The "Run-Down": District @ Evergreen State College
Our longest road trip of the year summoned the Panther Distance Runners to WHS before sunrise for the first time this year. Loaded with 14 panthers eager to race, our bus traveled northward on I-5 heading towards the significant cooler Olympia. There were many factors that were different about this meet than any other this year. Occasional light to moderate rain, temperatures in the upper 40's and a course with scattered muddy spots were waiting for us at Evergreen State College.
Another obvious change for this meet was the ease of spotting a Panther prior to the race. Orange and black competition jackets that were dawned on the bus ride provided a colorful aura around our aspiring runners. The new Nike jackets brought all positive comments and facial expressions to the team, and none as jubilant as girls' team captain Junior Kendall Utter, who claimed that she must be allowed to buy one for her own. Her enthusiasm about the jackets was a great springboard for her exciting performance of the day. . .
The girls were the first team on the course. In regards to the level of competition in our District, this past year has brought 2A District IV to a respectable level. Last year, the top 6 girls were sophomore, all committed to improving over the course of time. Adding in the new team's (North Thurston) talented freshman and eventual winner, the girls' individual race was highly contested, with the top 8 girls finishing within a minute of each other. Kendall's race plan was executed to near perfection, starting in the top 15 the first 1/2 mile then moving up 2-3 places each mile and looking strong all the way. With 200 meters to go, Kendall was sitting in 8th, and was ready to unleash a fabulous kick. At the last corner, she zoomed past 1600 Meter District Runner-up Lindsay Andersen and was closing fast on last year's XC District Champ, fellow Junior Dani Eggleston of RA Long. She needed another 20 meters to catch Dani, but her time of 20:56.92 (good enough for 7th this year) was not only fast enough for 2nd last year, but also awaits ratification as a Panther XC school record. It is apparently faster than any Panther girl has run in the 21st century! This result brought the biggest smile all year long to Kendall's face.
The team ran their way to a 5th place finish thanks to a stellar performance from Senior Taneal Tanner, conquering the course with her best running form ever, showing a new element in her racing tools...a KICK! Her 23rd place finish (22:46.8) was not only one of the top races of her life, but thanks to her newly developed kick accomplished a first with our T-Squad by beating someone ahead of the other half of the T-squad, Sophomore Tara Duey in 27th place at 22:56.6. Our other two sophomores posted lifetime PR's: Kalli Light in 23:13.7 (30th) and Sydney Niemi in 24:53.1 (45th). Senior Brandi Sherman finished off a fine career (24:52.3) pacing the first three miles for the inexperienced Freshman sprinter Kelsey Lagerquist... and sprint she did the last 200, passing 3 opponents to finish in 24:38.1.
Summing up the girl's season, we started the Run-A-Ree with an incomplete team. Our inexperience was evident, but the amount we accomplished to get to a level of respect (nearly beating Hockinson at League last week) exceeds the season progress of any girls' team I have ever coached! What happened here this year is something to be very proud of.
Although the season ended for the girls team (excluding Kendall as an individual qualifier for next weeks' state meet), the boys proved that even on a substandard day they deserve to extend their racing season by one week. The focus opponent of Aberdeen did not show up with their "A" game, so the boys had to best the new kids on the block (North Thurston) by 15 points and a solid pack of Tumwater kids by 18 points to advance to Pasco. Sophomore Sean Eustis proved that even sick, he can still place 7th in under 17 minutes. Classmate Isaac Stinchfield ran with a pack of sophomore opponents placing 23rd in 17:49.6 Senior Brendan Casey found his sprinting form valuable passing 4 in the last 200 meter, snatching 36th place in 18:21.1 while Junior Noah Collins (who is coming back to form) rounded out the scoring five in 45th place (18:37.2). Thanks to a solid backup performer in Senior Michael Huck (57th place), the Panthers would have still qualified without Noah's effort. Sophomore Josh Banks added to his experience at the Varsity level by posting a 19:49, good enough for 68th place. But the most excitement for the panther boys came from Senior star Dylan Croeni. Dylan allowed for unnerving suspense when he let last year's state runner-up Dakota Parker build a 15 or so second lead in the first mile. Yet Dylan ran his pace, gambling that Dakota would hit the wall the last mile. And that he did, permitting Dylan to catch him and besting him by 9 seconds over the last 600 meters in the race (nearly 20 over the last mile). Dylan extended his Washington winning streak, set a new course record (15:57.68) and still admitted that he is saving a little extra for next weeks' effort in Pasco. Considering his opponent and the condition of this course, his statement proclaimed by his race rang loud and clear to Dakota and the rest of the state that his times this year are legit!
Next week, on to Pasco for Kendall and our team of boys, where the best is yet to come!
Coach Terry L. Howard
Here are the line scores:
|
Varsity Boys |
5000 M |
|
|
|
Dylan |
1st |
15:57.68 |
*C.R. |
|
Sean |
7th |
16:56.1 |
|
|
Isaac |
23rd |
17:49.6 |
|
|
Brendan |
36th |
18:21.1 |
PR |
|
Noah |
45th |
18:37.2 |
SB |
|
Michael |
57th |
19:06.0 |
|
|
Josh |
68th |
19:49.6 |
|
|
of 83 |
|
||
|
Varsity Girls |
|
|
|
|
Kendall |
7th |
20:56.92 |
PR |
|
Tara |
23rd |
22:46.8 |
|
|
Taneal |
23rd |
22:56.6 |
|
|
Kalli |
30th |
23:13.7 |
PR |
|
Brandi |
40th |
24:38.1 |
|
|
Kelsey |
44th |
24:52.3 |
|
|
Sydney |
45th |
24:53.1 |
PR |
|
|
of 63 |
|
|