Camas girls cruise to another state cross country title

PASCO – As the state’s top four Class 4A girls cross country teams gathered behind the awards podium Saturday, appearances were deceiving.

The seven Camas runners nonchalantly posed for photos and donned matching sunglasses.

To their side, seven runners from Spokane’s Lewis and Clark shrieked, shook and jumped for joy.

At first glance, you’d think Lewis and Clark had won the first-place trophy Saturday at the WIAA State Cross Country Championships. But they were just glad to have taken second.

There was really no doubt who the champion was. And if the Camas runners were acting like they had been there before, it’s because they have. The Papermakers breezed to their second straight Class 4A state title and their fourth in five years.

Freshman Rachel Blair finished fourth, covering the 5,000 meter course at Sun Willows Golf Course in 18 minutes, 10 seconds. Sophomore Emma Jenkins was seventh in 18:17 and sophomore Emily Wilson was 13^th in 18:30.

Maddie Woodson and Kaylee Merritt rounded out the five scoring Camas runners, who posted a team score of 81 points. That was well ahead of the 151 points that sparked Lewis and Clark’s second-place celebration.

Yes, Camas expected to be atop that podium. But that didn’t mean they were on cruise control.

“I think we kind of expected it, but we had to put that aside to make sure we were training hard,” Jenkins said. “We have to keep pushing ourselves in practice so we don’t get too confident in ourselves.”

Blair, Jenkins and Wilson ran the first mile in a tight 10-runner lead pack that also included Mountain View’s Savanna Craig.

Even after eventual winner Taylor Roe of Kamiak broke away with one mile to go, Blair and Jenkins pushed each other.

“Sometimes I think we take for granted how strong our team is,” Blair said. “But today we knew we had to push ourselves. We pulled through and that’s all that matters.”

Craig hung with the Camas runners and finished eighth, less than a half-second behind Jenkins. It capped a strong year for the junior, who placed 22^nd at state last year.

“I know what I need to do now,” Craig said. “I know what works for me. I’ll be working on it to perfect it for next year. I’m happy with my times and my placement because I’ve improved a lot from last year.”

Local girls at smaller schools also fared well at state. La Center senior Jenna Melanson placed seventh in the Class 1A race, which was among the first to start as the fog cleared on Saturday morning.

“The sun started to come through just when we got onto that hill,” Melanson said of a rise that runners crest shortly after the start. “It was really nice. I’m really happy with the race.”

Melanson’s time of 19:19 was the fastest time ever by a La Center girl at the state meet.

Woodland’s Natalie Biddix was the fastest local 2A girl, finishing 23^rd in 19:49.

Fort Vancouver freshman and 3A district champion Emily Phelps placed 59^th in 20:00, the fastest local runner in that classification. Fellow Fort freshman Anna Harrison was seven seconds behind.

“I’m hoping I improve next year,” Phelps said. “This year was awesome, but I’m glad we’re done.”

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

WIAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Sun Willows Golf Course, Pasco, 5,000 meters

CLASS 4A

Teams — 1, Camas 81; 2, Lewis and Clark 151; 3, Mount Si 151. Also — 11, Union 226.

Top individuals — 1, Taylor Roe (Kamiak) 17:56; 2, Hannah Waskom (Mount Si) 18:04; 3, Abby Smith (Lewis and Clark) 18:05; 4, Rachel Blair (Camas) 18:10; 5, Katie Thornson (Lewis and Clark) 18:12; 6, Sami Corman (Issaquah) 18:14; 7, Emma Jenkins (Camas) 18:15; 8, Savanna Craig (Mountain View) 18:15; 9, Kenna Clawson (Issaquah) 18:16; 10, Pia Richards (Eastlake) 18:19.

Local results

CAMAS — 4, Rachel Blair 18:10; 7, Emma Jenkins 18:15; 13, Emily Wilson 18:30; 28, Maddie Woodson 19:07; 52, Kaylee Merritt 19:38; 62, Ellie Postma 19:48; 75, Madison Child 20:04;

SKYVIEW – 92, Ellen Burbank 20:22.

UNION – 21, Cassie McKinney 18:43; 38, Allie Connell 19:27; 47, Serena Smith 19:36; 74, Ban Alamin 20:02; 122, Haylee Brodahl 21:05; 123, Brooklyn Jackson 21:10; Misun Chong 21:41.

MOUNTAIN VIEW – 8, Savanna Craig 18:15.

CLASS 3A

Teams — 1, Glacier Peak 112; 2, Edmonds-Woodway 113; 3, Ballard 133.

