Front Running Wv Plans To Remain There

Jim McLachlan knows right where his teams stand for today’s premier Frontier League meet at Plantes Ferry Park.

McLachlan’s second-ranked West Valley boys (3-0) are favored over seventh-ranked East Valley (1-1) in a three-way that includes Colville.

The third-ranked WV girls (3-0), however, may have their hands full with top-ranked and defending State AA champion EV (2-0).

“We ran so poorly against them last year,” McLachlan said. “We’ll have to be at our best to take a shot at them.”

WV boys have the potential for a 1-2-3 sweep with Matt Wheeler, Clayton Holmes and Levi Lounder. Wheeler has taken the leader’s role this year, but McLachlan believes the trio can finish within 10 seconds of one another.

EV counters with Chris Henderson and Ryan Skinner, both top-five finishers at last year’s District 7-AA meet.

The girls race brings together Jessica Riehle of WV, the ‘93 state champion, and EV’s Angie Simmers, who lost to Riehle on a lean that year. Simmers has a tremendous supporting crew in Ann Marie Adams, Cara Smith, Sally Wulf, Carmen Cook and Jennifer Mills - not to name them all.

“They’re running pretty tough this year,” McLachlan said. “The difference this year is that we know we’re running against a defending state champion.”

The girls varsity race is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m., with the boys 30 minutes later. WV’s boys have won or tied for four of the last five league titles.

State at Wilbur

The unofficial State B meet, organized by Wilbur-Creston coach Jim Cox, has attracted 20 teams.

Cox said most of the Bi-County and Panorama league schools have committed to Saturday’s race, as have Seattle Lutheran, Christian Faith and North Beach.

The B’s had an official state meet the previous four years, but the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association dropped the event this year because not enough schools were offering the sport.

Cox scurried to put together the next best thing. The event will begin at 2 p.m. at the Wilbur Golf Course. Varsity girls should begin at 3, with varsity boys 30 minutes later.

The St. George’s boys, with defending state champ Christian Laugen, are favored. Cox called the girls race wide-open.

, DataTimes