Leone, Seton Catholic stride to state cross country titles

PASCO – Last spring, as COVID wreaked havoc on both school and sports, the Seton Catholic girls cross country team laid claim to a virtual state championship.

Saturday, the Cougars made the virtual a reality.

In the first WIAA state championship event since March 2020, Seton Catholic earned the first state team title in the history of the school, which was founded in 2009.

Led by individual champion Alexis Leone, the Cougars rolled to the Class 1A championship. Seton’s 52 points was well ahead of second place Medical Lake, which had 83.

Lara Carrion placed seventh, Avery Garrison was 16th, Sara Cordova was 20^th and Virginia Carrion 49^th.

“I couldn’t ask for anything more to finish my senior cross country season,” Lara Carrion said. “Virtual state champ doesn’t compare to being up there standing on the podium together.”

Saturday’s victory at Sun Willows Golf Course was a triumphant end to a season that wasn’t always smooth. The Cougars got a late start to the season after a COVID outbreak in September.

“We went through the washer,” Carrion said. “Most of us got COVID. There were injuries. It was a lot. But it was the size of the team. We knew we were small and that we had to stick together.”

Leone and Kayla Aalpoel of Meridian broke away from the pack early and dueled throughout. Leone maintained her lead of a few yards down the homestretch.

“At the end I knew I was going to have a little kick,” Leone said. “But I didn’t know if she was going to have a kick too. I was just hoping to try and stay in front.”

Leone, a sophomore, finished in 18 minutes, 05 seconds. Only four runners from Clark County have run faster at the state meet – Alexa Efraimson (Camas), Emma Jenkins (Camas), Alexis Fuller (Union) and Amelia Pullen (Washougal).

La Center placed third in the 1A girls standings with 101 points. Lauren Fox led the Wildcats in 23^rd place.

River’s Barna runner-up at 2A

A strong wind left Columbia River’s Daniel Barna more than winded after the Class 2A boys race.

After a calm morning, a strong breeze kicked up right as Barna’s race started. The senior expended all his energy trying to stay with Selah’s Cooper Quigley, who won in 15:38.

Barna finished second in 15:56, then needed several minutes to recover from the race.

“It was really rough,” Barna said. “The first mile we came through way too fast. It was 4:50 or so. It didn’t feel horrible, but it was too fast. The wind was just awful. The course was really slow this year.”

Saturday’s race capped a stellar season for Barna, who won a district title, a league title and two invitationals.

“It’s pretty much everything I wanted,” Barna said. “I worked really hard this summer. It has really paid off. I took a solid runner-up spot today. It was all I had in me, so I can’t be disappointed.”

2A girls teams thrive

Washougal and Fort Vancouver both earned podium spots in the 2A girls team race.

The Panthers earned third place, one of the program’s top finishes since winning the 1A state title in 1986. Sophomore Elle Thomas placed sixth while junior Sydnee Boothby finished ninth.

Fort Vancouver’s fourth-place finish was the highest in program history. It comes a week after the Trappers earned the program’s first district title.

Dani Buttrell led the Trappers In 21^st as the 2A Greater St. Helens League showed its talent.

“We’re super strong,” Thomas said. “All of the teams were awesome. I love our league.”

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

WIAA State Championships

At Sun Willows Golf Course, Pasco

5,000 meters

CLASS 4A

Individual champion – Isaac Teeples (Kamiakin) 14:57.

Team scores – 1, Kamiakin 81; 2, Issaquah 126; 3, Eisenhower 152; 4, Tahoma 168. Also: 15, Camas 292.

CAMAS – 57, Hayden Reich 16:59; 59, James Puffer 17:01; 94, Luke Tupper 17:25; 99, Gabriel Marcham 17:29; 104, Porter Craig 17:31; 121, Max Gregory 17:44; 147, Joshua Ji 18:30.

SKYVIEW – 115, Carson Clary 17:38.

BATTLE GROUND – 138, Ben Gamblin 18:12.

CLASS 3A

Individual champion – William Schneider (Bishop Blanchet) 15:17.

