Hegarty tops area runners

When Erin Hegarty broke onto the Mid-Columbia cross country scene two years ago, it wasn't too eye-raising that she quickly became the area's top female runner.

Girls, after all, can dominate the sport at an early age, evidenced by the abundance of freshman talent this last fall, including a one-two finish in the 3A state championships by Glacier Peak's Amy-Eloise Neale and North Central's Katie Knight, plus wins by sophomores in the 1A and B races.

It's rare, though, for boys to come into their own so quickly -- four of the five state titles went to juniors or seniors, with only the B race won by a sophomore.

Which is why Anthony Armstrong's success in his first two years at Kamiakin is something of a surprise.

Nonetheless, the Kamiakin sophomore joined Hanford's Hegarty as the Tri-City Herald's All-Area cross country runners of the year.

"This was a great year," said Armstrong, whose sophomore season ended with a 19th-place finish in the 4A state championship and the Braves' first state berth as a team in 18 seasons.

"We did what we wanted to do, which was make it to state as a team."

The Braves, who were ranked third in the state and 15th in the nation at one point this season, finished eighth at the 4A championships after spending most of the second half of the season in a sickbed.

"I've been coaching for 22-plus years," said Kamiakin coach Matt Rexus, "and I guarantee we did not have that many people sick in the 22 previous years combined."

That didn't stop the Braves from being the only Mid-Columbia team to qualify for state as a team in the 2A, 3A or 4A. Armstrong is joined on the all-area squad by senior teammates Evan Fiske and Justin Yoke, while Rexus was named the coach of the year.

"I was happy with them, our first year making it to state with the team," Armstrong said. "It feels like an accomplishment."

As were Armstrong's finishes: sixth at regionals to qualify individually for state for a second straight season; wins in a pair of CBBN meets; fourth at the Richland Invite and seventh in the Sunfair seventh (elite) heat.

Though Armstrong still has a full track season ahead of him -- running in the mile, 2 mile and dreaded 800 meters -- he already has his goals set for next season.

"I want to be at least top five next year."

For Hegarty, her junior season finished with her second selection as the area's top female runner, though she wasn't entirely thrilled with how she ended.

She finished 15th in the 3A state race, her lowest placing at state after finishing sixth last year and 10th as a freshman.

"It was definitely a fun season, and I enjoyed it," she said. "I was a little disappointed with it at the end of it."

Still, she finished fourth at regionals, won five other races and set a course record at Hermiston's Sandstone Middle School.

"She's done the work to help develop her potential," said Hanford coach Sean Mars, adding that the coaches gave Hegarty a heavier workout load this year after limiting her workouts the previous seasons. "We let go of the reins this year, and she was 30-45 seconds faster in most of her meets. That's great to see."

Joining Hegarty on the all-area team are Hermiston senior Angelica Rodriguez, who turned out for cross country for the first time and placed second in the Oregon 5A state championship; Pasco senior Marisa Vander Malle, who had seven top-four finishes this year; Walla Walla freshman Rachel Nelson, who has six top-five finishes and placed second at regionals; and Richland's trio of senior Lauren Dernbach and juniors Katie Mahoney and Maggie Jones, who led the Bombers to their first regional title and fifth straight state berth.

The boys team is rounded out by Walla Walla junior Aaron Nelson, who logged five top-five finishes and placed 20th in the 4A state championships; Southridge senior Colby Cravens, whose consistent finishes included three top-five finishes and a 10th-place finish in the sixth flight at Sunfair; Hermiston sophomore Javier Velasco, who got stronger late in the season and had three top-five finishes in October and placed 16th in the Oregon 5A meet; and Royal junior Ethan Tonnemaker, who dominated the small-school scene with nine first-place finishes and a seventh at state.