High school cross country preview

Thu., Sept. 11, 2014

By Greg Lee gregl@spokesman.com (509) 844-8168

Off and running

Three meets kick off the season Saturday in the region.

• The Highlander Invitational at Shadle Park features the largest field with 43 teams competing on a 2.5-mile course.

The boys race in classes, beginning with the freshmen at 9:30. The girls varsity is at noon.

• The Super 1 Invitational, sponsored by Coeur d’Alene, is at Hayden Canyon. The field consists of 21 teams competing on a 5,000-meter layout. The girls go at 11:15 followed by the boys at 11:45.

• The Tracy Walters meet, sponsored by North Central, is the smallest, with eight boys and five girls teams, but consists of the most quality. All the teams are ranked. Teams to watch are eight-time State 3A champ NC boys, the Central Valley boys and girls, Kamiakin boys and the boys and girls of Mountain View (Meridian, Idaho). Racing on the 3-mile course at Audubon Park begins with the girls at 10:30 followed by the boys at 11.

GSL boys

North Central is chasing a ninth straight State 3A championship – a feat that would tie the consecutive mark set by Mead under former coach Pat Tyson. NC returns state champion Tanner Anderson, Justin Janke (14th) and Andrew Vandine (17th). Coach Jon Knight shouldn’t have any difficulty filling out his lineup. His freshmen were city champs last year. “We have to bring some younger guys along,” Knight said. “There will be three or four guys on there that haven’t won a state title.” … John Dressel of Mt. Spokane finished third at state. The Wildcats took third and should challenge for a state trophy this fall. … The league title will come down to a showdown between NC and 4A Central Valley, which took third at state last year after winning the year before. The Bears return five state qualifiers: Briton Demars, Stephen Heintz, Caleb Nichols, Spencer Jensen and Colton Pegram, all seniors. “We’ve got a bad taste in our mouth,” CV coach Kieran Mahoney said. “Nobody was going to beat Gig Harbor (last year). They were national champions, but we should have been second.” CV hopes to challenge for the state title. “They’ve been talking about it since the bus ride home from state,” Mahoney said. “We want redemption.” … Two other returning state qualifiers are Patrick Miranne of University and Corbin Carlton of Mead. … In the preseason team rankings, NC was first and Mt. Spokane third. CV was rated second and U-Hi 10th.

GSL girls

CV coach Dennis McGuire doesn’t dodge the fact that his team will be in the hunt. He can’t with all seven of his state qualifiers back. “We’re going to be good. It’s hard to say how good,” said McGuire, whose team took fourth at state last year. “These girls are pretty driven and want to do well.” The Bears’ top returners are Sarah White (35th), Briegan Bester (39th) and Kearan Nelson (40th). … Another top 4A returner is Anisa Allaet of Ferris (41st). Gonzaga Prep returns state qualifiers Ann Moloney and Cyra Carlson. … The top returners in 3A are Ashley Hauger (20th) and Lauren Dunnell (23rd) of Shadle Park. Micaela Kostecka (37th) is Mt. Spokane’s top returner. All seven Mt. Spokane state qualifiers are back, making the Wildcats the heavy favorite among 3A teams in league. … CV was tabbed third in the preseason rankings and Mt. Spokane seventh.

GNL boys

East Valley seniors Chad Stevens and Scott Kopczynski return after finishing second and fourth, respectively, at the State 2A meet. They’re also the two top returners statewide in 2A. “We’re excited. They kind of came into their own last year,” EV coach Andrew Walker said. “Both could challenge for a state title.” The Knights have never finished higher than third and they want to match that placing. … The other top returner is Skylar Ovnicek of West Valley (10th). … Kameron Galm and Chais Sugden are back to lead Cheney. … EV was pegged fourth in the preseason rankings.

GNL girls

The league could be down this year. No team was included in the preseason rankings. … There are some quality individuals. Skay McCall of WV took fourth last year and Brittany Aquino of EV was seventh.