Team scores – 1, Bishop Blanchet 88; 2, Gig Harbor 111; 3, Mead 158; 4, North Central 160.

MOUNTAIN VIEW – 99, Branden Chou 17:32.

PRAIRIE – 112, Logan Bigelow 17:40; 121, Ethan Pedersen 17:50.

KELSO – 138, Giovannie Lopez 18:01; 149, Jake Beck 18:08.

EVERGREEN – 155, Lorenzo Anguiano 18:12.

CLASS 2A

Individual champion – Cooper Quigley (Selah) 15:38.

Team scores – 1, Squalicum 77; 2, Selah 99, 3, Sehome 124; 4, Bellingham 135. Also: 10, Ridgefield 272; 12, Washougal 286.

COLUMBIA RIVER – 2, Daniel Barna 15:56; 120, Zachary McClellan 18:49.

WASHOUGAL – 11, Samuel Grice 16:31; 91, Trey Keyser 18:16; 101, Nolan Johnson 18:22; 108, Carson Holmes 18:29; 138, Liam Churchman 19:43; 148, Blake Scott 21:29.

WOODLAND – 13, Joran Lamoreaux 16:33.

RIDGEFIELD – 30 Jack Radosevich 17:04; 75, Liam Rapp 17:49; 84, Daniel Zimmer 18:11; 95, Davis Sullivan 18:19; 116, Evan Hollis 18:43; 133, Ty Dalley 19:10.

FORT VANCOUVER – 72, Cohen Thomas 17:46; 79, Camilo Quiroz 18:05; 99, Dylan Brooks-Minck 18:21.

HUDSON’S BAY – 80, Gustavo Gonzalez 18:06.

CLASS 1A

Individual champion – Jamar Distel (Riverside) 15:00.

Team scores – 1, Lakeside-Nine Mile Falls 111; 2, King’s 136; 3, Cascade-Leavenworth 147; 4, Medical Lake 158. Also: 12, La Center 259; 14, Seton Catholic 301; 15, Columbia-White Salmon 306.

LA CENTER – 12, Joseph Blanshan 17:23; 53, Carter Sherry 18:05; 75, Anthony Larkin 18:21; 127, Jacob Wasche 19:07; 133, Caden Taylor 133; 135, Brady Sypher 19:21; 140, Aidan McDaid 19:32.

SETON CATHOLIC – 36, Sam Soto 17:48; 99, Cayden Lauder 18:38; 100, Brett Lamey 18:38; 107, Dylan Young 18:45; 132, Ben Ross 19:15; 134; Steven Sanders 19:21; 136, Elijah Wall 19:22.

COLUMBIA-WHITE SALMON – 46, Camden Uffelman 17:58; 93, August Lorincz 18:33; 98, Noah Slayton 18:36; 108, Henry Wilson 18:47; 137, Dominic Davidson 19:24; 139, Garrett Kock 19:29; 156, Cole Wooding 20:39.

KING’S WAY CHRISTIAN – 55, Luke Gomes 18:06.

CLASS 1B/2B

Individual champion – Daniel Quintana (Ilwaco) 16:30.

Team scores – 1, Liberty Bell 50; 2, Pope John Paul II 96; 3, Chewelah 107; 4, St. George’s 115. Also: 9, Cedar Tree Classical Christian 197.

CEDAR TREE CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN – 14, Timothy Bradshaw 17:30; 21, Micah Stewart 17:47; 95, Christopher Appleby 19:39; 96, Asa Bradley 19:40; 97, Mathew Ruestig 19:42; 99, Sam Stewart 19:43; 106, Zachary Traphagen 20:14.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

WIAA State Championships

At Sun Willows Golf Course, Pasco

5,000 meters

CLASS 4A

Individual champion – Ella Borsheim (Bellarmine Prep) 17:51.

Team scores – 1, Eastlake 64; 2, Lewis and Clark 104; 3, Tahoma 110; 4, Bellarmine Prep 128. Also: 13, Skyview 354; 15, Camas 377.

