With the Mid-Columbia sending one of its smallest contingents to the state cross country meet in its own backyard Saturday, it was difficult to find the local runners among the massive field of 1,613 competitors.
Rachel Nelson was an exception.
The Walla Walla freshman, who came into her first state experience with hopes of a top-10 finish, just missed on that account, placing 11th in the 4A girls race at Sun Willows Golf Course.
However, she did succeed in being the first freshman to cross the finish line in the 4A field, clocking in at 18 minutes, 56 seconds.
"It felt pretty good," Nelson said. "I wish I had done better, but it was my first state meet, and it's practice for next year."
Richland, ranked fourth in the state and coming off its first regional championship, had hopes of capturing a team trophy. But the Bombers' pack got stuck in the middle of the massive field and finished eighth, three points behind Eisenhower.
Katie Mahoney finished 35th to lead Richland, with Lauren Dernbach 47th and Maggie Jones 52nd. Pasco's Marisa Vander Malle capped her senior season with a 41st-place showing.
In the 4A boys race, Kamiakin placed eighth in the team race, with sophomore Anthony Armstrong finishing 19th to pace the Braves, followed by seniors Evan Fiske (35th) and Justin Yoke (41st).
"I felt a lot better this year," Armstrong said of his second state meet, enjoying the warmer weather and another year under his belt. It also helped, he added, having a full team there with him at the starting line.
"It's always better running with your team."
Hanford's Erin Hegarty came up short of repeating her top-10 finishes the previous two years in the 3A girls race. Hegarty placed 15th in a stacked field-- two-time state champ Andrea Nelson of Shadle Park finished fourth.
"They ran great," Hegarty said of the leaders. "They took it out at a great pace."
Royal's Ethan Tonnemaker finished seventh in the 1A boys race, pushing the pace as the early race leader.
"I just wanted to go out hard," he said. "I was trying to place in the top eight."
Teammate Roy Angel finished 18th.
The Tri-Cities Prep boys finished fifth in the Bs, led by Nick Lumetta in 17th and Nick Tudor in 27th. Liberty Christian's John Talbot finished 13th individually, and Seth Deal finished 21st to pace Waitsburg-Prescott to ninth in the team standings.
On the girls side, Liberty Christian's Natalie April placed 23rd, while Kristin Potter finished 24th for Waitsburg-Prescott.
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Armstrong, Kamiakin lead talented pool of runners
Armstrong, Kamiakin lead talented pool of runners
RICHLAND -- The sport of running will never rival the likes of football for attention.
Tonight's football game between Kennewick and Kamiakin high schools figures to fill up the 6,800-seat Lampson Stadium.
The Richland Invite -- the area's biggest regular-season cross country meet -- likely will draw several hundred spectators, mostly family and friends. And even the all-classes state event at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco can't compete with a regular-season showdown between city rivals.
Tri-Cities Prep, Kamiakin shine at state cross country meet (w/ galleries)
Tri-Cities Prep, Kamiakin shine at state cross country meet (w/ galleries)
PASCO -- There was a time when Tri-City teams were regulars on the state cross country podiums, with their runners standing tall on the top step.
Saturday's state cross country meet at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco brought those glory days back to life with a team championship, two more trophies, an individual crown and plenty of top finishes to go around.
Tri-Cities Prep repeated as the 2B/1B boys champion, easily holding off Northwest Christian of Lacey 56-89.
Major cross country meets coming up
Major cross country meets coming up
With back-to-back premier events in the cross country world the next two weekends, different teams are using the big meets for different reasons.
For elite teams -- like the Kamiakin boys (ranked second in the state 3A) and girls (ranked third) -- it is a chance to pit themselves against the Northwest's best at Sunfair this Saturday at Franklin Park in Yakima and the Richland Invite the following weekend.
Likewise for the top individuals, with some of the best boys in the nation lining up for Kamiakin's Anthony Armstrong to challenge.
Kamiakin cross country sweeps all-area honors (w/ photos)
Kamiakin cross country sweeps all-area honors (w/ photos)
KENNEWICK — It's Kamiakin's world; everyone else is just running in it.
In terms of the Mid-Columbia cross country scene, that's an apt description of this last fall season.
The Braves boys and girls not only dominated league meets -- at times placing their full squad of seven in the top 10 -- they performed well at the big races and brought home a bounty of state hardware.
Strong field set for 43rd Richland Invite
Strong field set for 43rd Richland Invite
RICHLAND -- Some terrific battles have taken place on the 3-mile cross country course that loops about Carmichael Middle School.
Today's 43rd edition of the Richland Invite promises to rank among the best, with star power, powerhouse teams and top-flight individual talent on both sides of the ledger.
In the boys race, Kamiakin senior Anthony Armstrong is the defending champ and course record holder after last year's time of 14 minutes, 53.36 seconds.
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