Columbia River’s Jacob McManus places 2nd at state cross country

PASCO – For Columbia River’s Jacob McManus, willpower was at the heart of his race strategy at the state cross country championships.  Go out with the leaders and stay there as long as he could.

Ten became five. Then there were three.

And in the final stretch of the 5,000-meter race at Sun Willows Golf Course, McManus found himself trailing only one runner in the Class 2A boys race.

McManus finished second in 15 minutes, 31 seconds. That was four seconds behind winner Parker Mong of Anacortes.

The junior’s second-place finish was the highest among any Clark County runner in any classification at the state meet. Neftali Menendez placed 14^th to help Columbia River finish fourth in the 2A team race.

That’s the highest finish for the River boys since placing second in 2001.

On a course made slick by the morning’s heavy rain, an annual test of endurance was tougher than usual. McManus entered Saturday with the eighth-fastest time among 2A boys, but he handled the conditions better than nearly everyone.

On a day when many ran slower than usual, McManus clocked his fastest high school time by two seconds.

“I went into the race knowing anything could happen,” McManus said. “I wasn’t really expecting this today but I’m very happy with the result.”

As he crossed the finish line, McManus gave an enthusiastic forward lean.

“The final mile was kind of surreal,” McManus said. “I couldn’t believe I was up there with the big guys.”

Ninth place for Union’s Wilson

Charlotte Wilson finally aced the state test.

The Union senior ended her high school career with a ninth-place finish in the Class 4A girls race.

In her third state meet, Saturday’s time of 18:54.60 was Wilson’s fastest in Pasco by 21 seconds.

“I definitely left it all out there,” Wilson said. “For my last senior race I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Wilson placed 20^th as a junior and 17^th as a sophomore. She credits the experience of being a senior with giving her the poise to navigate Saturday’s slick and muddy conditions.

“It was really tough,” Wilson said. “Once you’re out in the loops it was so slick on the downhills. It’s hard to get your grip and your footing. But it’s hard for everyone. We’re all in the same boat.”

Eliisa Marshall of Camas finished 14th and Skyview’s Daphne Evenson placed 15th.

Seton’s Leone places seventh

Seton Catholic’s Alexis Leone, who won the past two Class 1A state championships, finished seventh in just her second race of the season.

Leone suffered a stress fracture in her foot this summer. She returned to training  in October, but wasn’t able to compete until the District 4 meet on Oct. 26.

“I think Alexis coming back and being an influence on this team after you’ve been away for so long shows a great deal about her character,” Seton Catholic coach Jaysun Pyatt said.

Pyatt said Leone was frustrated to finish behind runners she had previously beaten by a significant margin. But Leone’s top priority was ending her senior season with her team competing at the state meet.

“I know it’s heartbreaking but she gave it all she’s got,” Pyatt said. “She loves being out with the girls. I’ve never seen her smiling so much as these last couple of weeks. But it’s also hard knowing you’re not at your best. Her character is top-notch.”

Soto paces Seton boys

Junior Sam Soto led Seton Catholic to third place in the 1A boys race, its highest boys team finish in program history.

Soto placed 12^th in 16:35, which was 47 seconds faster than his 13^th-place finish last year.

Oliver Dortmund placed 26^th and Cohen Thomas 31^st for the Cougars.

Washougal’s Thomas concludes decorated career

Washougal senior Elle Thomas finished a standout high school career with a 14^th place finish, the fastest among Clark County’s 2A girls.

Thomas placed fourth in last year’s state meet and sixth the year before. She finished second at the District 4 race four consecutive years.

“It’s an honor to get a chance to be healthy enough to come out here and compete against a great group of girls,” Thomas said. “I really enjoy going to state. It’s a great experience. I think that training up to it just creates such an awesome point to be at.”

Ridgefield’s Danica Allen, the district champion, placed 16^th. Her teammate Charlize Kellmer finished 19^th.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

WIAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

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

CLASS 4A

Team scores (top four and locals) – 1, Issaquah 118; 2, Kamiakin 125; 3, Tahoma 150; 4, Redmond 157; 11, Union 233; 15, Camas 309.

