A scheduling glitch ended in serendipity for the Oak Harbor cross country team Saturday, as the girls varsity squad traveled across the mountains for the Mid-Basin Invitational where they placed second among 17 teams.
Previously slated to compete this weekend at the Wenatchee Invitational, the girls were instead rerouted to the earlier competition hosted by Moses Lake High School. According to coach Seth Hodges, the change in plans set the stage for a bit of timely athletic revenge.
The Oak Harbor girls have faced Eastern Washington cross country powers Ephrata and Omak several times over the past few years and, with one exception, have lost every time. Saturday Oak Harbor vanquished both long-time foes, placing second behind the Rams of West Valley (Yakima).
The eastern heat made for a big shift in climate from their rainy, windy meet at Camp Casey last Thursday.
“The sunny, 70-degree weather was a great change from the downpour we experienced,” Hodges said.
It wasn’t only the sun that had people smiling. As the results of the race were being read, Oak Harbor had expected to place in the 3 or 4 slots.
“Everyone knew that the Rams had won the meet and I figured us for about fourth,” Hodges said. When Ephrata was named as the third place team, the Wildcats let out a big whoop.
“It was well deserved,” Hodges said of the girls’ strong finish. “I keep telling our girls that we run in the most competitive district in the state. I think they believe it now. We went from third in a three-way district meet on Thursday to a second place finish in a 16-team invitational on Saturday.”
Hodges added, “It was a great confidence booster, even though they ran in racing spikes still damp and squishy from Thursday,” when the girls ran the muddy Camp Casey course.
Once again leading the way for the Oak Harbor squad were Jessica Brundidge and Leonila Celestino; they finished in an almost dead heat for 7th and 8th place. Brianne King took home a ribbon with her 15th place finish. Danielle Berg also ran well, knocking almost 30 seconds off her previous personal best in the 3-mile.
Brundidge and Celestino crossed the line at 20:30 and 20:31 minutes respectively — the best Oak Harbor times at 3 miles since last century, in 1998.
