Kennewick’s Johan and Geraldin Correa run to regional cross country titles

Kennewick’s brother and sister act of Johan and Geraldin Correa took the 3A MCC-GSL District 8 cross country championships by storm Saturday, winning individual titles.

Johan Correa covered the 5,000-meter course at Wandermere Golf Course in Spokane in 15 minutes, 44 seconds, just a fraction of a second off his personal best.

He trailed North Central’s Markus Taylor late in the race, but used a powerful kick to beat Taylor by 2 seconds.

“Johan did great,” Lions coach Bradyn Leyde said. “He wasn’t too far behind. There was a pack of runners up front and he was among them. At the 2-mile mark, he made his move up the hill. Down the stretch, Johan just sprinted and put all he had in it.”

It’s the first regional champion for Kennewick in quite some time, though Leyde wasn’t sure how long.

“Not in my time,” he said. “Not in the past 10 years, and I’m sure longer than that.”

Geraldin Correa posted a time of 18:30, 19 seconds in front of North Central’s Erinn Hill, who led a quartet of Indians across the finish line.

It was a personal best time for Correa by 30 seconds. She ran a 19:00.1 on Oct. 19 to win the MCC district title.

The Kamiakin boys won the regional team title with 30 points, beating powerhouse North Central by 15 points.

“It was a total team win as all seven boys figured in the scoring because our No. 7 beat their No. 5,” Braves coach Matt Rexus said. “(North Central) had won at least 11 straight regional titles.”

The top two 3A boys and girls teams advance to state, as well as the runners who finish in the top 14 who are not part of the two advancing teams.

The state meet is Nov. 4 at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.

The Braves had all five of their runners place in the top 11, led by Jonah Franco, who was third (15:52). Ryan Child (4th) and Porter Grigg (5th) followed, with Stanford Smith coming in seventh and Andrew Holladay 11th.

Southridge advanced two to state — Justin Marshall (12th) and Keanu Daos (13th).

North Central won the girls title with 22 points. Kamiakin was second with 49, but will send its team to state.

McKinzi Teeples led the Braves with a sixth-place finish in a time of 19:16, followed by Hannah Paulsen (7th), Isabella Qunell (10th), Marisa Memmott (12th) and Carli Jones (14th).

Kennewick’s Paige Raebel (13th) will join Geraldin Correa at state, while Southridge will send Lizzie Stites (11th).

4A Regionals

The Hanford girls, led by Kendra Keller (12th), finished third in the team race, earning a berth to state.

The 4A division advances three boys and girls teams, and the remaining runners in the top 21 to state Nov. 4 at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.

Lewis and Clark, led by individual champion Katie Thronson (18:07) won the girls teams title, with Gonzaga Prep second.

Joining Keller at state will be Grace Arnold (13th), Amber Skouson (20th), Megan Wright (25th) and Kathryn Bushman (26th).

“My girls really stepped up big,” Falcons coach Sean Mars said. “They had a different look today. Kendra and Grace ran well for us today.”

Also advancing to state are Richland’s Katie Andrus (4th) and Emma Summers (16th), and Walla Walla freshman Ella Nelson (10th).

“There was an incredible group of local talent today,” Mars said.

The Richland boys, led by individual champion Riley Moore (15:31), were third in the team standings behind Central Valley and Lewis and Clark.

Joining Moore on the Bombers state squad are Anthony Stone (10th), Jesse Todd (16th), Chris Nilsen (32nd) and Patrick Workman (49th).

Also headed to state are Hanford’s Caleb Olson, who was fifth overall, Pasco’s Ismael Castaneda (12th), and Walla Walla’s Cooper Cortinas (20th).

2A REGIONALS

Prosser’s Max Wahl and Nati VerMulm both qualified for the state meet by finishing in the top 28 of the District 5/6/7 meet at Apple Ridge in Cowiche.

Wahl completed the 3-mile course in 16:38 to finish 26th in the boys race, and VerMulm took 22nd in the girls heat in 19:49.2.

Selah won the girls team title while Pullman won the boys heat. Other teams heading to state are the Selah, Ellensburg and East Valley (Spokane) boys and the Cheney, West Valley (Spokane) and Ellensburg girls.

This story was originally published October 28, 2017 at 10:31 PM with the headline "Kennewick’s Johan and Geraldin Correa run to regional cross country titles."