Individual champion – Ezra Teeples (Kamiakin) 15:32.9.

BATTLE GROUND – 115, Sterling Sutton 17:33.

CAMAS – 41, Cohen Butler 16:46.5; 79, Max Merrifield 17:07.6; 84, Max Gregory 17:09.4; 109, Andrew Helt 17:25.9; 117, Tanner Werry 17:34.2; 118, Cameron Reiter 17:34.3; 129, Jayden Jones 17:47.5.

UNION – 22, Bradley Harris 16:24.3; 56, Liam Wendel 16:55.7; 61, Sabin Kotsovos 16:57.6; 81, Grayson Caldwell 17:08; 93, Hyrum Lacher 17:18; 96, Marco Solari 17:20; 143, Enzo Solari 18:18.5.

CLASS 3A

Team scores (top four and locals) – 1, Seattle Prep 80; 2, Mt. Spokane 123; 3, Central Kitsap 133; 4, Arlington 152; 19, Prairie 472.

Individual champion – Owen Powell (Mercer Island) 15:19.2.

HERITAGE – 123, Devyn Thomas 17:37.1.

PRAIRIE – 81, Dekota Houfek 17:13.8; 101, Ethan Pedersen 17:27.7; 125, Ayden Walker 17:39.4; 165, Tommy Wise 18:07.1; 185, Ethan McKell 18:50.3; 189, Shackleton Hoyt 19:28.2; 190, Spencer Hoyt 19:33.

CLASS 2A

Team scores (top four and locals) – 1, Sehome 62; 2, Anacortes 86; 3, Ellensburg 105; 4, Columbia River 170; 10, Ridgefield 244; 16, Hockinson 374.

Individual champion – Parker Mong (Anacortes) 15:27.3.

COLUMBIA RIVER –2, Jacob McManus 15:31.2; 14, Neftali Menendez 16:15; 58, Kohl Ripplinger 17:19.6; 65, Eli Wenger 17:29; 120, Owen Mulholland 18:26.8; 141, Alex Hernandez 18:56.5; 142, Solomon Menendez 18:57.1.

HOCKINSON – 80, Tanner Hood 17:44.4; 116, Liam DeViney 18:17; 118, Ian Guasco 18:22.9; 129, Lucas Fosterman 18:40.7; 135, Skyler Picard 18:49.4; 156, Carter Hymas 20:05.4; 158, Andrew McGettigan 20:27.9.

HUDSON’S BAY – 47, Brody Will 17:09.9.

RIDGEFIELD – 45, Evan Hollis 17:06.4; 78, Gabriel Hoesly 17:43.3; 84, Dominic Turner 17:48.9; 95, Aiden Raymond 17:57.2; 98, Leif Jensen 18:02.4; 115, Erik Hardy 18:16.3; 153, Jonathan Santiago 19:38.

WASHOUGAL – 55, John Love 17:17.2.

WOODLAND – 110, Daniel Alfaro 18:13.7.

CLASS 1A

Team scores (top four and locals) – 1, Cedar Park Christian (Bothell) 68; 2, Bush 102; 3, Seton Catholic 127; Meridian 135; 6, La Center 172

Individual champion – Will Carroll (Annie Wright) 16:01.6.

KING’S WAY CHRISTIAN – 130, Luke Gomes 18:45.1.

LA CENTER – 30, Carter Sherry 17:18; 51, Anthony Larkin 17:38; 61, Lance Cole 17:46.7; 67, Logan Hubler 17:51; 78, Jacob Wasche 18:00.3; 94, Brady Sypher 18:09.2; 98, Sharp Young 18:12.6.

SETON CATHOLIC – 12, Sam Soto 16:35.5; 26, Oliver Dortmund 17:05.6; 31, Cohen Thomas 17:19; 65, Ben Ross 17:50.8; 83, Azriel Salcedo 18:01.9; 101, Elijah Wall 18:14.3; 125, Gabe DaSilva 18:41.2.

CLASS B

Team scores (top four and locals) – 1, Valley Christian 77; 2, Pope John Paul 2 100; 3, Chewelah 108; Liberty Bell 142.

Individual champion – Dexter Delaney (Liberty Bell) 15:45.1.

