The "Run-Down": League @ Hockinson

 

Our return to Hockinson Meadows was a very pleasant one. This time around, it was 20 degrees cooler and many were eager to run the race of their lives. The sun hid behind the clouds for the first time in many days, but several Panthers compensated by shining brightly today. Although the heat was not a negative factor, the course still proved to be slower than standard courses by 30 or so seconds for the boys, 40-45 for the girls.

 

The races kicked off with both Future Varsity clans combined. Freshman Nick Stevens, who was MIA last week, showed that he was super eager to post a great time. His 5th place finish in 19.22.5 was just two clicks from his best time from the faster courses this year and 1:48 faster than 4 weeks prior! Fellow Frosh Mac Wright improved 36 seconds from last month, placing a competitive 7th. Another "best race of his life" after adjusting for the course came from Darian Tierney. His adjusted effort of 20:14.6 (13th) was superior to both of his fine efforts last week of 20:53 at home and 19:50.4 on the faster Fernhill course. Junior Ryan Strecker's time of 22:49.6 after adjustments should go down in the books as the best performance of his life. Although well behind the Mark Morris crew's score of 16, our Future Panthers pulled out 2nd place (53) by 10 points over the much larger RA Long team.

 

Not far behind the guys came the Panther girls. Leading the way with determination written all over her face was Sophomore Sydney Niemi. Hampered most of the year by injuries, she finally performed to the level we knew she could. Her fabulous 50 second PR on any course (3rd place with 25:14) was a major highlight and also landed her the right to race on the District Meet course next week. Freshman Brooke Croeni's performance of 25:32.1 (5th) probably equaled her performance from last week after adjusted. Sophomore Kaitlyn Johnson proved that last week was not a fluke by running within 15 seconds of last week's fast course time, barely breaking 26:00 by mere tenths of seconds. Senior Chloe Kilgore nearly paralleled that feat (24 seconds slower than last week) and thus ending her career with her best performance. One of the biggest PRs of the day came from her senior side-kick, Laycee Hyde. 26:18.8 was 1:34 faster than her ROW performance on the same course 28 days prior. Way to finish your careers in style, seniors! Freshman Serene Dunn (27:23.4) and Sophomore Darby MacKenzie (28:40.3) tossed in a couple of more life time bests by 27 seconds and 1:56 to round out the day for the Future Varsity Panthers. Since this group is the only school with 5 or more, the league team title goes to them!

 

The Varsity girls had all positives, with all six panther gals running at least as good as they have all year, or in their life! First Panther across the line was Junior Kendall Utter, matching her state meet time from last year (a faster course) in 21:08, good for 4th place. Our T-Squad was next, both about 1:40 faster than last month on this course! Sophomore Tara Duey grabbed 8th place and Senior Taneal Tanner latched on to 9th (by the way, your stunt double, Danny Riat, for the awards was too tall for you and needs longer hair). Taneal's adjusted time should equal any performance she has ever had, dating back to her freshman year! Another great senior performance! Sophomore Kalli Light ran a little extra that probably cost her a top ten ribbon, but her 11th place time of 23:36.1 was still 14 second PR over last week's faster course. Senior Brandi Sherman escorted Freshman Kelsey Lagerquist through the 3.1 mile course, helping her to a fabulous time of 24:45, just 22 seconds off her PR from last week's faster course. In the process, Brandi ran her best race of the season, and probably just a few seconds shy of being her best race ever. Just 7 points shy of Hockinson, the Panthers showed they can now compete with them.

 

For the boys, Sophomores Sean Eustis (4th) and Isaac Stinchfield (10th) made sure that we had 3 in the top ten like the girls, but also like the girls, the seniors stole the stage. Michael Huck (18th in 18:54.2) chopped one second off of his time from last week making it his best race of his life, while Brendan Casey (11th in 18:16) took off two seconds from his state meet time from 2009. Fabulous races from those two eager seniors. BTW, Senior Dylan Croeni set another course record (16:09.8). Good thing it wasn't senior skip day or I would have had very little to talk about.

 

Next week, on Saturday we race at Evergreen St8 College in Olympia at the District Championships, our g8way to St8!

 

  

 

Coach Terry L. Howard

 

 

Here are the line scores:

 

Varsity Boys

Mile 1

Mile 2

5000 M

 

Dylan

1st

5:14

10:27

16:09.8

 *C.R.

Sean

4th

5:14

10:36

16:39.1

 

Isaac

10th

5:24

11:23

18:06.1

 

Brendan

11th

5:38

11:47 

18:16.1

PR

Michael

18th

5:42

12:00

18:54.2

SB

Noah

20th

5:39

12:00

19:02.3

 

Josh

23rd

5:50

12:13

19:10.9

 

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Future Varsity Boys

 

 

 

Nick

5th

6:02

12:17

19:22.5

 

Mac

7th

6:00

12:27

19:41.6

 

Oscar

10th

5:58

12:55

20:03.1

 

Darian

13th

6:10

12:50

20:14.6

 

Danny

21st

6:22

13:39

21:18.5

 

Chism

26th

6:39

14:11

22:12.1

 

Drew

27th

6:54

14:26

22:22.5

 

Ryan

30th

7:01

14:45

22:49.6

SB

Aaron

34th

7:18

15:32

24:18.8

 

 

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Varsity Girls

 

 

 

 

Kendall

4th

6:29

13:40

21:08.4

PR

Tara

8th

7:05

14:31

22:38.9

 

Taneal

9th

7:05

14:34

22:40.1

 

Kalli

11th

7:06

14:34

23:36.1

PR 

Brandi

14st

7:52

16:04

24:44.5

 

Kelsey

15th

7:52

16:05

24:45.7

 

 

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Future Varsity Girls

 

 

Sydney

3rd

7:35

16:04

25:14.8

PR

Brooke

5th

7:53

16:33

25:32.1

 

Kari

7th

7:59

16:39

25:46.9

 

Kaitlyn

8th

7:59

16:49

25:59.2

 

Chloe

9th

8:07

16:49

26:09.9

 

Laycee

10th

8:10

16:49

26:16.8

PR

Serene

11th

8:11

17:31

27:23.4

PR 

Devin

12th

8:11

17:21

27:27.6

 

Darby

14th

8:13

17:32

28:40.3

PR

 

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