Camas cruises to 4A district cross country titles

BATTLE GROUND — This race was a runaway.

Camas swept the team and individual titles at the 4A District 4 cross country championships Wednesday at Lewisville Park.

The Camas girls won in dominant if not predictable fashion. Led by individual champion Rachel Blair, the No. 1-ranked team in the 4A state coaches poll took five of the top seven spots.

The Camas boys dethroned Skyview as the district champ by placing its five scoring runners in the top 13. Junior Yacine Guermali won by 15 seconds over teammate Adam Ryan.

“I felt a hunger among the whole team to go after it and win this thing today,” Ryan said. “It was noticeable how much different our mentality was.”

Yes, Camas runners ran the show in the season’s final 4A cross country meet in Southwest Washington.

Now the stakes get a little higher. The Camas girls have their sights on a fourth state title in five years, which they will pursue Nov. 7 in Pasco. Prior to that, the top three teams and 15 individuals at Wednesday’s race will run at the bi-district Westside Classic on Oct. 31 near Tacoma.

Judging by Wednesday’s race, Camas will be tough to beat.

“I’m really proud of everybody,” said Emma Jenkins, who finished second. “All of us have worked really hard to get better and better. We’re all really strong right now.”

Blair and Jenkins pulled away from the lead pack during the last mile of the 5,000 meter course. Blair, a freshman, took the lead over the final 100 meters to win in 18 minutes, 49 seconds.

Jenkins, who placed second at districts last year, finished four seconds behind. Teammates Maddie Woodson (fourth), Ellie Postma (sixth) and Emily Wilson (seventh) rounded out the Camas scorers.

“I was really nervous coming into it,” said Blair, a Junior Olympic champion in the 3,000 meters this summer. “Emma and I were going to have to work together to hold the pack together. … I’m really glad to have her to push me all the time because I really didn’t have that in middle school.”

With 20 points, Camas finished well ahead of Union (57) and Mountain View (88) in the team race. Mountain View’s Savanna Craig finished third while Union’s Cassie McKinney placed fifth.

“I just tried to stay with (the Camas girls),” Craig said. “I’m just as fast and just as strong. Even though our school doesn’t appear to be as strong, we’re a strong team.”

Guermali cruises

In the boys race Yacine Guermali followed in the footsteps of his older brother, Said, who won last year’s district title as a senior.

Now as Camas’ No. 1 runner, Yacine Guermali left nothing to doubt on Wednesday. He pulled away over the final mile to win in 16:25.

“I feel I’m getting better every week,” he said. “We’ve had a tough training block since the beginning of the season. We’re at the point of the season where we’re going to start recovering and getting better.”

After Guermali and Ryan, Skyview took the next three spots — Mason Scheidel placed third, Chanse Gilbert fourth and Zeke Oien fifth.

But the depth of Camas led it to the team trophy. Dustin Zimmerly placed seventh, Daniel Maton finished 10th and Nicolas Carter placed 13th, all ahead of Skyview’s fourth runner. Camas finished with 33 points, ahead of Skyview (61) and Union (75).

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
CLASS 4A DISTRICT MEET
At Lewisville Park, 5,000 meters
Top 3 teams, individuals in top 15 advance to bi-district meet
Team scores — Camas 20, Union 57, Mountain View 88, Skyview 107, Heritage 130, Battle Ground 134, Evergreen, inc.
Individual champion — Rachel Blair (C) 18:49.
CAMAS — 1, Rachel Blair 18:49; 2, Emma Jenkins 18:53; 4, Maddie Woodson 19:21; 6, Ellie Postma 19:40; 7, Emily Wilson 19:51.
UNION — 5, Cassie McKinney 19:34; 8, Serena Smith 19:59; 9, Allie Connell 20:01; 18, Brooklyn Jackson 21:20; 19, Ban Alamin 21:30.
MOUNTAIN VIEW — 3, Savanna Craig 19:02; 15, Lauren Mahnke 20:57; 23, Jessica Phibbs 22:09; 25, Roxanne Hannam 22:33; 26, Bailey White 22:47.
SKYVIEW — 10, Ellen Burbank 20:02; 13, x-Isabella Abbruzzese 20:48; 16, Presley Timmons35, Emily Hogan 23:35; 38, Hanna Van Nortwick 24:03.
HERITAGE — 20, Savanah Kehler 21:47; 22, Alyssa Belocura 22:08; 29, Mallory Downing 23:09; 30, Arianna Cline 23:31; 37, Christina Blinsman  23:49.
BATTLE GROUND — 17, Sontia Christopher 21:18; 28, Madeline McClellan 23:07; 31, Katelynn Franklin 23:18; 33, Anna Gurnik 23:22; 34, Maria Caneda Cao.
EVERGREEN — 14, Tori Duong 20:50; 27, Leia McWilliams 22:57; 41, Calia Hardy 24:38; 43, Bethany Shaver 25:04.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
CLASS 4A DISTRICT MEET
At Lewisville Park, 5,000 meters
Top 3 teams, individuals in top 15 advance to bi-district meet
Team scores — Camas 33, Skyview 61, Union 75, Mountain View 101, Heritage 126, Battle Ground 137, Evergreen 190.
Individual champion — Yacine Guermali (C) 16:25.
CAMAS — 1, Yacine Guermali 16:25; 2, Adam Ryan 16:40; 7, Dustin Zimmerly 16:52; 10, Daniel Maton 16:59; 13, Nicholas Carter 17:07.
SKYVIEW — 3, Mason Scheidel 16:44; 4, Chanse Gilbert 16:46; 5, Zeke Oien 16:49; 24, Marshall Johnson 18:04; 25, Sean Flynn 18:06.
UNION — 11, Miguel De La Melena 17:05; 12, Tristan Robins 17:05; 14, Jarad McKinney 17:22; 17, Dawson Shoup 17:25; 21 Chad Richards 17:53.
MOUNTAIN VIEW — 9, Samuel Johnson 16:58; 19, Shun Yamaguchi 17:38; 20, Josh Eddy 17:48; 26, Daniel Grimshaw 18:11; 27, Lucas Aguilar 18:11.
HERITAGE — 6, Ryan Cibart 16:49; 18, Justin Cibart 17:32; 28, Evan Yackell 18:17; 35, Christian Cramblett 18:47; 39, Justin Southard 19:09.
BATTLE GROUND — 8, Quinn Nelson 16:54; 29, Kellen Butler 18:18; 31, Jonas Matson 18:36; 32, Jase Matson 18:36; 37, Allen Frank 18:59.
EVERGREEN — 22, Dawson Osborn 17:55; 36, Miguel Cruz 18:56; 41, Jordan Thomas 19:31; 45, Justin Lefever 21:08; 46, Benito Giron 21:42.