CEDAR TREE CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN – 71, Christopher Appleby 18:54.9.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

WIAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

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

CLASS 4A

Team scores (top four and locals) – 1, Mt. Si 53; 2, Issaquah 83; 3, West Valley (Yakima) 112; 4, Eastlake 145; 10, Camas 256; 14, Skyview 313;

Individual champion – Anna Callahan (Skyline) 17:47.

CAMAS – 14, Eliisa Marshall 19:01; 78, Marilyn Green 20:26.9; 81, Kate Westfall 20:29.4; 92, Eva McGeachy 20:41.8; 112, Elizabeth Nava 21:00.5; 121, Sophia Shattles 21:15.8; 129, Rebecca Peddie 21:27.3.

SKYVIEW – 15, Daphne Evenson 19:07; 65, Evelyn Reed 20:13.1; 82, Lauren Amato 20:30; 141, Abigail Grant 22:05.2; 144, Annie Sheppert 22:13.6; 148, Maelle Miller 22:57.9; 152, Lucy Gause 23:12.5.

UNION – 9, Charlotte Wilson 18:54.6; 95, Sara Thompson 20:46.3; 122, Abigail Rounds 21:18.1; 130, Ella Koch 21:34.5.

CLASS 3A

Team scores (top four and locals) – 1, Central Kitsap 74; 2, Bishop Blanchet 133; 3, Mead 147; 4, Gig Habor 176.

Individual champion – Sophia Rodriguez (Mercer Island) 17:21.9.

EVERGREEN – 59, Daniela Vazquez-Gonzalez 20:07.4; 74, Claire Rogge 20:24.6.

HERITAGE – 150, Margarita Mahei 21:42.4.

MOUNTAIN VIEW – 173, Phebe Willson 22:18.

CLASS 2A

Team scores (top four and locals) – 1, Sehome 40; 2, Anacortes 87; 3, Ellensburg 131; 4, White River 150; 9, Ridgefield 224; 11, Washougal 248; 12, Hockinson 253.

Individual champion – Logan Hofstee (East Valley – Spokane) 17:20.8.

COLUMBIA RIVER – 36, Ainsley Morrisey 20:30.4.

FORT VANCOUVER – 73, Molly Malone 21:29.4.

HOCKINSON – 47, Lyla Taylor 20:49.5; 66, Scarlett Sanders 21:13.9; 68, Julia Ritton 21:19.7; 93, Taylor Souders 22:05.1; 117, Kaydie Boettcher 22:46.8; 134, Graysen Aldridge 23:47.2; 143, Audrey Mullins 25:24.1.

HUDSON’S BAY – 77, Ava Peterson 21:35.8.

RIDGEFIELD – 16, Danica Allen 19:45.8; 19, Charlize Kellmer 19:57.3; 78, Elizabeth Swift 21:36.6; 100, Nicolette Hulse 22:14.6; 121, Alicia Vega-Lazaro 22:59.2; 122, Kendal Kirkelie 23:00.8; 123, Piper Gannon 23:05.7.

WASHOUGAL – 14, Elle Thomas 19:34.6; 62, Gracie Perry 21:08.2; 84, Audrey Thomas 21:48.9; 107, Lulan Soutter 22:32.5; 114, Audrey Grice 22:43.2; 120, Chloe Franco 22:57.7; 124, Danica Stinchfield 23:13.4.

CLASS 1A

Team scores (top four and locals) – 1, Lakeside-Nine Mile Falls 128; 2, Seattle Academy, 138; King’s 138; Medical Lake 168; 12, Seton Catholic 240.

Individual champion – Jane Roloff (Hoquim) 18:28.

LA CENTER – 20, Sasha Pash 20:16.7

SETON CATHOLIC – 7, Alexis Leone 19:15.4; 14, Avery Garrison 19:52.7; 92, Charlotte Hayward 22:19.3; 104, Naomi Jackson 22:31.3; 127, Kingsley Williams 23:23.3; 133, Addison Crum 23:53.0; 134, Remy Jenniges 23:59.5

STEVENSON – 65, Daisy Jones 21:49.3.