazing! Throughout the race you kept moving up the field, going from 78th place at the mile to 44th at the finish. And you were able to run a 13 second PR! What a way to finish your 9th grade season!
Elsa - One mile: 7:26. Two mile: 15:14. Finish: 23:35, 82nd place. Average: 7:36.
Awesome job Elsa! Way to end your season with a PR! You were patient and held back a bit in the first mile which really seemed to pay off and help you the move up throughout the race. In your final mile you were able to speed up and race hard, moving up 7 places and having probably your fastest kick all season! You crushed the workouts all season and I can’t wait to see you continue to improve next season after track and some more running miles.
River - One mile: 5:49. Two mile: 11:51. Finish: 18:26, 58th place. Average: 5:57.
Awesome race River! First off, congratulations on the 22 second PR! You did that by starting out fairly fast, then really holding on for the second mile, and finishing with everything. You were able to move up throughout the race, starting in 81st place at the mile and dropping 15 places by the two mile. That's great! Then, in your final mile you were able to maintain your pace and race hard! It's going to be a lot of fun seeing you continue to improve next season!
Alida - One mile: 7:00. Two mile: 14:13. Finish: 22:15, 47th place. Average: 7:11.
Nice job Alida! That was a great considering you were battling a cold. And you still ran over a minute faster than last year at the state meet. You did a great job of finding your pace and not getting pulled out too fast the first mile. Then you were able to patiently move up over the next mile - going from 60th at the one mile to 46th at the two mile. With each race you are gaining confidence and proving to yourself you can run fast. You care about running and aren’t afraid to put in the hard work. You are a lot of fun to coach and I can’t wait to see what you do next year after another year of strength and more running miles. Also, thanks for helping lead our young team this season and proving you can have fun while working hard!
Nina - One mile: 7:15. Two mile: 14:29. Finish: 22:24, 51st place. Average: 7:14.
Way to go Nina! Congratulations on the huge PR - 39 seconds. What’s even better is you seemed to figure out your pacing and even split the whole race which is incredible. Keeping a steady pace through the middle of the race was key and helped you to continue to move up throughout the race - dropping 35 places from the one mile to the finish (25 of those in the second mile!). You are a strong runner and it’s been a lot of fun to watch you gain confidence in your racing this season. Way to finish the season on a high note!
Brodi - One mile: 6:03. Two mile: 12:45. Finish: 20:16, 116th place. Average: 6:32.
Congratulations Brodi! That was a tough race, and I know you had some concerns going in. Regardless, you were able to hit your first mile goal and then maintain it as long as you could, running through an injury that's been bothering you for a while. It was great to see you out there, steady as ever, running your race and leaving everything out on the course. As far as going out on a high note, I think that was one of the most impressive performances I've seen in a number of years. Here's to you!
Orlo - One mile: 6:03. Two mile: 12:27. Finish: 19:06, 87th place. Average: 6:10.
Great job Orlo! You went out right at your goal, then turned in one of your best second miles of the year. Once you were in the race, your closing speed came out again and you were able to keep moving all the way through the finish, going from 110th at the one mile to 87th. With each race, I hope you are building confidence in your ability, because you have a lot of potential. Believe me, you are a runner! Way to show it!
Sisu - One mile: 7:35. Two mile: 15:30. Finish: 23:46, 88th place. Average: 7:21.
Well done Sisu! First off congratulations on a 12 second PR! My favorite part of your race was seeing you reel in the Chesterton Academy girl in the last 600m and sprint by her to the line. Second, congratulations on PR’ing in every 5k this season! That’s amazing - with each race you seemed to figure out your pacing and believe in yourself a little more. If we had a few more races this season I bet you would have broken 23 minutes. I’m excited to watch you continue to improve next season!
Tristan - One mile: 5:48. Two mile: 12:03. Finish: 18:55, 78th place. Average: 6:06.
Congratulations Tristan! It's been a long six years, and you went out with a new PR! You got out fast, then held on with everything you had. That was awesome to see! Once you got into your pack, you kept fighting for every position all the way to the finish, with your final mile being faster than your second mile. Plus, you were way faster than last year at state (and the year before), showing your growth physically and mentally. Thank you for an amazing career!
Ava - One mile: 7:08. Two mile: 14:11. Finish: 21:56, 41st place. Average: 7:05.
Wow Ava - 58 second PR! That’s what we call a breakout race where everything come together and clicks. I think being patient in the first mile was key in this race because then you ran your fastest second mile of the season. You went from 70th place to 45th by the two mile mark! In fact, you kept speeding up the entire race which is awesome. This races show how hard you worked all season and it was truly fun to watch. Congratulations on a great freshman season!
Maren - One mile: 7:08. Two mile: 14:22. Finish: 22:05, 43rd place. Average: 7:07.
