Young NC takes crown

PASCO – North Central’s boys cross country team is so young, it doesn’t know any better.

That is as good an explanation as any why they are bringing home the school’s first state championship trophy in 29 years.

The last, also cross country, was back in 1977 under Len Long, who is still with the program as an assistant.

One of NC’s expected top returnees from last year’s second-place effort, Andrew Scott, moved away. Three others off that team, juniors Adam Tyler and Steve Hicks, and sophomore Leon Dean were joined by sophomores Andy Kimpel, Jeff Howard and Adam Reid, and junior Mitch Maly.

“Coach Long and I like to work with kids and try to bring them along,” said NC coach Jon Knight. “They came along fast.”

The Indians put four runners in the top 15 in Saturday’s state race. Kimpel finished fifth, with Hicks, Dean and Tyler rounding out the top-15 quartet.

“They race above their years,” said Knight. “They run like veterans and know how to race and compete.”

Girls

The way the race unfolded, no one could have guessed that Mt. Spokane, without graduated state champion Megan O’Reilly, would finish second in state again.

The Wildcats did, finishing behind Squalicum 80-131. Just three points separated second through fourth.

O’Reilly, now at Montana, was in attendance as Jessica Klier and Courtney Zalud finished 11th and 14th, respectively. But with typical No. 3 finisher Amy Pomante having a subpar day in seventh for the team, it seemed unlikely they’d place so well.

“Wow! This is pretty cool,” said Wildcats coach Sean Linder. “What the girls did, with Amy struggling, was go as hard as they could. Six were ready to collapse at the finish and that’s what it took.”

NC’s Mary Graesser, sixth overall, was the highest GSL 3A placer.