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 high 40's with sun coming through the entire day. There was very little wind.
The Boys Varsity was 3rd with 112 points. Freeman won with 61, Chewelah was 2nd with 77, and Cle Elum-Roslyn was 4th with 129 points. There were 143 athletes and 16 teams.
The Girls Varsity won with 94 points. Chewelah was 2nd with 106 points. There were 143 athletes and 16 teams.
As is tradition, I also wanted to spend some time reflecting on the season and looking ahead to next year. In a season full of disruptions, both teams did a great job staying calm and focused, adapting to changing circumstances and making the best of every day! Both teams built on strong showings last year, with the boys replacing three seniors on the varsity squad and the girls returning everyone from last year's varsity squad. It was great to see so much momentum over the summer, and another summer of training will set you all up for another great season!
Looking ahead, the top teams on the girls side will not see a whole lot of turnover. Expect to see perennial teams vying for the podium again, as strong teams continue to improve year over year. There should be some fun racing, and running a smart race may be the key difference that sets you apart. That being said, coming into the season ready for a solid training block will also help you get an edge in a tight field!
On the boys side, there also won't be too many graduations, and we can expect to see a number of strong teams again next year, including in our district. Get used to lots of close races in the postseason, and finding ways to control your pace, only to turn things on later in the race, can really help. There is also a lot of excitement in the younger grades, and more people can help to fill out the roster! That being said, if you know anyone in the class of 2029 that wants to run, make sure to reach out!
Soren - One mile: 5:20. Two mile: 11:03. Finish: 17:15, 10th place. Average: 5:34.
Way to go Soren! That was an awesome race, and you showed what experience on the course can bring. You got out quick, and even though your second mile was a bit slower, you still picked up 8 spots (which is hard to do in the front of the field). Then, you kept moving, picking up another 6 before the finish, getting yourself on the podium, and setting a new 5k PR on a tough course! Oh, and you were 47 seconds faster than last year, in case you didn't hear! The crew of Sophomores is in for some big seasons to come!
Holden - One mile: 5:10. Two mile: 10:44. Finish: 17:28, 17th place. Average: 5:38.
Wowzers Holden, what a race! You ran a truly gutsy race, leaving it all out there. You ran brave and tough, and I know you might still be a little hungry. That is ok - it’s always good to learn from racing. You didn’t go out with the top group for that first mile, but then moved up to put yourself into the mix, right up there and then just competed, which was great. The season might have been a little bumpy with injury, so to go out with an exciting, competitive race like this one, is awesome.
Aidan - One mile: 5:18. Two mile: 11:07. Finish: 17:31, 20th place. Average: 5:39.
Congrats Aidan! You're so used to big races that I'm sure this felt very familiar to you, and even though you got out quick, you stayed calm in the first mile. Once you found your race, you battled with the pack all the way to the finish, pulling River along with you and chasing Soren and Holden down the whole time. That's a great way to run a race! We're so glad you decided to run this year, and while biathlon is your jam, you did a great job coming in and rallying the team as our lone senior! Good job Gramps!
Alice - One mile: 6:26. Two mile: 13:01. Finish: 20:01, 12th place. Average: 6:27.
Fantastic Alice! You raced phenomenally. You stayed with Ingrid for that first mile, not going out too fast - and then moved up, pulling your teammates with you through groups. You raced right where you needed to be, and didn’t lose focus but instead stayed competitive, continuing to pass people through miles 2 and 3! Even with the instructions of “no pace” - you still stayed super consistent - with your average and your first mile time about the same. It’s been exciting to see you compete and find your XC flow! Congrats on your first state XC meet!
Nina - One mile: 7:03. Two mile: 14:15. Finish: 22:24, 59th place. Average: 7:14.
Great job Nina! Even though that wasn't exactly the race you wanted, you kept pushing the entire way through the line. Along the way you picked up 17 whole places, which is a big accomplishment! Plus you ran a pretty consistent race, and you still hit your time from last year! In cross country, the 4th through 6th runners often decide a race, and running behind Maren and Sisu meant that all three of you made up some serious ground in the middle mile. You have lots of experience now, and we know you have some serious speed, so go have a great track season and then we'll see you over the summer!
Crispin - One mile: 6:07. Two mile: 12:29. Finish: 19:27, 98th place. Average: 6:16.
Congrats on your first state meet race Crispin! You raced really well, staying calm and not getting pulled out too fast in that first hectic mile. That is super impressive in a big race like this. It shows you can race tough in races by yourself and in a large crowd. Plus you moved up the whole time, staying engaged and competitive, passing 25 people! Fantastic! This season you’ve had incredible improvement. Excellent job stepping up for the big dance at the end of the season and really bringing it!
