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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Number Of State Berths In Quandary

Frontier boys cross country

Frontier League boys cross country coaches are faced with a dilemma.

A prospective regional alignment encountered a snag when schools from the Mid-Valley League balked at coming to Spokane for the state qualifying race.

Would it be wiser, wonder coaches from East and West Valley, for four Frontier schools to race each other for one state berth? Or should they agree to travel for the regional and compete with eight other schools for a total of two state spots?

“In a way it would be better to stick with our league and not jeopardize our berth,” said EV coach Dave McCarty.

WV coach Jim McLachlan doesn’t mind risking one berth in an attempt to gain another. But, he said, it makes more sense to have the race this year at Hangman Valley in conjunction with the Greater Spokane League-Big Nine regional, then move with the GSL and Big Nine to Richland next year.

“Keep them together and go back and forth,” said McLachlan.

League officials were to come to an accord at a meeting Friday. In the meantime, Knight and Eagle boys teams will prepare for their Oct. 9 league opener at East Valley at invitationals and non-league meets.

Both schools have a strong three-runner nucleus. The race will be won by the team whose fourth-through-seventh runners improve the fastest.

Knights after state repeat

Last year’s sixth-place state finishing team is ranked among the top seven this year.

The burden of the high rating would have been eased had two of McCarty’s runners returned.

Last year’s 15th-place district finisher Chad Hanson moved to Minnesota. Another sophomore prospect, Marshall Greene, transferred to Lewis and Clark.

However, Jim Marlow and Ryan Coordes turned in the second and fourth fastest All-Valley race meet times ever by EV juniors. The team’s lone senior, Bryan McCarty, the coach’s son, is battling his annual respiratory ailments. When well, he’ll be right with the other two.

Junior Joe Weiler, 22nd in district last year, also returns. Juniors Sean Williams, Jared Birt and Jason Kann are other varsity prospects.

Ben Hall made the school’s top-10 freshman list with his All-Valley race time. Another freshmen, James Kann, and last year’s junior high champion Jesse Morris, are in the picture.

Eagles hope to close on EV

Second to the Knights in league a year ago, WV is hoping to close ranks this season.

“I think we’re a better team this year,” said McLachlan, who admitted concern about the improvement of EV’s junior duo.

Last year’s third-place district finisher Sean McLachlan, the coach’s son, returns as league favorite. Junior David McNeil, 17th in district, is also back, along with senior Eric Gorton.

“He’s finally healthy and came in in great shape,” said McLachlan.

Senior Erik Brosvik is WV’s other senior runner and district veteran.

“He’s ahead of last year,” said McLachlan.

Vying for other varsity spots are sophomore John Frostad, whose twin sisters race for EV, juniors Kevin Lybarger, Adam Roberts, and Brandon Honcoop. “We’ve got to shore up our backside a bit,” said McLachlan. “But we’ll be there.”

, DataTimes