Fifteen 2A schools sent 205 runners down to Lewis River Golf Course in Woodland on Thursday for the 2A District 4 championship, and of those, 14 local athletes made the cut to the State championships in a week and a half.
The 2A Greater St. Helens League dominated the day, taking seven of the top eight team spots on the boys’ and girls’ side.
On the boys’ side the schools with the top four team scores qualified as teams — a group which included Tumwater at No. 3 — along with the rest of the top-28 individuals. For the girls, it was three teams and the top 21 individuals.
Rochester’s Gunnar Morgan had the best result of the day for the area, placing fourth in the boys race with a time of 16:44.
Behind him came Tumwater’s Reis Howell in sixth at 16:54, leading a contingent of 10 Thunderbirds bound for Pasco. Alen Penrose III was 12th at 17:02, while Malaki Jenkins (17:36) Joshua Morgan (17:47), Benjamin Ferrel (17:53), Zane McAferty (18:07) and Benjamin Morgan (18:27) all also qualified.
On the girls’ side, Annabelle Clapp (20:36) and Alexandra Broome (20:37) finished together to qualify in 12th and 13th place, respectively, while Olivia Ahrens made the cut at 21:06.
Black Hills’ Luke Grunenfelder made State at 17:13 to take 16th, just ahead of Truman Wimsett in 17th in 17:15. W.F. West will be represented at the state meet by Ezra Birchard, who ran the course in 17:41 to finish 25th.
Two Beavers make State
After the two 2A races came the 1A District 4 championships, in which Tenino got one boy and one girl through to the state championship.
On the boys’ side, Tristan Von Bargen finished ninth with a time of 17:16, while for the girls, Brynn Williams took 12th in 21:16.
