Cheney High cross country runner Hannah Spakousky has spent the last three years moving up the ladder of finishes at girls district meet competition. Sixth in 2014, fifth in 2015 and fourth last year, Spakousky added another happy memory to her high school career with the ultimate finish last Saturday at Beachview Park in Clarkston — a District 7 championship.
The senior turned in a personal record at three miles of 19 minutes, 00.50 seconds for first place, and thereby helping the Blackhawk girls to a second-place overall team finish and a trip to regional action this Saturday against the Central Washington Athletic Conference. Cheney finished just four points behind district champion West Valley.
The Blackhawks battled the Eagles in a competitive race where three Cheney and three Eagle runners finished within just over 11 seconds of each other in the scoring. West Valley’s Emma Garza finished second, but after Pullman’s Jenna Herzog snuck in for third, three of the Eagles top-five scoring runners finished fourth-sixth — with Cheney’s next three coming in seventh-ninth.
Marion Mager-Reeser was seventh in 19:53.45, while senior Jolene Whiteley — back after battling an iron deficiency — was eighth in 19:54.87 with Jaela Thornburg ninth in 19:58.81. Megan Habegger was 12th in 20:11.21, with senior Brett Draper — whose also been battling an illness — 14th and Alexia Batchelor 19th to wrap up Cheney’s varsity seven.
A young Cheney boys team continued to show improvement, but came up short in its bid for a top-two finish and chance to advance to regionals, although three individuals will move on to competition next weekend in the Yakima Valley by virtue of finishing in the top-14 of overall placers.
Bas Holland set a new PR and school record in the three mile with a blistering time of 15:42.22 — bested only by district champion Hunter Reynolds of East Valley’s 15:41.50. Holland’s time is four seconds better than the previous school record set by Steaven Zachman in 2014.
Holland and his six teammates all set new PRs in Clarkston. Tucker Cunningham finished 12th at 16:55.31 and freshman Becket Schoenleber’s PR of 16:56.13 for 13th helped him make the cut for regionals.
Dillon Newbry was 21st in 17:28.10, and senior Patrick Purviance 23rd in 17:37.99 to wrap up the Blackhawks’ — who finished fourth overall — scoring. Julian Torres was 25th in 17:44.81 and senior Sam Steele was 27th in 17:57.79.
“The boys are one year out,” head coach Derek Slaughter said in an email.
Cheney’s 2-4 girl runners have just over a 5 second gap between them, while the West Valley’s 2-4 runners are at just over 4 seconds. The Eagles’ fourth runner is just 1.62 seconds ahead of the Blackhawks’ No. 2, and Slaughter thinks Cheney can eventually reel them in.
“We keep closing the gap, and Jolene (Whiteley) will only get faster,” Slaughter said. “We are getting on that podium (at state).”
Regional competition with the CWAC takes place Saturday at Apple Ridge Golf Course in Cowiche, with the top four teams moving on to state on Nov. 4.
John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.
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