Cross Country team concludes short season

The Cashmere cross country team competed at the NCR Cross Country Championship meet on Thursday April 1. “NCR” is the North Central Region of the state and includes all the high schools in Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties. The race served as the culminating event of the spring 2021 cross country season. Normally a fall sport, cross country officially began on February 22nd this year. Many of the runners actually began the season on February 1st with optional practices. We had 33 runners compete in races during this shortened season.

 

The championship race was held at Walla Walla Point Park on Wenatchee’s 5 km course. The meet itself was delayed one hour due to an accident on Highway 97 that blocked the highway and kept the school buses from Okanogan County from arriving on time. The kids have been rolling with the punches since school began this year and so an hour delay wasn’t a problem for them. The air temperature was in the 60’s which was comfortable for racing. During the delay, the wind strengthened considerably and affected racing times.

 

Girls Results – For the first time all season, the girls raced first. Ninety-one girls from 17 schools competed in the race. Due to COVID restrictions the girls had to start in three waves each separated by one minute. The Cashmere girls had good races.

 

Team Scores – Seven complete teams (5 runners)

 

Wenatchee 27

Cascade 65

Cashmere 94

Moses Lake 116

Royal City 116

Eastmont 126

Chelan 153

 

Cashmere Individuals

6th Kylee Foster 20:50.7

9th Syd Smith 21:05.7 (season best)

21st Ellie Martin 22:17.2

31st Tristan Hoffman 23:09.8

62nd Carly Schoening 26:06.4 (personal record)

 

Boys Results – One hundred eighty-seven boys were spread out into two races with a total of seven waves. Several boys had season bests or personal records. Rob McManus earned the champion’s medal. He was undefeated this season and is one of the top runners in the state. 

 

Team Scores – Fifteen schools had complete teams.

 

Cascade 48

Eastmont 69

Moses Lake 121

Ephrata 133

Wenatchee 139

Royal City 160

Cashmere 167

+ 8 more teams

 

Cashmere Individuals

1st Rob McManus 15:56.2

31st Dyllion Taylor 18:32.9 (season best)

43rd Oscar Orozco 18:57.4

52nd Hugh Wheeler 19:18.8 (personal best)

54th Kaden Miller 19:23.4 (personal best)

60th Kyler Knoll 19:35.4

61st Landon Baker 19:37.9

68th Henry Nelson 19:56.2

71st Garrik Strong 20:01.2

90th JJ Groner 20:35.0

112th Aidan Campbell 21:28.6 (personal best)

137th Gunnar Simmons 22:31.5

140th Drake Hesselschwardt 22:53.3 (season best)

159th Angel Nolasco 24:46.1

169th Micah Guerin 25:23.6

170th Ahren Campbell 25:25.7 (personal best)

173rd Easton Risdon 26:03.6

184th Lucas Agnew 29:52.5 (personal best)

Gustavo Herrera also competed but the official results don’t include his time.

 

The kids accepted the way things were this season and I appreciate their efforts. Seniors Syd Smith and Rob McManus competed in three state championship meets during their high school careers each winning two medals for top 16 finishes. Seniors Oscar Orozco, Dyllion Taylor, Kyler Knoll, Kylee Foster, Ellie Martin and junior Tristan Hoffman have all competed at the state meet. With a regular season they would have had a very good chance to run at the state meet once again. CCOVID restrictions did not allow a state meet this spring. The senior girls led their team to state the last three years. Each year the girls finished as one of the top 10 teams with a team finish of fifth place last year. The senior boys led two teams to state both with top 10 finishes including a sixth place finish last year. I admire the perseverance and loyalty to the cross country program shown by these veterans.

 

It was a very memorable season. The kids performed well and competed well. Younger athletes got a chance to be teammates with some of Cashmere High School’s most successful cross country runners. The younger runners got some racing experience and now know what it will take to reach the level of success our group of seniors have had. Next season should be more normal and I hope as successful!