Cardinal cross country team overcoming adversity

MEDICAL LAKE – Aug. 18 changed lives here in ways both massive and minute.

There likely isn't a soul who was not touched physically or mentally, including members of the Medical Lake High School cross country team, who were affected both personally and as a group.

Junior Garrett Montney's family was one who lost their home and it inspired teammates to rally around the theme for the 2023 program shirts.

Oftentimes, the team's yearly slogan often revolves around the 80-something Blankenship and his bout with a rattle snake when he was in his 20s that cost him an arm.

"I survived the one arm coach, and the fire" is the print across the back of the shirts, Blankenship said.

Not one to sometimes venture into the figurative fire with comments and boasts of future success, Blankenship said the decision to move forward came after talking to parents and his assistant coaches.

"I did not ask permission from the school," he said.

It will just be another exercise in bonding as a family, something Blankenship, a member of the California track/cross country hall of fame, explained.

Because of the fire, the traditional week-long cross country campout at Farragut State Park was cancelled. That event, a staple both here and elsewhere in Blankenship's coaching career, always helped cement the team.

"They live together, they cook together, they camp out and they get closer together," Blankenship explained. The 60-mile trip to Lake Pend Orville is actually tame by comparison.

When in California his team at Hart High School spent something like 14 days traveling to Colorado from Los Angeles. Blankenship marveled at the idea "Of 72 kids, 24 adults, traveling in private vehicles all the way to Winter Park."

With the campout quashed, the boys team gathered for an alternative outing.

"One of my team captains, Nakai Ornelas, had a pizza party at his house," Blankenship said. "He did a really good job of organizing. I did not go because I wanted him to be with the kids and kind of take control."

Many unknowns remain for the team that in 2022 featured an individual state 1-A champ in Reid Headrick and a ninth place finish as a team for the boys. The Cardinal girls finished third as a team and Kayla Ramsey fifth individually.

But those leaders have graduated and will use the boos from the Cardinal program to run in college.

"I guess my first comment is we're really young," Blankenship said.

Medical Lake lost heavily across the varsity, but the biggest hits came with girls where three of the top four finishers at state in 2022 - Ramsey, Jenna Castro and Jasmine Cruz - were all seniors.

On the boys' side, however, Headrick was the most notable loss for a team that will return its next three state finishers, Ornelas, Hector Gomez and Garrett Montney.

"We've got one senior girl and two senior boys and one of the senior boys is the goalie for the soccer team, Alex Grubaugh," Blankenship said. "This is his first year running and we think he's gonna make the team."

Ornelas is projected to be the No. 1 varsity runner with Gomez and Montney next. "Those are probably going to be our top three guys," Blankenship said.

A wild card of sorts could be put in play with word that a military transfer has landed brother and sister - senior and junior - Hayden and Hannah Lutzier at Medical Lake.

"He's been surprised with our workouts so far," Blankenship said. "He's looking really good, he really is."

The top girls include Kaylee Dennler who was a third-place finisher last year at state for the Cardinals as just a freshman.

Others include Kaitlyn Wiley who was the Cards' No. 6 at state as a junior. And then there's Hazel Grubaugh, the fifth-place runner and now a junior.

With the present a bit unknown, and not allowing Blankenship to make predictions that make administrators sometimes roll their eyes, one thing is.

"I believe we have our best freshman boys' class since Dominic (Rehm) and Mica (Dingfield)," Blankenship suggested.