Knight outkicks nemesis at State 3A girls cross country

PASCO – Katie Knight’s big smile as she crossed the finish line was wider by the time she ascended to the top spot of the podium following her race at the state cross country extravaganza on Saturday.

The North Central junior’s remarkable run and victory over arch nemesis Amy-Eloise Neale of Glacier Peak highlighted what was Lady’s Day for area runners at Sun Willows Golf Course.

It started from the frost-delayed first race when Colfax senior Morgan Willson cruised to the 2B/1B title, continued as the Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) girls beat rival Riverside in the 1A race and had the first big shocker when Cheney ended Sehome’s run of five straight 2A crowns.

But then came the race everybody wanted to see – and it didn’t disappoint.

In six past state championship showdowns, Knight ran second to Neale. Last year in cross country and two distance race in track, covering 9,800 meters, Neale’s total margin of victory was 9.14 seconds. When they were freshmen, it was 2.06 seconds for the three races combined.

That’s why Knight’s 19-second victory on the 5,000-meter course was so astonishing, let alone the fact that the time of 17 minutes, 11 seconds was 20 seconds faster than the course record Neale ran a year ago.

“I have no words for how I feel right now,” Knight said. “I’m so ecstatic, I might start crying.”

Mikila Salazar of West Valley won the two-person wheelchair race.

3A

Knight’s time was the fastest for a Spokane high school runner at 5,000 by 24 seconds.

“I had a feeling that the pace was going to be record pace, because we both weren’t going to give an inch,” Knight said. “I was sure it would be close to a record, but I wasn’t sure if Amy or I would get it.”

Knight had never beaten Neale in high school competition.

“She did a great job,” Neale said. “At about the 2-mile, she got a few steps on me in the corner and got a gap. … It was difficult, especially after I got a gap on me, to keep pushing.”

Still, the bigger Neale, who has the superior kick, wasn’t too far behind when last spotted, so it was surprising she wasn’t in sight when Knight crested the final hill at the top of the home stretch.

“Toward the end I thought she should be coming, so I ran as hard as I could,” Knight said. “If she’s not a mile behind you, you better look out.

It was a double whammy for Neale, whose team failed to defend its title, losing 58-60 to Camas.

Knight was drawing inspiration from everything she could think of.

“The whole time I was just thinking, ‘Katie, it’s your day. Do this for your teammates, both boys and girls. Do it for your parents, North Central, Spokane, the Greater Spokane League, all those people who cheer me on even if I do bad.’ ”

Shadle Park’s Kendra Weitz, who is usually within shouting distance of the lead, fell ill, collapsed several times and barely managed to finish.

2A

Cheney had high hopes after dominating this side of the state, but Sehome was a different obstacle.

“Everything had to go right to beat the five-time defending champions,” assistant coach Chad Portwood said. “We told the girls before the race we had to take it, They weren’t going to give it to us.”

Leading the charge was junior Sanne Holland, who was fourth after two years of finishing third.

“I would have liked to be further up, place-wise, but I’m happy with a PR,” Holland said. “I don’t know if it was mentally or physically, but I just was not feeling 100 percent today.”

The Blackhawks had 71 points to 78 for the Mariners, a margin determined by the fourth- and fifth-place runners, junior Kendall Dunn and sophomore Mariah Brenton, who made up 14 points.

1A

Even though all seven runners from last year’s fourth-place team were underclassmen, Lakeside coach Steve Olson didn’t enter the season thinking state title, not with defending champion Riverside returning its whole team.

“But they just responded to the training,” he said. “Halfway through the season I knew this could be a special year.”

Freshman Lindy Jacobson led the way, finishing sixth, as the Eagles had 59 points to 85 for the Rams.

“We just work hard all season, push each other at practice,” Jacobson said. “We’re confident, but not overconfident. We just love to run.”

The race was historical because Maddie Meyers of Northwest became the first runner in state history to win four titles, cruising in 17:54.6, about 20 seconds slower than last year when she briefly held the course record. Still, she won by 43 seconds.

Riverside senior Jess Mildes was third for the second straight year.

“I’m not disappointed. I gave it my all,” Mildes said after shaving 50 seconds off last year’s time.

2B/1B

Willson was a volleyball player as a freshman who discovered distance running in track. Her sophomore season she was a state champion, but last year she was surprised by Oroville freshman Sierra Speiker.

Not this time, Wilson’s time of 18:36 was 49 seconds in front of Speiker.

“This year was just overall better, my times were down,” said Willson, who is going to run at Whitworth. “A lot of it is mental. I had to have that confidence – 90 percent of running I think is mental.”

Northwest Christian (Lacey) won its sixth title easily, scoring 30 points. Reardan was the surprise runner-up with 94, five ahead of regional winner Asotin.

“We were hoping for one of these,” Reardan senior Emily Roberts said, holding up the trophy.

Reardan freshman Harley Strope was fifth.

4A

Lewis and Clark wasn’t healthy, but the Tigers still got a trophy by finishing fourth. Their 140 points were 17 lower than regional champion and defending state champion Eisenhower.

Tahoma won the title with 88 points, 11 in front of Bellarmine Prep.

Sophomore Jordan McPhee of Mt. Rainier easily won the race in 17:25. Alexis Fuller, a freshman from Union, was second in 18:08. No Spokane runner finished in the top 20.