Jessica Riehle West Valley Year: Junior Sport: Cross Country

Of all the words to describe Jessica Riehle, “sickly” would seem one of the least appropriate.

Riehle owns course records at every Frontier League site. She has won the last two District 7-AA titles and captured the State AA title as a freshman in 1993.

Yet Riehle claims to be a magnet for all the microbes of illness.

“I’m made fun of because I get sick so easily,” Riehle said. “I think I’ve had pneumonia three times.”

Riehle has fought a sinus infection much of the season. Imagine what she could do with perfect health.

Last Thursday Riehle broke her course record at Plantes Ferry Park by touring the 3-mile layout in 19 minutes, 3 seconds. Her previous best at West Valley’s home course was 19:15.

Riehle said her course record at Riverside’s Bear Lake counts as a favorite. In a frightening squall, with puddles to navigate everywhere, Riehle finished in 19:04.

“One girl thought she got struck by lightning,” Riehle said. “They were going to stop the race but they didn’t, I guess, because we were doing so well.”Since bursting on the scene as a freshman sensation, Riehle’s main competition has come within her own league. Frontier rivals Angie Simmers of East Valley and Jeannette Zimmer of Cheney have pushed Riehle to be her best.

Cheney’s Jeannette Zimmer, a freshman last year, beat Riehle for the state title. The two will have their predistrict competition today at Plantes Ferry.

“Coach (Jim McLachlan) will tell me what she has run, but I don’t think about it,” Riehle said.

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