Sequim’s Riley Pyeatt hadn’t set foot on the cross country course at Salt Creek before, but the freshman looked right at home Saturday.
Pyeatt raced to a second place finish and teammate Murray Bingham with the top SHS boy finisher with a fourth place effort at the 41st Salt Creek Invitational on Sept. 15.
Finishing the 3-mile course in 18 minutes and 53 seconds, Pyeatt said her pre-race game plan was to keep close to Port Angeles sophomore Lauren Larson. The plan worked, as the Sequim ninth-grader placed just 17 seconds behind Larson, the Salt Creek invite champ.
“I liked it,” Pyeatt said of the Salt Creek course. “The stairs kind of killed me.”
Bingham, was placed eighth at Salt Creek last year, clocked in at a little over 15:40 — about 18 second faster than last year.
“He came close to finishing second in that race,” Sequim coach Harold Huff noted.
Bingham, who was just three seconds back of Salt Creek champ Chairnet Muche, a junior from Nathan Hale, was the fastest runner from a 2A school on the course.
“I’m stronger than I was last year,” Bingham said. “I’m PR-ing (setting personal records)in every race. I ran a ton this summer.
“This is the year I have to give it my all being a senior. I have high hopes for the future.”
Said Huff, “(That work) pays off big time.”
Sequim’s boys placed sixth among 11 qualified teams, with host Port Angeles fourth and North Kitsap in fifth.
Sequim’s Liam Byrne was 30th (17:23) and fellow senior Alec Shingleton was 38th (17:39). SHS freshman Koda Robinson was 45th (18:01), while Sequim seniors Fischer Jensen (50th, 18:13) and Jakob Pyeatt (58th, 18:50) rounded out Sequim’s varsity crew.
“Koda had a good race,” Huff said. “Everyone’s got some work to do. I don’t know where we’re going to be at the end of the season.”
On the girls side, Sequim High sophomore Eleanor Byrne was 26th (22:00), fellow soph Jessica German was 34th (23:05), freshman Aidyn Shingleton was 38th (23:26) and junior Emily Silva was 42nd (23:48).
Despite their overall finish — sixth out of seven qualifying teams — Huff said he was pleased with SHS’s girls results.
“The girls all had solid races; they’re getting in better shape,” Huff said.
Pyeatt said her goal is to keep getting in under the 19-minute mark this season.
Huff said as good as the newcomer is there’s every chance she could do exactly that, and more.
”Riley still has a lot of upside,” he said.
See photos from the meet here.
Looking ahead
The Wolves are at Klahowya (Silverdale) on Sept. 19 to take on Port Angeles and the host Eagles.
Sequim then competes in a trio of non-league events: the Three-Course Challenge in Seaside, Ore., on Sept. 22; the Metro League/Olympic League Cross Country meet on Sept. 26 on Bainbridge Island, and the Curtis Cross Country Invitational in University Place on Sept. 29.
