Oak Harbor High School senior Ben Gasper and junior Alexis Smith achieved personal milestones on the Wildcats’ home cross country course Thursday, Sept. 21.
The two posted their first career individual wins to pace Oak Harbor in a three-team meet at Windjammer Park.
Gasper helped the Oak Harbor boys edge Stanwood 33-35; Marysville Getchell tallied 60.
Stanwood won the girls race with 26 points, and the Wildcats nipped the Chargers 52-54.
Gasper covered the 3-mile course in 15:49, while teammate Dallas Riddle-Stevens followed in second in 16:21 and Tyler Grehan in fourth in 16:42.
Joseph Ralston (17:20) took 12th and Michael Lym 14th (17:40) to complete the Wildcats’ scoring.
Smith captured the girls race in 19:04. Her sophomore sister Megan Smith, running for the first time this season after an injury, placed sixth (20:41).
Riley Grace Borden (21:21.1) took 10th, Brenna Rothman (23:04) 18th and Stephany Flores (23:11) 19th.
“Everything went really well today,” coach Eric Peterson said. “I am really proud of Ben and Alex. It was nice to get Megan back after an injury, and Riley ran well.”
He added that the high finishes by Riddle-Stevens and Grehan “were real surprises.”
Overall, Peterson “feels good” about the season.
“The kids are working hard in practice,” he added. “We are definitely seeing improvement.”
Oak Harbor heads to Stanwood with Cascade, Glacier Peak and Kamiak for a five-team meet at 3:45 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28.
Other Oak Harbor results from this Thursday
Boys (56 runners): 16, Cole Fishburn, 18:13; 18, Micah Franklin, 18:19.1; 19, Peyton Horn, 18:25; 20 Josh Stone, 18:35; 21, Ethan Cone, 18:42; 23, Dylan Sanchez, 19:03; 27, John Pope, 19:22; 30, Brandon Parham, 19:30; 31, Jack Rowley, 19:36; 34, Hunter Hogarth, 20:04; 40, Joey Ledgerwood, 20:50; 41, Jeremiah Dailey, 20:58; 42, Kurt Husler, 21:10; 43, Isiah VandeGriend, 21:19; 44, Luke Turner, 21:39; 45, Andrew Ralston, 22:06; 50, Andres Sanchez, 22:54; 51, Pablo Closson, 22:57; 54, Travis Napier, 25:21; 55, Brennon Sanchez, 25:23.
Girls (30): 20, Megan Keating, 24:03; 25, Sophie Mischke, 25:05; 26, Madison Korneli, 25:14; 27, Kali Pearcy, 25:18.
Ben Gasper pulls away in his win in the boys race. (Photo by John Fisken)
Oak Harbor’s Tyler Grehan and Dallas Riddle-Stevens run mid-course in the boys race. Riddle-Stevens eventually finished second and Grehan fourth. (Photo by John Fisken)
Megan Smith places sixth, second among Oak Harbor runners, in the girls race. (Photo by John Fisken)
Oak Harbor’s Micah Franklin, left, battles Stanwood’s Garrett Larson as they near the finish line. (Photo by John Fisken)
