Tri-Cities runners seize WA state high school cross country titles
It seemed appropriate, after a long day of running, that Kamiakin’s cross country team would set up its tent right behind the awards stand.
It wasn’t too far for the Braves to go to grab their trophies.
The Kamiakin boys, Kamiakin senior Isaac Teeples, and Kennewick senior Macy Marquardt ran to titles on Saturday at the WIAA state high school cross country championships in Pasco.
“Everybody else had set their tents up (out on the Sun Willows Golf Course driving range) before we could,” said Kamiakin boys coach Matt Rexus. “That’s where they told us to put it up.”
Race officials must have known something.
Teeples dominated the 4A boys competition, earning his second state title in three years. He won the 3A boys state title in 2019 as a sophomore, and there was no state championship in 2020 because of the pandemic.
The Braves boys, with their team title, garnered their first 4A crown and fourth consecutive team title (winning three consecutive 3A team titles).
And Marquardt never gave the 3A girls a chance to win, as she pulled away from the field by the one-mile marker of the 5K event.
The day started calm. But as the afternoon progressed, the winds picked up and became gusty — making it harder to run into the wind. It didn’t matter to Teeples, Marquardt or the Braves boys team.
Here’s a quick recap of 10 state title races:
4A boys
This was the most anticipated race of the day, pitting Kamiakin’s Teeples against Olympia senior Ethan Coleman. The pair has battled over the last few years in cross country and track and field.
So it came as no surprise to the few thousand fans in attendance that the two were well ahead of the pack after the first mile. Teeples stayed just to Coleman’s left shoulder and a step behind.
Rexus said he didn’t talk to Teeples before the race about strategy.
“I mean, he’s the best hill runner I’ve ever had,” said Rexus. “I mentioned that he might make a move at the 2-mile mark. I was telling my other boys don’t make a move running against the wind.
Teeples burst out around the 2.3-mile mark. Coleman didn’t respond. He couldn’t.
“I knew when we came through the first mile marker, I was falling apart,” said Coleman. “The wind was tough. I was battling out there the entire time.”
Teeples felt he had to make some kind of move.
“I said a little prayer, I’m not gonna lie,” admitted Teeples. “The wind was bad, but I don’t care. I think it was a huge win for me.”
Teeples’ time of 14 minutes, 57.80 seconds ranks sixth all-time on the Sun Willows course. He finished 34.20 seconds ahead of Coleman, who is committed to running for Notre Dame.
Teeples said he’ll make his college decision — BYU, Gonzaga and North Carolina are the favorites — by Christmas.
And Coleman and Teeples will see each other again in the spring.
“Oh yes,” said Coleman. “I will see him in track.”
As impressive as Teeples’ win was, Rexus and team was just as excited about senior Grayson Wilcott’s third-place finish.
“I was in the first part of the chase pack,” said Wilcott, who is considering Montana, Gonzaga and WSU as his college choices. “And I caught the fourth-place guy. I just went for it.”
Teeples’ younger brother, freshman Ezra Teeples, finished 20th.
3A girls
Marquardt amazed the crowd with her performance. And serious race fans were mesmerized by her running style, with her mouth closed and her just breathing through her nose as she ran.
“I have a mild case of asthma,” she said. “So during the pandemic, I trained myself to run, breathing through my nose. The Hermiston boys call me The Dragon. That’s my favorite nickname ever!”
Her finishing time of 17:31.60 was the 10th fastest time on the course, and she was 58 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Lily O’Donoghue-McDonald of Seattle Prep.
“It’s really cool,” said Marquardt. “I’m gonna be on a runner’s high for a week. Then I’ll have my mom punch me and tell me to stop. But it’s really cool to have my work pay off.”
Now Marquardt can start thinking about post high school.
“I’m thinking I might be able to run for a college,” she said.
Umm, yes.
Mead came away with their first team title since 1988. Walla Walla’s Sariah Hepworth had an 11th-place finish.
3A boys
Bishop Blanchet junior Will Schneider pulled away halfway through the race to win the state title, and helping his teammates earn their first team title in 17 years.
Walla Walla’s Brody Hartley was the highest Mid-Columbia placer, finishing fifth.
4A girls
Bellarmine Prep senior Ella Borsheim, who is committed to running for the University of Washington next year, held off the Skyline duo of Anna Callahan and Sydney Collier, who placed second and third, respectively.
Borsheim’s time was 17:51.
It gave Borsheim bookend titles in her prep career, winning state titles as a freshman, and now as a senior.
“I was on the course yesterday (Friday), and I told my coach, ‘I miss this course,’” said Borsheim.
Eastlake won the state team title. Richland’s Natalie Ruzauskas, committed to Eastern Washington University, finished 19th.
2A boys
Selah senior Cooper Quigley, committed to the University of Arizona, pulled away from the field in the final mile to win the title.
Squalicum earned the team title.
2A girls
Anacortes’ Jessica Frydenlund took the individual title, but it wasn’t enough as her team lost out to Sehome for the team title, 64-65.
1A boys
Jamar Distel, a senior from Riverside who is nationally ranked by dyestat.com, dominated the field to easily win the title. Distel clocked in at 15:00.40, which gives him a top 10 time for the Sun Willows course.
Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls won the team title. Joshua Courtney (11th) and Jio Herrera (18th) finished in the top 20 for College Place.
1A girls
Seton Catholic was a double winner, with Alexis Leone earning the individual title while helping the squad take the team title.
1B/2B boys
Ilwaco senior Daniel Quintana won another individual title, matching the one he got as a sophomore in 2019.
Tri-Cities Prep sophomore Ciaran St. Hilaire finished his first state race by placing fourth.
“I thought about getting in the top 20,” said St. Hilaire, who will run track and field for Kamiakin in the spring, since Prep does not have a program. “But I never thought about top 4.
1B/2B girls
Asotin’s Chloe Overberg won the individual title, while Pope John Paul II took the team title.