Short-handed Bears still too fast
Even without its number one runner, the Central Valley girls proved formidable in Wednesday’s Greater Spokane League cross country meet against rival University.
Bears sophomore Briegan Bester was victimized by illness at the arduous Liberty Lake County Park course and was unable to finish.
But the young Bears (2-0), with three freshmen in the lineup, had more than enough to defeat the Titans (1-2), with three returning state veterans, 21-37.
“Briegan couldn’t practice because she had a cold all week,” coach Dennis McGuire said. “It took its toll at Liberty Lake.”
Sophomore Kayla Boyer sprinted to a 19-minute, 49-second finish, winning the race by 12 seconds over U-Hi’s Elizabeth Smith, and CV had five of the next six finishers in easily taking the team win.
“They ran really well as a team,” McGuire said. “It was our best race of the year.”
Bester burst onto the scene last spring, placing twice, in the state 800- and 1,600-meter races, and had opened GSL competition with an easy win last week.
In other meets: Led by freshman Ashley Hauger, who won in 18:45.3 at Shadle Park, the Highlanders edged North Central 27-28. … Mt. Spokane (3-0) remained unbeaten, 22-34 over Lewis and Clark (3-1) and 20-39 over Ferris (0-4). LC’s Gracie Ledwith won easily in 18:36.56, but the Wildcats had four of the next five finishers. … Gonzaga Prep (4-0) had the first five finishers to sweep past Mead (1-2) and Rogers (0-4).
GSL boys
The CV and U-Hi finishers came home in threes during their race, but the Bears trios arrived there first.
By going 1-2-3, Corey Hunter, Briton Demars, and Spencer Jensen assured the team victory and after the Titans (2-1) took the next three places, three more Bears (2-0) followed for the 21-36 win.
“Anytime you go one, two, three I think that’s good,” CV coach Kieran Mahoney said. “Briton Demars coming off kind of a knee injury over the summer raced really well and we raced smart. This is a tough course.”
Six Bears finished within 44 seconds of each other.
In other meets: North Central (3-0) had six of the first seven finishers with winner Kai Wilmot and Tanner Anderson finishing in a near dead heat for an 18-44 win over host Shadle Park (0-2). … Mt. Spokane (3-0) got a one-two finish from Jacob Vandenberg and John Dressel to defeat Lewis and Clark (2-2) 25-31 and Ferris 19-41 at Comstock Park. … Ian Andres and Frankie Hoerner went one-two helping Gonzaga Prep (3-1) edge Mead (1-2) 27-29. Both beat Rogers (0-4).