The Oak Harbor High School girls cross country team finished second and the boys third among Wesco North schools at the Western Conference Championships Saturday, Oct. 24, at Lakewood High School in Arlington.
Among all 3A Wesco schools, the Wildcat boys placed fifth and the girls 9th.
The top three teams from the district meet at South Whidbey High School Saturday, Oct. 31, qualify for state, as do the top 15 individuals.
The same schools as the Wesco meet plus Ferndale will run at district.
Oak Harbor coach Eric Peterson said the Wildcat boys have a shot at nabbing one of the top four slots.
“As a team, if we saw peak performances from the boys and a bad race from another team’s runner, we could be in contention,” he said. “It’s a state qualifier on Saturday, so anything can happen.”
Oak Harbor freshman Alexis Smith has the best shot at qualifying for state as an individual. She was 15th among 3A runners at the Wesco meet but will have to content with the addition of several top-flight Ferndale runners at district.
Arlington produced the first five finishers in the Wesco 3A boys race, posting a perfect score of 15. Marysville Getchell was second with 64 points, followed by Oak Harbor (82), Everett (87), Stanwood (130) and Marysville-Pilchuck (179).
Arlington won the girls race with 27 points. Oak Harbor edged Stanwood 57-59 for second. Getchell finished with 105 and Everett 114.
“We were really pleased with the performances,” Peterson said. “Looking down the line at the JV and varsity races, almost every kid set a 5K PR for the season. The kids were excited and it was a great day of racing.
“Overall, we have a great looking group of younger athletes.”
Only two of the top 14 boys and girls are seniors, according to Peterson.
Junior Miguel Guzman placed 12th (17:08.12), one spot in front of sophomore Jake Hucko (17:12.67), in the 5,000-meter North boys race.
Smith was third (19:46.11) and junior Carolynn Wicker 10th (20:48.14) among Wesco North girls.
In the JV races, the Oak Harbor girls team finished first (and took the top three individual spots) in the Wesco North and fifth overall. Junior Natalie Merrill won the JV North title in 22:40.57.
Oak Harbor was second among the boys in the JV North and ninth overall. Benjamin Gasper led the Wildcats by placing eighth (18:20.72).
Oak Harbor results among North Division runners at the Wesco Cross Country Championships:
Varsity girls (43 runners): 3, Alexis Smith, 19:46.11; 10, Carolynn Wicker, 20:48.14; 12, Laura Rodeheffer, 21:05.37; 14, Emma Lerch, 21:19.23; 18, Olivia Flack, 21:36.88; 27, Tamia Rios, 22:06.4.
Varsity boys (55 runners): 12, Miguel Guzman, 17:08.12; 13, Jake Hucko, 17:12.67; 16, Tyler Grehan, 17:20.96; 19, Michael Lym, 17:26.94; 37, Wyatt Pauley, 18:19.22; 38, Nathan Richardson, 18:23. 17); 40, Caleb Peek, 18:24.73.
JV girls (30 runners): 1, Natalie Merrill, 22:40.57; 2, Megan Keating, 22:50.45; 3, Elyssa Nortier, 22:58.58; 10, Emma Wezeman, 24:46.25; 14, Alana Austin, 25:31.66; 15, Jinai Guzman, 25:36.54; 21, Stephany Florez, 27:27.09; 25, Breanna Grehan, 28:12.12; 29, Renne Richards, 33:22.27.
JV boys (90 runners): 8, Benjamin Gasper, 18:20.72; 12, Garrett Stahl, 18:48.56; 13, Joe Gorman, 18:50.97; 19, Scot Erickson, 19:14.85; 25, Joseph Ralston, 19:45.73; 27, Nathan Larson, 19:51.14; 29, Zach Aketch, 19:56.95; 35, Joshua Stone, 20:11.72; 36, Chris Brooks, 20:16.13; 44, Daniel Guerrero, 20:34.25; 50, Cooper Treadwell, 20:51.01; 64, Travis Wagner, 21:50.52; 67, Lucas Nicholson, 22:14.8; 73, Kurt Huscer, 22:41.81; 78, William Nicholson, 23:28.01; 79, Casey Towsley, 23:37.78; 83, Patrick DeJesus, 23:51.42; 84, Daniel Gibson, 24:03.96.