Liam - One mile: 6:06. Two mile: 12:21. Finish: 19:13, 90th place. Average: 6:12.
Congrats Liam! It's always nerve-wracking being on the starting line at state, and even more so for the first time. Nevertheless, you did a great job staying calm and not getting pulled out too fast at the start, using the second half mile to move up, then really building on that at the mile mark. In fact, you picked up 24 places in the middle mile, and another 5 by the finish! Running with Crispin at first, then helping pull him along later, you were strong and consistent, staying at your pace on the hills. You did a great job this year as a captain getting the team ready for a podium finish. I can't wait for next season!
Orlo - One mile: 5:53. Two mile: 12:00. Finish: 18:26, 50th place. Average: 5:57.
Nice racing Orlo! You did an excellent job staying calm in the first mile, and an even better job of keeping your pace in the second mile, just like you planned! Then, as always, you dug deep and made some moves, picking up 25 places by the finish (plus another 13 in the middle) to help the team earn a spot on the podium! Even though the time wasn't what you wanted, you battled for your spot, and it really paid off! Another summer of training, and another year of experience, and you'll be ready for a big senior season!
Maren - One mile: 7:00. Two mile: 14:07. Finish: 21:56, 44th place. Average: 7:05.
Way to work Maren! We have a saying that, in the championship race, time doesn't matter. You proved why that's true! You stayed calm in the first mile, pulling your little row of ducklings along, then you started to move, and I mean really move! You picked up 20 places by the second mile, and another 5 by the finish, hanging on as Sisu made her big push. Plus you were still faster than last year! This is a very tough course, and the fact that you didn't have your ideal race and the team still won just shows how strong of a group you all are. I can't wait to see what you do next year!
Ingrid - One mile: 6:26. Two mile: 13:04. Finish: 20:24, 17th place. Average: 6:35.
Congratulations Ingrid! You did everything exactly right in that race, and it showed! Let's start with some numbers - your second mile was only 12 seconds off your first, you moved from 27th to 19th to 17th, you ran almost a minute and a half faster than last year, and you set a new PR on a tough course! It was so great to see you stay calm in the first mile, run with Alice for the first two miles, then run with Lena for the finish. When Alice picked it up, you moved too. When Lena started to move, you dug in and went with her. As has always been the case, you never gave up, and you led the team to a first place finish!
Alida - One mile: 7:02. Two mile: 14:34. Finish: 23:06, 76th place. Average: 7:27.
Way to go Alida! That was a tough race, and it isn't what you wanted it to be. Still, you put yourself out there, running with Nina and Maren through the mile, and even when things got hard, you kept pushing yourself through. You're very competitive, and you used that to your advantage. You've also done a great job of working hard this season, and never giving up - staying calm and confident as you helped lead the team to a championship. Every season is a little different, and I know you'll be ready to roll next season!
Sisu - One mile: 7:03. Two mile: 14:12. Finish: 21:54, 43rd place. Average: 7:04.
Wow Sisu! Where to even begin? How about we start with the streak continuing in a big way, with a 36 second PR! Then, of course, we have to talk about the fact that you picked up 25 places in the middle mile, and another 9 in the final mile, pulling Maren and Nina along with you. It was absolutely awesome! You did a great job pacing off of Maren in the first mile, then staying strong in the middle and making a big surge at the end. Your average pace was only 1 second off your opening mile! That's how you want to run a race You've made some huge strides this season, and you're going to make even more next year!
River - One mile: 5:22. Two mile: 11:09. Finish: 17:33, 21st place. Average: 5:40.
Great race River! You did a great job putting yourself out there in the first mile, then continuing to move with Aidan through the rest of the course, picking up 3 places each mile. That's not easy to do! Plus, you made some big improvements from last year, running almost a minute faster! That's what happens with experience on the course and more confidence racing! You're in a really good place to build on, and I can't wait to see what you can do next year!
Lena - One mile: 6:15. Two mile: 13:01. Finish: 20:22, 16th place. Average: 6:34.
Great job Lena! That was your first state meet, and there's always a tendency to go out fast, and that's ok! Even though you got out quick, you did a great job of rallying once Alice and Ingrid caught up to you, clawing back places in the last mile to earn a spot on the podium. When you started to move in the last half mile, you pulled Ingrid along with you, helping her set a new PR, and setting one for yourself! Overall, that was a great run on a tough course! With more experience, you'll find your pace earlier and go even faster. Congratulations on a great season!
