There were 10 schools represented the afternoon of Sept. 13 when runners gathered to challenge a 4,000-meter course in Lakewood.
Competing at Fort Steilacoom Park were the Plateau pair of White River and Enumclaw High, along with Foss High School, also of the South Puget Sound League 2A. The remaining seven – Bonney Lake, Lakes, Lincoln, Mount Tahoma, Silas, Spanaway Lake and Stadium – hail from the Class 3A Pierce County League.
While White River had a full contingent of runners in both the boys’ and girls’ races, Enumclaw’s top competitors were held out. The EHS program spent the weekend in Southern California at the Woodbridge Classic and coach Jeff Jacobson chose to rest his best.
In the end, White River’s girls placed No. 1 in the team standings while the boys finished third. Enumclaw’s depleted boys’ team was seventh and only two girls competed for EHS.
The girls’ race featured 63 competitors and White River coach Dameon Marlow saw his squad put four in the top 10 finishers. Senior Emma Tomlinson led the way, placing second overall with a time of 16 minutes, 18.94 seconds. Nativity Leddy took eighth with a time of 18:04, Evelyn Holmes was ninth at 18:15 and Paeton Poelman took the No. 10 spot at 18:32.
Rounding out the Hornet girls’ crew were Paityn Kaydus, 11th place, 18:39; Hannah Dehnert, 30th, 20:17; Allie Chepulis, 36th, 20:29; Taylor Simon, 41st, 21:02; Naomi Carthum, 44th, 21:53; Molly Miller, 48th, 22:29; Mikajsa Palmer, 56th, 25:48; and Corrinne Duran, 59th, 27;21.
In the combined field of 112 male runners, White River junior Michael Marlow finished No. 3 with a time of 13:56. Also running for WRHS were Cannon Ross, eighth place, 14:35; Porter Simmons, 34th, 15:44; Oliver Schramm, 38th, 15:56; Grant Robinson, 39th, 15:57; Jackson Bergerson, 48th, 16:16; Anthony Riggs, 54th, 16:37; Caden Bailey, 65th, 16:59; Ezekiel Anderson, 74th,17:13; Jack Peterson, 75th, 17:14; Marcus Marlow, 80th, 17:30; and Riley Kelly, 109th, 21:37.
Among the EHS boys, taking a break from competition were top runners McCoy Brooks and Evan Cheney. Running at Fort Steilacoom were Cole
Olson, 32nd with a time of 15:41; Melvin Johnson, 35th, 15:54; Jack Blair, 37th, 15:52; Caleb Grantham, 61st, 16:51; Spencer Ballard, 63rd, 16:57; Luke Bartlett, 72nd, 17:09; Chad Patten, 86th, 17:56; Clifford Cummings, 94th, 18:46; Casey Westendorf, 98th, 19:46; and Joe Muckerheide, 99th, 19:52.
Competing for EHS in the girls’ race were Mali Radamacher, 15th, with a time of 19:00, and Avery Marecle, 21st, with a time of 19:27.