Great race Maren! I know it wasn’t quite the time you wanted but you can never be bummed when you PR and by 13 seconds. All while tripping and then ripping off the KT tape - sorry that made things worse not better. In typical Maren fashion you ran a nicely paced race - you may have lost a few seconds in the middle mile but then sped back up to finish strong. More importantly you made major moves through the field going from 74th place at the one mile to 53rd place at the two mile and then 43rd at the finish - that’s great and really key to helping the team get 6th place. You are right there and I bet you will have no problem breaking 22 minutes next year. You are a great runner - keep it up!
Madie - Two mile: 17:43. Finish: 26:27. Average: 8:32.
Great job Madie! You kept pushing yourself and were able to slowly reel in that other girl over the last mile. It was fun to see your competitive side and congratulations on winning the JV girls race! It also looks like you sped up quite a bit the last mile – your overall average pace was 20 seconds faster than your pace at the two-mile mark. Your knees gave you trouble this season but you did a great job sticking with it and working hard. Way to finish strong your season strong!
Elliot - Two mile: 19:23. Finish: 29:09. Average: 9:24.
Way to go Elliot! I know this was a tough race but way to hang in there and keep working with Finn. It was fun to see you and Finn helping each other out the whole race, as well as running with Bhavana through the middle part of the race. You were even able to speed up the last mile to finish strong! Let’s keep working on getting your knees healthy and back to pain-free running. Also, thanks for being such a team player this season – always willing to help out. We really appreciate it!
Finn S - Two mile: 12:50. Finish: 20:07. Average: 6:29.
What a season Finn! You put together a lot of learning in a short period of time, and your final two races really showed it. You went out at your typical pace, then held on very well on the slow course at Wenatchee. What was really impressive was how hard you finished, just like you always do. You did a great job pushing yourself throughout the season, and I'm really glad you decided to run this year. Keep working hard!
Sam - Two mile: 12:28. Finish: 19:15. Average: 6:13.
Nice running Sam! The slightly more conservative start (and running with Liam) seemed to put you in a really good place. All of that pulled you to a brand new PR! It's been a lot of fun seeing you push yourself throughout the season, and I'm glad you got a chance to run with Liam again one more time. The two of you work really well together, and I hope you keep working together!
Calvin - Two mile: 24:25. Finish: 37:34. Average: 12:07.
Great job Calvin! While this might not have been your best race of the season, this is right around where your fastest race was last year! That shows how consistent you've become this season! It was definitely a slower day, and I know you weren't feeling 100%, but it's great that you were able to maintain a pretty quick pace overall. The more you run, the more comfortable you will become and the faster your PR will be!
Luke - Two mile: 13:50. Finish: 21:35. Average: 6:58.
Well done Luke! With each race this season you have looked more in control of your race, staying calm and getting comfortable racing the 5k distance. Even when someone tried to push you off the course when you tried to pass them you didn’t lose your cool – just sprinted by on the other side. Looking back on your season, you ran almost the same two-mile split (13:50) that you ran in the season opener two-mile race at Sehome (13:47). Great job! Way to finish your season strong!
Benji - Two mile: 13:21. Finish: 20:55. Average: 6:45.
Wow! It's pretty awesome that you were able to run such a consistent race, especially since it's been a while since your last 5k. You held a pretty constant pace after the two-mile, which is great seeing as you probably didn't know what your pace should be. That shows how tough you are and how much you can hang on. I can't wait to see what you can do!
Bhavana - Two mile: 19:25. Finish: 30:20. Average: 9:47.
Nice job Bhavana! You always look calm and in control during races. You did a great job of keeping a consistent pace – your pace through the two mile mark was very similar to your overall pace. It was fun to see you working with Finn and Elliot through the middle of the race. And it looked like you remembered to stay tall and take quick steps to help your hip. Keep up the PT and let’s get you running pain-free going into the track season and next year!
Finn D - Two mile: 19:23. Finish: 29:08. Average: 9:24.
Great finish Finn! Once again, you ran a very consistent race, actually picking up some speed after the two-mile. Then, you pushed all the way up the hill to the finish. It's been really fun seeing you build confidence this year, working with Elliot throughout. With some more work and planning, I know you'll be set up for a big PR next season!
Crispin - Two mile: 13:15. Finish: 20:44. Average: 6:41.
Nice job Crispin! I think going out a little more conservative helped you in this race. You ran over 20 seconds faster than you did on this course in September. I think the key was the middle mile – you went through the two-mile mark 25 seconds ahead of last time. This shows you are starting to get the hang of pacing and racing the 5k distance. Way to finish your 9th grade season on a high note!
Liam - Two mile: 12:28. Finish: 19:10. Average: 6:11.
Great race Liam! You've now had two races in the low 19-minute range, and that's absolutely where you belong. You're a very strong runner, going out at a consistent pace and then hanging on in the second mile, despite the slower conditions. I imagine it also helped having Sam running with you for most of the race, because you were able to pick up more speed after the two-mile mark. Congratulations on a breakout season!
Posey
Thanks for being a part of the team Posey! You had a rocky season dealing with injury and health issues but you still kept showing up and helped out in any way you could – taking splits, cheering everyone on, etc. Keep your head up! Let’s get you healthy and I’m sure you will be back to racing with that signature kick next season!