Top individuals — 1, Jordan Oakes (Holy Names) 17:53; 2, Yukino Perle (Edmonds-Woodway) 18:08; 3, Isabelle Olive (Garfield) 18:09; 4, Olivia Meader-Yetter (Edmonds-Woodway) 18:26; 5, Sophie Cantine (Lakeside-Seattle) 18:34; 6, Katherine Penner (Bellevue) 18:36; 7, Malia Pivec (Lynnwood) 18:40; 8, Mikayla Pivec (Lynnwood) 18:46; 9, Erin Ripple (Holy Names) 18:47; 10, Heidi Smith (Glacier Peak) 18:53.

Local results

COLUMBIA RIVER — 77, Ellie Furth 20:28.

FORT VANCOUVER – 59, Emily Phelps 20:00; 67, Anna Harrison 20:07.

PRAIRIE – 103, Megan Bruns 21:09.

CLASS 2A

Teams — 1, Liberty (Issaquah) 75; 2, Sehome 116; 3, Selah 130. Also — 11, Ridgefield 270; 16, Hockinson 367.

Top individuals — 1, Brittany Aquino (East Valley-Spokane) 18:28; 2, Annika Reiss (Bellingham) 18:31; 3, Abby Johnson (Sehome) 19:02; 4, Heather Hanson (Anacortes) 19:09; 5, Elyria Kabasenche (Pullman) 19:10; 6, Waverly Shreffler (Sequim) 19:12; 7, Isabel Buckingham (Mark Morris) 19:13; 8, Lillian Visser (Shorecrest) 19:17; 9, Madeline Walker (Pullman) 19:18; 10, Molly Mattson (Selah) 19:19.

Local results

HOCKINSON — 79, Acacia Neveux 21:06; 80, Hailee Neibauer 21:06; 97, Adyson Dyer 21:19; 117, Hannah Neibauer 22:25; 121, Grace Gunderson 22:57; 127, Savhannah Wray 23:05; 138, Kate Plymale 25:33.

RIDGEFIELD — 53, Lexie Rutherford 20:31; 65, Sophie Miller 20:48; 69, Chloe Lindbo 20:52; 73, Hailey Figueras 20:57; 108, Makayla Draper 21:49; 129, Katrin Langer 23:09; 135, Karli Oliver 24:18.

WASHOUGAL — 59, Hannah Swigert 20:35.

WOODLAND — 23, Natalie Biddix 19:49; 52, McKenna Flanagan 20:31;

CLASS 1A

Teams —1, Northwest 69; 2, Zillah 74; 3, Deer Park 107. Also — 7, La Center 194; 15, Columbia-White Salmon 371; 16, Seton Catholic 431.

Top individuals — 1, Alexis Redfield (Zillah) 18:06; 2, Erin Mullins (Cascade-Leavenworth) 18:15; 3, Isa Meyers (Northwest) 18:37; 4, Amy Jo Murphy (Nooksack Valley) 18:42; 5, Moriah Duenich (Deer Park) 19:11; 6, Libby Michael (Deer Park) 19:12; 7, Jenna Melanson (La Center) 19:19; 8, Olivia Markezich (Bear Creek) 19:32; 9, Mikayla Shuler (Lakeside-Nine Mile Falls) 19:33; 10, Sage Gibson (Seattle Christian) 19:34.

Local results

COLUMBIA-WHITE SALMON — 41, Haley Blair 20:49; 84, Rachel Luther 22:14; 94, Andrea Ochoa 22:28; 132, Sidra Matthias 25:25; 134, Jessica Ewers 25:37; 136, Megan Tew 26:55; 137, Melissa Fortanel 26:57.

LA CENTER — 7, Jenna Melanson 19:19; 39, Emily Graham 20:47; 42, Sierra Harris 20:50; 73, Bethany Whitten 21:51; 101, Makenna Olson 22:36; 125, Josie Elston 24:15; 126, Andrea Griffee 24:20.

SETON CATHOLIC — 81, Elena Carrion 22:11; 90, Olivia Palena 22:23; 127, Kennedy Lake 24:30; 129, Cristina Vidales 24:35; 135, Gabriella Defilippis 26:36; 139, Sophia Palena 29:46.

CLASS 1B/2B

Teams — 1, Ocosta 72; 2, Asotin 76; 3, Northwest Christian-Lacey 87.

Top individuals — 1, Madison Ward (St. George’s) 19:11; 2, Marika Morelan (St. George’s) 19:15; 3, Ellie Summers (NW Christian-Lacey) 19:32; 4, Emily Adams (Waitsburg-Prescott) 19:46; 5, Athena Milani (Liberty Bell) 19:48; 6, Shiana Graham (Republic) 19:49; 7, Carmen Eggleston (Asotin) 19:57; 8, Rebekah Henry (NW Christian-Colbert) 20:05; 9, Madison Janke (NW Christian-Colbert) 20:06; 10, Maia Dykstra (Asotin) 20:07.

Local results

No local competitors.