NEA boys

Medical Lake coach Gene Blankenship makes no bones about it. He said the NEA is the toughest 1A league in the state. His Cardinals are coming off their first State 1A title and return all of their state qualifiers. “In all honesty, if we don’t win a state title again they ought to fire me,” he said. “Our goal is to put five in the top 16 at state.” … Medical Lake’s top returners are Domenic Rehm (seventh), Micah Dingfield (12th), Tim Chernishoff (16th) and Jacob Dingfield (19th). The Cardinals have their best freshman class under Blankenship. … Riverside brings back state qualifiers Eric Taylor, Brandon Hartill and Angelo Ferraro. … Lakeside, which placed fourth, graduated its top three. … Deer Park moves down from 2A. The Stags will be led by Ammon Hall, who placed 23rd at state. … In the preseason rankings, Medical Lake was picked first, Riverside fourth and Lakeside sixth. Blankenship said Deer Park should have been ranked.

NEA girls

If you think the NEA boys are deep, the girls could be stronger – especially with the addition of Deer Park and Colville. … Lakeside and Riverside finished 1-2 at state, Freeman was sixth and Medical Lake 10th. Jessica Ircink and Lindy Jacobson of Lakeside finished fourth and fifth, respectively, and they’ll lead the Eagles. Riverside’s top returning runner, Mikayla Shuler, who finished 10th at state, transferred to Lakeside but must sit out a year from varsity sports because her family didn’t move within Lakeside’s boundaries. … Alyssa Zimmerman (17th) and Tati Foster (18th) are back for Freeman. … Ashton Owens (27th), Alice Burchett (31st) and Carissa Hambidge (35th) are Riverside’s top returners. … Maleeka Wegner (33rd) and Kaylin Sattler (36th) are back for Medical Lake. … Sophomore Moriah Duenich of Deer Park took 31st last year in 2A. In the preseason rankings, Lakeside and Riverside are 1-2, Freeman is fifth and Medical Lake ninth.

2B/1B

The defending state champion Northwest Christian boys lost just one to graduation. NWC’s top returners are Jack Ammon (fourth), Alex Wallat (10th) and Timothy Kopplin (11th). “These kids are hard workers,” NWC coach Terry Meyer said. “They came into the season pretty fit.” … Other top boys who return are Duncan Forsman (eighth) of Republic, Nathan Hopkins (15th) of Davenport, Brandon Reuben (32nd) of Reardan and Peyton Van Pevenage (34th) of Davenport. … The NWC boys were ranked No. 1 in the preseason ratings, Republic fourth, St. George’s sixth and Reardan seventh. … In the girls, Reardan and St. John-Endicott were tabbed third and fourth, respectively, in the preseason rankings. … Sophomore Madison Ward of St. George’s is the top returner. She took second last year. … Other top returners are Harley Strope (fifth) of Reardan, Shania Graham (eighth) of Republic and Jordan Porubek (ninth) and Shania Bailey (10th) of SJE.

Idaho

The Coeur d’Alene girls are favored to win a third straight State 5A title. The Vikings’ top three returners are Emily Callahan (third) and twins Krista Story (fifth) and Kara Story (sixth). CdA coach Cathy Compton must replace her sixth and seventh runners. “This group of girls have been remarkable,” Compton said. “They’re tough little cookies. They’re driven. They run as a team.” The Vikings are the preseason No. 1 pick. … In 5A boys, Lake City returns the 1-2 punch of Kyler Little (fourth) and Jake Finney (fifth). They’ll challenge for a state title and could lead the Timberwolves, who took sixth last year, to a trophy. … CdA’s top returners are Andrew Magee, Daniel Walters and Tristan Scoffield. … In 4A, the Sandpoint girls pushed through for their first state title, winning by a point. They return sisters Mikhaela Woodward (sixth) and Rainey Woodward (eighth). Also back is Corrine McClelland (22nd). … Moscow brings back Katherine Ruck, who took third. … Sandpoint is ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll. … In 3A, the Timberlake boys finished third last year and return Brayden Menti (18th), Josh Waldram (27th) and Cody Bentley (36th), all sophomores. … Other top returners are Jacob Perkins (11th) of Bonners Ferry and Josh Marks (24th) of Priest River. In the girls, Timberlake took fourth last year. The Tigers’ top returners are Natalie Herring (seventh) and Taylor Hammond (14th).