Personal records proved to be the name of the game Saturday afternoon during the Class 4A state cross country meet at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.
The Tahoma High girls, behind an entire roster of personal bests, brought home the area’s top overall finish, tying Eastlake for second with 110 points. Eisenhower managed to have just enough to win the team title, doing so with 110 points.
“We were right there,” said Tahoma coach Gary Conner. “It was amazing.”
The top 16 individuals and four teams bring home medals.
“It was a really, really fast state meet,” said Kent-Meridian coach Ernie Ammons.
Of course, a little more would have been all it would have taken the Tahoma girls to push to the top. Lauren Clawson led the way for Tahoma, taking 21st with a time of 19:01 followed by Julianna Mock in 22nd place (19:06.5) and Elizabeth Oosterhout (30th/19:11).
“Could we have gotten two or three more points out of there? Yeah,” said Conner, whose team was making its eighth straight trip to the meet. “We’re not disappointed at all. I don’t mind tying for second … it’s just that we were so close.”
Kentlake senior Sarah Robbins also continued to dazzle.
Robbins, the lone Kentlake representative at the meet, also established a new PR, blistering the 3.1-mile course in 19:12.
Kentwood’s Kailey Ulland, who took ninth last year, was the highest Conk finisher, taking 49th with a time of 19:38.2.
“She has been really great for us the last three years,” said Kentwood coach Ken Paul, referring to Ulland, who placed at state three consecutive years.
Meanwhile, Kentridge’s Molly Shiroishi, who stepped away from soccer this fall to try her legs in cross country, brought home 68th place with a time of 19:54.7. Shiroishi was Kentridge’s lone female qualifier.
“For her first year of cross country to qualify for the state meet is a pretty big accomplishment,” said Kentridge coach Ryan West.
The Kentridge boys also enjoyed a big accomplishment this fall, qualifying for state as a team for the first time since 1987. The Chargers finished 14th overall as a team with 332 points. Alex Horton was the top Charger placer, taking 74th with a time of 16:42.
“I think you’ve got to be happy, but some of the kids were disappointed,” West admitted. “The goal the whole season was to qualify for state, and we did that.”
Kentwood was the highest-placing boys team locally, taking 12th with 261 points. Junior Danny Lunder continued to pace the Conquerors, taking a team-best 40th place with a time of 16:21. Lunder’s time is 29 seconds better than his performance at state last year, when he took 84th.
The Tahoma boys also enjoyed a nice breakthrough. A year after going 2-7 in league, the Bears posted a 7-2 mark this fall and earned a state berth. The Bears brought home 15th place overall with 335 points. Super sophomore James Dagley continued to pace Tahoma, taking 29th with a time of 16:12.
