The "Run-Down": Run-A-Ree 2011

 

For our first meet of the 2011 season, it was good news, good news. We survived the extreme heat, the logistics of having nearly half (9) Panthers run their first ever XC race, and we managed to get both teams in the upper half in the team scoring. Both teams placed 10th, with 11 teams behind them. Both teams caught several teams in larger divisions; the girls finished ahead of 3A Fort Vancouver and Hudson's Bay, while the boys flew by both those schools plus 4A Skyview. Job well done!

 

The girls, although far from where we ended last year, we are tons ahead of where we were last year at this time! In 2010, we did not even field a full varsity team. So we are on our way to proving ourselves as a better team than last year.

 

A first since I have been coaching at WHS, we had more girls compete on a given day than boys. At the Future Varsity Level, we managed to get 5 girls across the line to be one of the few complete teams. For the individuals in that race, first timer Freshman Karina Miller lead the way for the Panthers, placing 36th of the 78 runners in a time of 18:56.Fellow first timer Sophomore Megan Anderson was just 7 places behind in 19:15. Also from the class of 2014, Serene Dunn proved her hard work in the summer has paid off as she ran a superb time for her of 19:21. Junior twins Kari and Kaitlyn Johnson nearly match their times from last year's much cooler day on this course proving they are in at least as good of shape as they were 365 days ago.

 

Neither of our Frosh/Soph boys or Future Varsity boys teams was complete. But our individual highlight came from Freshman Jacob Bowen in his first XC race, placing in the upper half in the 3500 meter race: 31st of 65 in a time of 15:07.

 

Moving on up to the Varsity level, the girls found out the Senior Kayla Lockard is in the shape of her life as she easily posted a P.R. of 24:11 for 44th place of 99 runners as she was also the first Panther across the line, despite the extreme heat. Also posting efforts better than last year's opening performances (considering the heat factor) was sophomore Kelsey Lagerquist (77th in 26:35) and Junior Kalli Light (80th in 26:56). First timer sophomore Hannah Wright and Senior veteran Kendall Utter rounded out the group of 5 scores for Washougal.

 

For the varsity guys, running without runners First Team Vancouver region returnee Junior Sean Eustis and team captain Senior Noah Collins, the Panthers put only two guys with any XC experience on the starting line. The scoring five was loaded with our trio of freshmen Nicolas Velardi, Blake Roberts and Rusty Shiluk. Somehow, Nicolas slipped through the official scoring, but led his classmates running 19:49 for about 60th place. A couple of steps behind was Blake Roberts in 19:50, and Rusty held on to both of them through 2 miles, but faded slightly on the third... 18 seconds back at 20:07. Of the 40+ frosh in the whole meet, all three of them posted marks that were in the upper third! Also scoring for the Panthers was first timer Junior Geer McGee, accompanying our top two frosh in 19:51; and our sole award winner of the day, Junior Isaac Stinchfield...

 

Isaac's comment two days prior was "I want to win!" That mindset kept him in the in the lead pack for the first mile quite easily. But fellow Junior from Battle Ground, Mark Tedder, made a breakaway move shortly afterwards that none could counter. Isaac finished in style with a solid sixth place, well ahead of the next pack of racers. Isaac's time of 16:37 was not only a PR by 25 seconds, but also leads the early 2A state rankings by a surprising 43 second buffer. We are quite sure that his time will not hold up long as other runners in the state have yet to run on fast courses and as the temperature becomes more cooperative. But next week he, as well as all the other Panthers will have a prime opportunity to improve on all of their times at the South Salem meet next Saturday.

 

Let's keep working hard, focus on consistency, and improve like crazy and shock the teams currently ahead of us by the end of the season.

 

Coach Terry L. Howard

 

Here are the line scores:

 

Frosh/Soph Boys

 

Mile 1

Mile 2

3500 M

 

Jacob B

31st

7:05

13:50

15:07

 

Jacob S

38th

7:11

14:33

16:03

 

 

of 65

 

 

 

 

FV Boys

 

 

 

5000 M

 

Brendon

DNF

7:15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FV Girls

 

 

 

 

 

Karina

36th

8:20

17:24

18:56

 

Sydney N

DNF

 

 

 

 

Megan

43rd

8:41

17:32

19:15

 

Serene

45th

8:50

17:48

19:29

 

Kari

49th

8:51

18:02

19:43

 

Kaitlyn

50th

8:51

18:02

19:44

 

 

of 78

 

 

 

 

Varsity Boys

 

 

 

 

 

Isaac

5:02

6:14

10:32

16:37

PR (25 sec)

Nicolas

60th?

6:14

12:48

19:49

 

Blake

62nd

6:14

12:48

19:50

 

Geer

64th

6:14

12:48

19:51

 

Rusty

72nd

6:14

12:48

20:07

 

Darian

82nd

6:14

13:03

20:31

 

Jorge

83rd

6:14

13:03

20:32

 

 

of 126

 

 

 

 

Varsity Girls

 

 

 

 

 

Kayla

44th

7:31

15:37

24:11

PR (23 sec)

Hannah

45th

7:35

15:51

24:16

 

Kendall

54th

7:31

15:51

24:48

 

Kelsey

77th

8:06

17:11

26:35

 

Kalli

80th

8:06

17:11

26:56

 

Brooke

83rd

7:59

17:10

27:14

 

Katie

89th

8:00

17:10

28:13

 

 

of 99