DP girls offset collapse

Deer Park girls cross country coach Wes Player had resigned himself to the inevitable.

The Stags’ season, which included a perfect Great Northern League record, appeared ended after DP star Chantel Duenich collapsed about one-half mile from the finish while running near the front of the state-qualifying 2A races Saturday at Plantes Ferry Park.

But as Player learned, Duenich gets another chance next week in Pasco because DP placed second and made state. Player scurried out the door to tell his team the good news.

“State is not the important thing,” Player said. “It’s about caring for each other and loving each other. State is for fun. … I’m glad we’re having fun, too.”

2A

Girls: Amanda Wilson and Jess Mildes finished 1-2 to help Riverside to a winning score of 51 points and a trip to state.

DP scored 67, placing three in the top six. First-time varsity runner Amanda Whittle’s 30th-place finish helped the Stags.

Duenich, said she didn’t remember passing out, but her parents said she had complained of stomach pain.

Wilson pushed the pace, timing 19 minutes, 19 seconds over 5,000 meters. Wilson and the team qualified for state for the fourth straight time.

“(Coach Bill Kemp) said today we just wanted to make it to state,” Wilson said. “Next week I’ll go for an individual place.”

Boys: For the first time since 2003, Riverside girls and boys both qualified for state. The boys finished second as expected to favored Cheney (46 points), but just ahead of Colville (55-57).

Cheney was buoyed by Reese Martin, who sprinted home in 16:06 for a 10-second win over the Rams’ Joey Nyberg.

That left Cheney’s usual No. 1 runner, Arick Zachman, to settle for third. Zachman won five of eight races this year and beat Martin in seven.

Cheney coach Jay Martin said he was pleased for his son and Zachman.

“All the teams in this league have a tremendous history,” Martin said.

2B/1B

Boys: Valley Christian’s Jeff Pope, state runner-up last year, personifies the loneliness of the long-distance runner.

At Plantes Ferry Park, he won his race by 41 seconds during competition that qualified five teams and 25 runners to state.

When Pope finished in 16:12, there was nary a runner on the horizon.

“It’s definitely the hardest way to run,” Pope said. “I’m used to my pace and that’s the biggest thing.”

Reardan, with six among the top 16, won the team race 35-62 over Republic. VC, Northwest Christian and St. George’s also made state.

Girls: St. George’s, with Kate Reidy second overall in 19:32, is back at state where it finished second in 2007. Three Dragons placed in the top five as they scored 37 points to Reardan’s 73. Trout Lake’s Neola Putnam won in 19:21.

4A

Boys: Ferris’ young team continued its late-season success with an upset victory in the regional at Richland’s Carmichael Middle School. The Saxons scored 55 points to edge Eisenhower for the title.

Ferris’ Adam Thorne finished third in 15:16 behind Andrew Gonzales of Southridge (14:57) and Emmanuel Contreras of Davis. Thorne’s teammates all finished among the top 20. Perry Domini and Tim Colliton each ran 15:51, and Justin Zimmeran (15:54) and Alex Kimsey (15:56) were close.

Mead’s Jordan Baker placed fourth and Jordan Curnutt seventh. The rest of Mead’s scorers finished between 27th and 29th for the third state team spot. Joining them individually are Anthony Brown (University), Kenji Bierig (Lewis and Clark) and Tate Kelly (Gonzaga Prep).

Girls: Senior Eden Lake led the way, finishing fourth in 18:28, and Jamie Lambie took seventh in 18:53 to spearhead Central Valley’s regional team victory. CV scored 54 points to top Richland (65) and Davis (79).

Mead’s Baylee Mires (17:45) finished second, 4 seconds behind Davis’ Sandra Martinez. Also qualifying for state were Stevie Gildehaus, U-Hi; Alison Keenan, LC; and Alicia Doohan, G-Prep.

3A

Boys: The GSL claimed the first 12 individual spots – seven by North Central – and both team berths. NC scored 18 points to Mt. Spokane’s 61. NC seniors Andrew Kimpel, Leon Dean and Jeff Howard finished 1-2-3, separated by 5 seconds. Kimpel’s winning time was 15:05.

Mt. Spokane’s Allan Schroeder took fourth and Nathan Weitz of Shadle Park sixth to prevent a five-runner NC sweep.

Girls: Shadle’s Andrea Nelson timed 18:05 to win by 47 seconds. Mt. Spokane nipped Hanford 42-46, and both earned state berths.

Mt. Spokane had four runners finish in the top 10. Molly Cole was third and Courtney Zalud fourth. Also qualifying for state was East Valley’s Lauren Bergam.