By Matthew O. Stephens
Reporter 

Cardinal runners win district

Harriers now advance to state championships

 

Last updated 11/4/2021 at 4:12pm

CHEWELAH – Medical Lake cross country teams continue to fly as both boys and girls varsity won the district championship Oct. 30 at Chewelah Golf Course.

The event was the most productive district race in head Coach Gene Blankenship’s 11 years of coaching at Medical Lake, he said.

For the third time, both varsity boys and girls teams qualified as a team for the state competition. That meet is set for Saturday, Nov. 6, at Sun Willows Golf Course, 2535 N. 20th Ave., Pasco.

The Class 1A 5,000-meter girls race begins at 10:30 a.m.

The Class 1A 5,000-meter boys race starts at noon.

“It’s going to be an interesting competition on the girls and boys sides,” he said. “We’re hoping for the best finish in Medical Lake’s history.”

“The varsity girls became our first girls team to win both the league championship and the district championship,” he said.


Blankenship said the state coaches’ poll was updated after the event and Medical Lake sits in the top spot for the Class 1A boys and in second place for the girls.

“I am overwhelmed with this year’s teams’ success,” he said. “In the past, we’ve had more talented teams, but never a group of young runners that were so determined to succeed,”

Kayla Ramsey finished in sixth-place overall and led the Cardinal girls, Blankenship said.

With 44 points, the local girls won the meet. They were followed by the Lakeside Eagles with 63 points and Deer Park Stags with 74.

In one of the most exciting races of the season, the Cardinals boys varsity outscored Lakeside 40-41 for the win.


“It doesn’t get any closer than that,” the coach said. “It was way too scary even for the day before Halloween.”

Reid Headrick finished first for the Cardinal varsity boys and second overall, Blankenship said.

The girls junior varsity team, led by Sierra Harden, ran unopposed to win the JV district meet.

Milan Contreras finished first for Medical Lake’s junior varsity boys team, which was second to Lakeside.

Competitors of the Meet achievements went to Katie Hiatt, Aden Carl, Garrett Montney and Hazel Grubaugh, the coach said.

Cardinal Pins were awarded to Delaney Gunther, Dominick Gifford, Milan Contreras, Laban Kumend and Chloe Parsons for this event.

Blankenship was also named Northeast 1A “Coach of the Year.”

Blankenship said he owes a lot of credit to his coaching staff David McNeill, Sarah Collins, Jeremiah Windle, and Domenic Rehm.

Their dedication helped develop the successful mindset that drives the Cardinal teams, he said.

Matthew O. Stephens can be reached at reporter2@cheneyfreepress.com

 

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