Cross country: SHS girls sweep, boys second at league meet

By Michael Dashiell • October 9, 2019 1:30 am
Sequim’s Kaleb Needoba, second from left, races against North Kitsap and Port Angeles in a Sept. 27 league meet at Robin Hill County Park. Needoba set a 5,000-meter personal best in an Oct. 2 league meet in Belfair. Sequim Gazette file photo by Michael Dashiell
Sequim’s Kaleb Needoba, second from left, races against North Kitsap and Port Angeles in a Sept. 27 league meet at Robin Hill County Park. Needoba set a 5,000-meter personal best in an Oct. 2 league meet in Belfair. Sequim Gazette file photo by Michael Dashiell

A strong effort by Sequim’s pair of young running squads nearly produced a double sweep in Belfair last week.

Paced by sophomore standout Riley Pyeatt, Sequim’s girls — a team with six underclassmen out of eight — tallied 25 team points to top both North Mason (40) and Kingston (58).

Pyeatt cruised to a win in the girls race, clocking the 5,000-meter course in 19 minutes, 52 seconds — a minute and 34 second ahead of runner up North Mason freshman Kezlie Thygesen.

Teammates back Pyeatt’s effort by placing four more Wolves in the top eight. Freshman Anatasia Updike (23:10) was fourth and junior Jessica German was fifth with a 5k personal best 23:14 mark. Sequim freshman Macy Cogburn (24:34) was seventh and senior Emily Silva (24:38) was eighth.

Sequim’s boys, who have four underclassmen among its varsity seven, battled close with host North Mason before placing second overall. The Bulldogs put five runners in the top nine spots for 28 team points, ahead of Sequim (37) and Kingston (55).

Junior Eli Gish led the way for Sequim with a fourth place finish in 18:33. Junior teammate Kaleb Needoba was fifth with a 18:41 mark, a personal best for 5,000 meters by more than 80 seconds.

SHS sophomore Koda Robinson (sixth, 18:53) finished close behind.

Sequim freshman Jaxon Cogburn (19:22) was 10th and freshman Owen Randall (19:33) was 12th.

In league meets, Sequim’s girls improved to 5-1 while SHS’s boys are 2-4.

Looking ahead

The Wolves are in Bremerton to take on the Knights and Klahowya on Oct. 9. They travel to Lakewood on Oct. 12 for the Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational.

The postseason follows with the Olympic League championship on Thursday, Oct. 24, at Port Townsend Golf Club, followed by the West Central District meet, the Westside Classic, at Chambers Creek Properties Central Meadow in University Place on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Sequim junior Jessica German, pictured here in a Sept. 27 league meet at Robin Hill County Park, set a personal best 5k mark and placed fifth as the Wolves swept North Mason and Kingston in Belfair on Oct. 2. Sequim Gazette file photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim junior Jessica German, pictured here in a Sept. 27 league meet at Robin Hill County Park, set a personal best 5k mark and placed fifth as the Wolves swept North Mason and Kingston in Belfair on Oct. 2. Sequim Gazette file photo by Michael Dashiell