Local runners face tough Pasco test

Cross country entrants from Whitman County teams will face a tough test Saturday in the regional qualification run at Pasco’s Big Cross course.

The cut to qualify for the state cross country race will go to the top three girls teams and the top six boys teams.

That factor will be moot for runners from Colfax and St. John/Endicott who have not booked team scores. Tekoa/Rosalia had five runners at the NE district meet Saturday, but their teams’ score rated ninth.

The first 15 individual girls and the first 30 boys in the regional run will also get a ticket to the state meet which will be Nov. 8 back at the Sun Willows Golf Course turf in Pasco.

The regional qualifying round will include runners from the SE and NE districts. Each district staged a district meet last week.

SJE’s Shania Bailey marked the best finish for a county runner with a third place at the SE district run Saturday at Beachfront Park in Clarkston. Bailey clocked 20:44 behind the win posted by Lucy Eggleston. Emily Adams of Waitsburg placed second with a 20:11.

Zoe Robertson of SJE placed fifth with a 21:29.

Team scores for girls booked at Beachfront were Asotin 29, Tri-Cities Prep 38 and Pomeroy 68.

The number 15 finisher at Clarkston, Christine Vantrease, finished at 22:55.

In the NE run Saturday at Audubon Park, Jamie Wilson of Tekoa/Rosalia topped the county entrants with a 23:45 for 23rd place.

Tracy Melville of Lind/Ritzville/ Sprague took the win with a time of 18:46.17, three-plus seconds ahead of Madison Ward of St. George’s.

Other finishers for the Timberwolves were Melissa Groom, 31st at 25:15, Maddie Gregory, 32nd at 25:22 and Dane Jacobs 33rd at 25:46

Alicia Knee of Colfax placed seven seconds back of Jacobs for 34th with a time of 25:52.

Teams scores for girls at Audubon were St. George’s 29, Reardan 46, Republic 53 and Northwest Christian 91.

The 15th place time at Audubon was a 22:32 by Kiana Koepke of Republic.

Top finisher for a county runner in district boys races was a 17th at 19:22 clocked by Kaleb Kolb of SJE in the SE race at Clarkston. Chandler Teigen of Asotin led the 39 runners at Beachfront with a 15:36. Thomas Weakland of Asotin placed second with a 16:42, and the Panthers had five runners in the first eight places to book a tidy team win with 19 points.

Other placers for SJE at the SE run were Parker Perry 29th at 20:59, Tanner Dingman 34th at 21:47, and Jacob Blakeley, 38th at 23:47.

Other team scores were Tri-Cities Prep 37 and Pomeroy 85.

Tim Cornelius of Colfax placed 29th in the NE race at Audubon with a time of 19:49.51. Jack Ammon of Northwest Christian won the race with a 16:57.41. Nathan Hopkins of Davenport was second with a 17:00.07.

The NWC team won the team honors with a 27 score. They took six of the top 10 places in the run which drew 77 competitors.

St. George’s was second with an 86 and Reardan placed third with an 89.

Other finishers for Colfax were Chase Baerlocher 35th at 20:51, Darien Ward 42nd at 21:28, Jaydon Soncarty, 44th at 21:30, Doug Wilson 64th at 23:48 and Josh Goebel 58th at 25:17.

Tekoa/Rosalia boys posted the lone county team score witn a 237 for ninth among 11 teams.

Booking finishes for the T-wolves were Gavin Merritt, 34th at 20:42, Chase Neill, 38th at 21;02, Dillon Jacobs, 43rd at 21:29, Eric Nelson 74th at 27:49 and Cody Anderson, 77th at 32:51.