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By PAUL DELANEY
Staff Reporter 

ML cross country shines at Nike race

 

Last updated 9/29/2016 at 12:56pm



Medical Lake’s cross country teams took on the cream of the crop last Saturday, Sept. 24 in the Nike Pre-Nationals at Portland Meadows Race track and came away with big finishes.

The Cardinals boys collected the team championship in Division 2. The girls were fifth in Division 3 in an event that attracted some 4,700 runners.

“It was amazing,” head coach Gene Blankenship said. The boys topped Valley Catholic from Beaverton, Ore, 178-184. The girls trailed champion Beaverton (69 points) with 182 points.

Mason Williams was the top Cardinal boys’ runner in 11th in a time of 16 minutes, 37.08 seconds. The race winner was Hanford High School’s Caleb Olson at 16:11.91 on the 5,000-meter course.

“He (Williams) ran a good race, he went out hard again,” Blankenship said. “We’re trying to get him to go out a little easier but it’s the way he wants to race.” The strategy is working out for the junior because he ran on his goal time for the day, Blankenship added.

Second for the boys was Tyler Pena in a time of 17:03.24 and a surprise, Blankenship said.

“What’s really funny is our kid who’s been running No. 2 had a bad day,” Blankenship said, referring to Brandon McCoy. If he ran like he normally does, Medical Lake would have “Run away with the thing,” Blankenship added. McCoy still ran a season record for the 5,000 meters in 17:58.25.

Medical Lake’s girls were led by freshman Riley Olmstead in a time of 20:25.43, fourth overall. Olmstead was 15 seconds back of the winner, Malia Roll from Beaverton, who clocked a 20:10.60, and nearly won the race, Blankenship said. Mariah Pena, the usual No. 1 girl, was second on the team and 14th overall in 21:36.95.

The girls earned a plaque. “They ran a pretty good race,” Blankenship said.

The Nike event concluded the invitational schedule for Medical Lake, or “step-one” as Blankenship calls it.

“We talk about steps, the first step in this whole program is the invitationals,” Blankenship said. “This is where you’re learning, trying to get better.”

Now it’s on to step two with the Northeast A League meets that began yesterday, Sept. 28 with competition at Lakeside also featuring Riverside.

“We’re running at Lakeside so they’ll have a home course advantage,” Blankenship said. ”We’re hoping we do well.” But league competition is not the focus for the team, the coach said.

The real goal is to do well in the district championships, Oct. 27 at Chewelah. Out of that race will come the two NEA berths to state in Pasco, Nov. 5.

The signs appear to be good if the progress Blankenship is seeing is any indication. “Every week we seem to be getting a little bit better,” he said.

Medical Lake cross country shines at Nike race

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.

 

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