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PASCO -- Class 4A race: Time, 1 p.m.
2007 champions: Gig Harbor; Andrea Nelson, Shadle Park.
Team contenders: (state ranking in parentheses) Gig Harbor (1); Eastlake (2); Central Valley (3); Tahoma (4).
Individuals to watch: Sandra Martinez, sr., Davis; Sarah Lord, sr., Redmond; Alyssa Andrews, sr., Gig Harbor; Jade Borseth, fr., Stanwood; Lacey Wagner, soph., Lake Stevens; Baylee Mires, soph., Mead.
Local qualifiers: Richland, team (Laurel Burrup, sr.; Emily Hazen, soph.; Kiley Johnson, sr.; Maggie Jones, soph.; Katie Mahoney, soph.; Annie McDonald, sr.; Caitlin Parker, sr.); Janette Rodriguez, jr., Pasco; Marisa Vander Malle, jr., Pasco.
Noteworthy: Redmond, which finished fourth at state last year, saw its hopes of moving up the standings hurt when junior Devin McMahon (fourth) was forced to sit out the season because of a non-life threatening heart condition. She hopes to be able to resume training this winter and run track in the spring. ... Skyview became just the fourth Vancouver-area school this decade to qualify for state with a fourth-place finish at the WCD. ... Gig Harbor is trying to become just the second school, regardless of classification, to win four consecutive state titles -- East Valley (Spokane) turned the trick from 1994-97 in 3A. The Tides almost started their title reign in 2004, only losing on a tiebreaker to Bellarmine Prep. ... Richland last won a team trophy at state in 1993. ... Eastlake's chances of upsetting Gig Harbor received a boost with the return of junior Chelsea Orr (15th at state last year) from a hip injury. She was fourth at districts last week.
Class 3A
Time: 12:30 p.m.
2007 champions: Newport (Bellevue); Bronwyn Crossman, Squalicum.
Team contenders: (state ranking in parentheses) Seattle Prep (1); Columbia River (2); North Kitsap (3); Mount Spokane (5).
Individuals to watch: Andrea Nelson, jr., Shadle Park; Clarkie Hussey, soph., Lakeside (Seattle); Carey Parker, sr., Seattle Prep; Lindsay Benster, soph., Mercer Island; Sarah Bobbe, jr., Columbia River.
Local qualifiers: Hanford, team (Leilani Anderson, sr.; Lauren Curran, jr.; Breanna Daniel, jr.; Megan Dart, sr.; Erin Hegarty, soph.; Haley Tank, sr.; Kate Thomas, soph.); Jocelyn Yanez, soph., Sunnyside.
Noteworthy: West Valley (Yakima) senior Lisa Olander, third at state a year ago, missed the season with a calf strain. ... A westside team has won eight of the last nine titles, and Seattle Prep will be tough to beat this time around led by Sea-King district champion Parker, ninth at state a year ago. ... Glacier Park, a first-year school, won the Northwest District title with ease, placing its top five runners in the top eight led by sophomore champion Brenna Condon.
Class 2A
Time: 11 a.m.
2007 champions: Sehome; Ruby Roberts, Kingston.
Team contenders: (state ranking in parentheses) Cedarcrest (1); Sehome (2); Squalicum (3); Deer Park (4).
Individuals to watch: Roberts, jr., Kingston; Annie Moore, jr., Sehome; Shannon Porter, sr., Hockinson; Becca Friday, sr., Bellingham; Sophie Curl, sr., Squalicum; Allison Cutting, jr., Sequim; Torin Shriver, sr., Centralia; Samantha Blodgett, fr., Wapato; Danielle Friend, soph., Ephrata; Amanda Wilson, sr., Riverside; Torin Shriver, sr., Centralia.
Noteworthy: It should be a very familiar lead pack this morning as the top 11 runners from a year ago are back, led by Roberts, who took control early in the race and never looking back in winning by 32 seconds. ... Blodgett and Friend ran by themselves at the CWAC district meet, with Blodgett winning by 1 second. ... Porter has finished second, second and third in her previous state meets. ... Cedarcrest won its first-ever conference and district titles in the past two weeks, upsetting Sehome by four points at the Northwest District meet. ... Deer Park managed to qualify despite top runner Chantel Duenich collapsing a half-mile from the finish of the district meet. The Stags, which went unbeaten in Great Northern League meets, took second to Riverside at districts.
Class 1A
Time: 10:30 a.m.
2007 champions: King's; Olivia Thomas, King's.
Team contenders: (state ranking in parentheses) King's (1); La Center (2); Lakeside (3); Bellevue Christian (4); Chelan (5).
Individuals to watch: Olivia Thomas, sr., King's; Chanda Romney, jr., Forks; Molly Billingham, sr., Bush; Maddie Meyers, fr., Northwest School; Meagan Governor, jr., La Center; Kim Barry, fr., Lake Roosevelt; Hailey Ziegler, fr., Cascade (Leavenworth).
Local qualifiers: Kiona-Benton, team (Kyndra Gregoire, fr.; Tanya Gutierrez, sr.; Tyna Johnson, soph.; Kirsten Kunkel, jr.; Katharine Lotze, sr.; Cassie Loza, jr.; Charlene Lumpkins, jr.); Melissa Gibbons, sr., Connell; Cara Wieldraayer, sr., Royal.
Noteworthy: When is a returning state champion not a favorite? When it's Thomas, who breezed to victory a year ago but now faces a stiff challenge from Meyers, who beat Thomas by 40 seconds at the district meet last week. Thomas missed the league meet the week before to take the entrance exam for Yale. ... King's is vying for a third straight team title. La Center, which put its top four runners in the top six at districts and placed second at state a year ago, should be its toughest competition.
Class 2B/1B
Time: 10 a.m.
2007 champions: NW Christian (Lacey); Joscelyn Minton, NW Christian (Lacey).
Team contenders: (state ranking in parentheses) NW Christian (Lacey) (1); St. George's (2); Reardan (3).
Individuals to watch: BreAnna Romerdahl, fr., Mount Rainier Lutheran; Neola Putnam, sr., Trout Lake-Glenwood; Kate Reidy, sr., St. George's; Lisa Vandenburg, jr., NW Christian (Colbert); Mikel Elliiott, jr., White Pass; Elizabeth Weber, fr., NW Christian (Lacey).
Local qualifiers: Danielle Raschko, sr., Bickleton; Kellisa Owens, sr., Dayton; Maya Garcia, jr., Waitsburg-Prescott; Kristen Potter, fr., Waitsburg-Prescott.
Noteworthy: NW Christian (Lacey) graduated six runners off last year's championship team.
