Blackwell Answers For Eagles

State 2A

Three No. 1’s equal a second No. 1 for the Lakeside boys cross country team.

Trevor Blackwell became the third Eagle to run No. 1 this year, leading the charge as they easily defended their State 2A boys title.

Blackwell placed fifth and the Eagles scored 47 points, 22 in front of Omak.

“Poetic justice,” Lakeside coach Matt Sullivan said. “Trevor has been our No. 2 runner for four years. He kind of got overlooked by some good guys and a great team. Funny, I thought people didn’t believe me when I said we had three No.1 runners because he never did it. Now we know.”

Blackwell toured the 3.1-mile route on Sun Willows Golf Course in 16 minutes, 33 seconds, 25 seconds quicker than when he ran third and finished 16th to help Lakeside win the first time.

“It was my last race in high school, I let everything go,” Blackwell said. “I just tried to hang on the second mile then let it all go the third mile.”

Riverside, led by freshman Katie Prichard and a gutty performance by junior Chanel Teichert, finished second in the girls race. The Rams scored 71 points, well behind Omak’s 38.

2A boys

Seniors Trevor Smith and Perry Welch took turns running No. 1 for Lakeside all year, stepping in to replace last year’s graduated state champion Mike Witt.

But on this day, neither ran better than they did last year. Nor did junior Shawn Close. Veterans off last year’s team, they did secure the title for the Eagles by finishing 13th, 14th and 15th, respectively.

“Mike Witt (ran No. 1) for three years. This year Perry and Trevor Smith stepped up,” Sullivan said. “Trevor Blackwell was always right there. I couldn’t have been happier for him.”

His teammates felt the same way.

“He’s the one that deserves it most out of anyone at our school,” Smith said. “Make sure you put that in, our whole team feels that way. He always goes out, leads it for the first few miles. It helps our team along. He uses up his energy for us. Then we get the glory, but he’s the one who deserves it.”

Omak junior Matt Harriman won the individual title in 15:39.

2A girls

Teichert collapsed at the district meet and rolled over the finish line to get Riverside to state.

She stayed on her feet Saturday but was just as spent. Usually the Rams’ fifth runner, she didn’t know she finished third for her team or 24th overall.

“I don’t know. I don’t care. I’m not here as an individual, we’re here as a team,” she said, after being helped on and off the awards stand. “I gave it my all, that’s all I can do. I feel pretty beat.”

Prichard led the Rams, who were third a year ago, with a fifth-place finish.