SKYVIEW – 38, Evelyn Reed 19:45; 75, Lauren Amato 20:28; 96, Phoebe Abbruzzese 20:59; 123, Ava Louge 21:42; 124, Biana Perez 21:43; 138, Abi Grant 22:15; 140, Charis Deitemeyer 22:23.

CAMAS – 44, Gracie Buzzell 19:48; 52, Natalie Peddie 19:58; 118, Amelia Merritt 21:33; 132, Bethany McKinstry 22:08; 139, Alyson Robertson 22:16; 145, Callie Ulin 23:22.

UNION – 17, Charlotte Wilson 19:15; 64, Jaylyn Lehner 20:11; 86, Amanda Grant 20:48.

CLASS 3A

Individual champion – Macy Marquhardt (Kennewick) 17:31.

Team scores – 1, Mead 114; 2, Central Kitsap 155; 3, Gig Harbor 162; Seattle Prep 167.

EVERGREEN – 76, Claire Rogge 20:26.

MOUNTAIN VIEW – 92, Phene Willson 20:46; 165, Morgan Geddry 22:06.

PRAIRIE – 93, Annie Anderson 20:47.

CLASS 2A

Individual champion – Jessica Frydenlund (Anacortes) 17:58.

Team scores – 1, Sehome 64; 2, Anacortes 65; 3, Washougal 125; 4, Fort Vancouver 164.

WASHOUGAL – 6, Elle Thomas 19:02; 9, Sydnee Boothby 19:16; 50, Danica Stinchfield 21:19; 54, Savea Mansfield 21:24; 59, Chloe Johnson 21:27; 101, Audrey Grice 22:15; 108: Iris Hancock 22:22.

FORT VANCOUVER – 21, Dani Buttrell 20:05; 32, Sarah Gardner 20:27; 53, Molly Malone 21:23; 62, Shelby Willett 21:29; 74, Athiena Ghormley 21:46; 116, Emma Cortez 22:45; 143, Pamela Melchor-Burgos 23:55.

COLUMBIA RIVER – 19, Hanna Bailey 19:59; 69, Mae Otoupal 21:41.

RIDGEFIELD – 40, Tyla Engstrom 21:10; 55, Cordelia Ashley 21:25; 88, Elizabeth Swift 22:03.

MARK MORRIS – 72, Isabelle Allen 21:44; 73, Kara Nixon 21:46; 87, Scarlett Kelly 22:03.

HUDSON’S BAY – 86, Miranda Gonzalez 22:01.

HOCKINSON – 92, Sofia Solari 22:07.

R.A. LONG – 135, Kailey Beaudoin 23:21.

CLASS 1A

Individual champion – Alexis Leone (Seton Catholic) 18:05.

Team scores – 1, Seton Catholic 52; 2, Medical Lake 83; 3, La Center 101; 4, Bush 128.

SETON CATHOLIC – 1, Alexis Leone 18:05; 7, Lara Carrion 19:31; 16, Avery Garrison 20:03; 20, Sara Cordova 20:24; 49, Virginia Carrion 21:27; 118, Addison Miller 27:08.

LA CENTER – 23, Lauren Fox 20:26; 30, Emily Rosenkranz 20:54; 33, Makayla Hubler 20:57; 42, Tamsyn Lewis 21:17; 53, Addison Crum 21:31. 68, Isabella Higgins 21:58; 119, Lily Huston-Allen 27:23.

COLUMBIA-WHITE SALMON – 37, Ella Zimmerman 21:06.

CASTLE ROCK – 48, Kaitlyn Meyers 21:25.

CLASS 1B/2B

Individual champion – Chloe Overberg (Asotin) 18:36.

Team scores – 1, Pope John Paul II 46; 2, Liberty Bell 59; 3, St. George’s 89; 4, Garfield-Palouse 102. Also: 6, Stevenson 148.

STEVENSON – 8, Isabella Spencer 20:49; 37, Sofia Spencer 22:35; 54, Alaska Jones 24:29; 68, Blue Jones 25:44; 69, Elizabeth Lanz 25:48; 74, Ryan Jackson 28:53; 76; Abrielle Owens 29:36.

CEDAR TREE CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN – 6, Suzie Johnson 20:07.