Mead Faces Ferris, With 8-Year-Old Streak On The Line

Inspector Pat Tyson, a sleuth worthy of Sherlock Holmes, has been tracking a potential killer of streaks.

Lurking amongst the South Hill hinterlands is a rapacious beast that seeks to destroy Tyson’s healthy, vibrant 8-year-old string of victories.

Dramatics aside, Tyson senses the most serious challenge to what, at eight years, is likely the state’s longest prep winning streak.

On Wednesday at Whitworth College, second-ranked Ferris (6-0 in the Greater Spokane League) locks up with Tyson’s top-ranked Mead Panthers (6-0) in the boys cross country dual of the year. (Rogers, 0-6, rounds out the three-way.)

Mead has won 64 consecutive GSL duals since a loss to Shadle Park eight years ago. The Panthers have also won seven straight State AAA titles.

“Some of our kids were 7 years old when the streak started, so, yes, there’s some pressure there,” Tyson said.

Ferris presents a great challenge because it is capable of automatically winning by claiming the top three places with Isaac Hawkins, Paul Harkins and Dave Schruth. Mead doesn’t have an elite runner, but the Panthers’ depth is far greater.

“I’ve gone through all the possibilities,” Tyson said. “Breaking their top three is one of the major things, but not the only thing.”“But I think Mead has more options to beating them.”

Tyson said his Nos. 6 and 7 runners should be critical, assuming someone like Jason Fayant or Morgan Thompson breaks up the lead Ferris threesome. Ferris’ top three had better times than any Mead runner at last week’s Richland Invitational, but Thompson didn’t run and Fayant ran while ill.

One-half hour before the boys meet, the second-ranked Ferris girls (6-0) will attempt to win their first league title since ‘91. Defending champ Mead is 5-1, as is University, which runs at Finch Arboretum that day.

Old (but requested) news

The folks running last week’s Richland Invite never sent results in this direction, but here are the tardy highlights:

Hawkins of Ferris won the boys elite race in 15 minutes, 30 seconds - 3 seconds ahead of Matt Kerr of Kennewick. Mead’s boys, running without Thompson, scored 131 to the 105 of champ Gig Harbor. Hawkins’ Saxons took third with 141 points.

Mead’s girls won with 90 points, 24 fewer than Ferris, which ran without Kristin Parrish. East Valley was third with 120. Jeannette Zimmer (18:40) of Cheney repeated her title; Jennifer Smith (18:55), of Ferris, was third; Jill Johnson (19:02), Ferris, fourth; Stephanie Goaslind, Mead, fifth; and Angie Simmers, EV, sixth.

B yourself

Pateros and Entiat wanted to maintain their football rivalry this year when Entiat jumped from the Northeast B-8 to the Central Washington B-11.

So Friday’s non-league game between the two featured an unusual format. When the second-ranked Billygoats had the ball, the teams played eight per side. When Entiat lined up on offense, Pateros brought out 11 for defense. Pateros won, 58-12.

Cusick of the NEB-8, anticipating a jump to B-11 in two years, played a non-league game this year with B-11 Curlew. Both teams, however, played 11-man throughout.

Down to the wire

The cards lined up perfectly in Northeast A girls cross country. League meets end Tuesday with a three-way at Chewelah between the host Cougars (4-0), Deer Park (3-1) and Lakeside (3-1).

The race will feature Jaime Stone of DP, fourth at state last year; Lindsey McElroy of Lakeside, sixth at last year’s district; and defending state 800-meter champion Hayden Kristianson of Chewelah.

At the same meet, the sixth-ranked Chewelah boys are expected to complete an unbeaten season. Chewelah won last week’s Gonzaga Prep’s Bullpup Invitational over several larger schools.

, DataTimes