North Central boys to cross country nationals

BOISE – The North Central boys won the Northwest regional on Saturday to qualify for the Nike Cross Country Nationals for the fifth consecutive year.

North Central – running as the North Spokane XC Club – scored 95 points to top second-place Gig Harbor, which had 108. Both teams move on to the national championship meet in Portland on Dec. 3.

NC won the nationals in 2008 and was sixth last year.

Kai Wilmot topped the North Central finishers by placing eighth in 15:57.8 over the 5,000-meter course.

North Central’s five scoring runners were Wilmot, Keith Williams, Austen Frostad, Tanner Anderson and Nik Taylor. Anthony Armstrong of Kamiakin won in 15:36.9.

Katie Knight of North Central qualified as an individual with a time of 17:58.1, finishing second to Amy-Eloise Neale (17:49.0) of Glacier Peak. Knight defeated Neale last weekend in the State 3A championships.

Deer Park, led by the 1-2 finish of Dayde Collins and Dan Amann, finished second in the boys Open race.