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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Tigers Serve Notice, Win Surprise Berth To State

AAA cross country

Wes Marburger withheld vital information from his Lewis and Clark girls Saturday.

LC, resting in the shade at sun-drenched Carmichael Middle School, prepared to graciously accept fourth-place honors after the Region IV-AAA cross country meet.

What Marburger knew - and his girls didn’t - was that LC had placed second, meaning a trip to Saturday’s State AAA meet at Pasco rather than an end to their season.

When top-ranked Ferris was announced as No. 4, the realization finally hit the Tigers, who whooped, screeched and hugged.

LC, an average team during Greater Spokane League duals, advanced to state while league unbeaten Ferris - despite having three runners in the top nine - missed out.

“The top five teams in the GSL any one of us could have done what we did today,” said Marburger, a seven-year varsity coach taking his first team to state.

Although five GSL girls teams placed in the top six, Eisenhower of the Big Nine Conference dominated. The Cadets scored a meet-low 86 by placing their five scoring runners in the top 28.

In the boys’ race, Ferris’ Isaac Hawkins defended his regional crown in preparation for a state-title defense. Hawkins (14:44.4) wasn’t challenged after the first mile.

Runner-up Jason Fayant (15:02), a Mead senior, guided the top-ranked Panthers (49 points) to a clear-cut team title. Second-ranked University (99) was second, advancing to state with Ike. Ferris and Rogers ran a strong fourth and fifth, respectively.

The GSL also won two-thirds of the individual state berths, including 12 of 15 in the boys field. The outcome was nearly identical to last year’s inaugural regional.

LC’s showing was the day’s biggest surprise among girls. The second-ranked Mead girls qualified for state by placing third. LC and Mead actually tied with 106 points, but LC’s No. 6 Corey Mullen, a freshman who just turned 14, placed higher than Mead’s No. 6.

Ferris senior Jennifer Smith repeated as regional champ, cruising the hilly, 3-mile course in 17 minutes, 40.8 seconds. Teammate Jill Johnson, a sophomore, stayed close and finished in 17:48. Ferris’ No. 5 placed behind LC and Mead’s No. 6’s, however, leaving the Saxons out of the team race.

The girls ran first on the winding course, which takes two passes over inclines called Suicide Hill and Eternity Hill.

Smith started slowly, but she, Johnson and teammate Emily Hawkins held the top three at the mile. Hawkins eventually faded to ninth, as Ike’s Stephanie Heaton, LC’s Jamie Borgan and Mead’s Katie Pollock jostled for top-five positions.

“I kept looking at Jenny’s back and pushing the downhills,” Johnson said.

“I’ve told Jill anytime she can beat me, do it,” Smith said. “That can only help me.”

Confusion ensued when Ferris calculated that it finished third and LC fourth. Marburger learned the truth, but kept quiet.

“I wanted to give them an opportunity to celebrate when it was announced,” said Marburger, whose team has no seniors.

Isaac Hawkins let Fayant and Mead teammate Morgan Thompson charge to the front at the start of the boys race. By the second mile, Hawkins had control.

“I was comfortable, but there was no way I would let anybody out of my mind,” Hawkins said.

Shadle Park’s Casey Perry (15:07) moved up from fifth near the halfway point to place third. Fourth-place Ryan Wiser of Mead, fifth-place Jon Caballero of North Central and seventh-place Justin Hill of NC made late charges. Junior Seth Mott, in ninth, led U-Hi’s on-to-state effort.

Mead, the eight-time state champ, placed all seven in the top 32.

“The bottom line is: Get out of here, get to state and get the job done,” said Panthers coach Pat Tyson. “We had the pressure, in the sense that we were supposed to make it.”

, DataTimes