The Oak Harbor and Coupeville high school cross country teams ran with the masses at the Sehome Invitational Saturday, Sept. 14, at Bellingham’s Civic Stadium.
Forty-three schools and 1,210 athletes took part in the big early season showdown.
The Oak Harbor girls placed 12th (390 points) and Coupeville 32nd (838) behind champion Glacier Peak (101).
The Wildcats (737) were 27th in the boys race and Coupeville (1,186) took 39th. Sehome (83) and Arlington posted the best score, but the host Mariners were awarded first by having the highest finishing sixth runner.
The meet featured a race for each graduating class as well as a junior varsity boys contest. Team scores were also given for teams with at least five runners in a class.
The Oak Harbor boys (264) were 12th in the sophomore race behind winner Arlington (66).
Coupeville (306) was 13th and second among small schools in the freshman boys race won by Kamiak (79).
The best individual finish by a local runner was Oak Harbor’s Natalie French, who took fifth in the junior girls race, covering the two-mile course in 13:06.67. Evelyn Osburn was sixth in the same race in 13:09.25.
Oak Harbor’s Adrienne Root was sixth in the freshman girl race in 13:25.68.
Catherine Lhamon led Coupeville by taking 30th in the junior girls race in 14:44.49.
Coupeville will compete in the South Whidbey Invitational at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, while Oak Harbor heads to Seaside, Ore., the same day for the Three-course Challenge.
Oak Harbor results at Sehome
Junior girls (109 runners): 5, Natalie French, 13:06.67; 6, Evelyn Osburn, 13:09.25; 47, Courtney VanGiesen, 15:25.84; 101, Morgan Hall, 18:24.26.
Sophomore girls (102): 41, Sadie Harbaugh, 15:20; 89, Paige Jenkins, 17:08.
Freshman girls (111): 6, Adrienne Root, 13:25.68.
Senior boys (118): Brandon Parham, 12:13.43.
Sophomore boys (147): 10, Cooper Billiter, 11:14.45; 66, Anthony Herrera, 12:39.17; 116, Harrison Keating, 13:42.61; 133, Charles Brooks, 14:12.73; 134, Tyler Johnson, 14:13.5.
Freshman boys (154): 15, Jacob Pearson, 11:54.15; 38, Miles Erickson, 12:29.93; 92, Michael Abunimeh, 13:26.12.
JV boys (223): 19, Ian Ramos, 13:40.04; 64, Riley Hoover, 14:28.71; 73, Jeff Hogarth, 14:34.97; 93, Thomas Mayhew, 14:53.13; 115, Joey Roundtree, 15:11.25; 127, Colin O’Hara, 15:25.76; 155, Landon Arnett, 16:04.62; 174, Gavin Clark, 16:34; 176, Jermaine Denmon, 16:35.38; 186, Kyle Guevarra, 16:54.22.
Coupeville results at Sehome
Junior girls (109 runners): 30, Catherine Lhamon, 14:44.49.
Sophomore girls (102): 43, Alana Mihill, 15:27.
Freshman girls (111): 57, Claire Mayne, 15:46.87; 58, Helen Strelow, 15:47.73; 100, Cristina McGrath, 18:01.51.
Junior boys (147): 106, Sam Wynn, 13:05.14; 145, Eli Kastner, 16:29.42.
Freshman boys (154): 55, Mitchell Hall, 12:46.54; 77, Aidan Wilson, 13:15.83; 104, Reiley Araceley, 13:44.76; 111, Cameron Epp, 14:00.36; 114, Tate Wyman, 14:03.74; 134, Aiden Anderson, 15:52.33.